Galatians 3

1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

You Galatians, you've lost your heads! Who has put you under a spell? The death of Jesus Christ on a cross was clearly presented to you so you could see!

2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

So tell me—did you receive the Spirit by keeping the law, or by placing your trust in what you heard?

3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

You really have lost your heads! You began living in the Spirit. Do you really think you can now make yourselves perfect by your own human efforts?

4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

Did you go through so much suffering for nothing? (It really wasn't for nothing was it?)

5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Let me ask you: does God give you the Spirit and do so many miracles among you because you keep the law, or is it because you trust in what you heard?

6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

It's just like Abraham who “trusted God, and was considered to be right.”

7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

So you should acknowledge that those who trust in God are the children of Abraham.

8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

In Scripture it's foreseen that God would make right the foreigners who trusted in him. The good news is revealed to Abraham beforehand with the words, “Through you all the nations will be blessed.”

9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Consequently those who trust in God are blessed along with Abraham who trusted God.

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

All those who rely on keeping the law are under a curse, for as Scripture says, “Cursed is everyone who doesn't carefully obey everything that's written in the book of the law.”

11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Clearly nobody is made right with God by attempting to keep the law, for “Those who are made right will live by trusting God.”

12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

Obedience to the law has nothing to do with trusting God. Scripture only says, “You will live if you observe everything the law requires.”

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Christ has rescued us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. As Scripture says, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—

14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

so that through Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham could come to the foreigners as well, and we could receive the promise of the Spirit by trusting God.

15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

Brothers and sisters, here's an example from daily life. If a contract is drawn up and agreed, signed and sealed, nobody can ignore it or add to it.

16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Now the promises were given to Abraham, and to his son. It doesn't say, “sons” as if plural, but singular: “and to your son,” meaning Christ.

17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Let me explain. The law, coming four hundred and thirty years later, doesn't cancel the previous agreement that God made, breaking the promise.

18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

If the inheritance is derived from obedience to the law, it no longer comes from the promise. But God graciously gave it to Abraham by means of the promise.

19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

What was the point of the law, then? It was added to show what wrongdoing really is, until the son came to whom the promise had been made. The law was put in place by angels through the hand of a mediator.

20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

But a mediator isn't needed when there's only one person involved. And God is one!

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

So does the law work against God's promises? Of course not! For if there was a law that could give life, then we could be made right by keeping it.

22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

But Scripture tells us that we all are prisoners of sin. The only way we can receive God's promises is by trusting in Jesus Christ.

23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Before we trusted in Jesus we remained in the custody of the law until this way of trusting was revealed.

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

The law was our guardian until Christ came, so that we could be made right by trusting him.

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

But now this way of trusting Jesus has come, we no longer need such a guardian.

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

For you are all God's children through your trust in Christ Jesus.

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

There's no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female—you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's children, and you are heirs of the promise!