Galatians 3

1 O foolish Galatians, who bewitched you? before whose eyes Jesus Christ was plainly set forth among you crucified.

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you not be persuaded by the Truth—Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as having been crucified, before your very eyes!

2 This only I desire to learn from you: Was it from the works of the Law that ye received the Spirit, or by the preaching of faith?

Just tell me one thing: Did you receive the Spirit by works of law, or by hearing of faith?

3 Are ye so foolish? Having begun with the Spirit, do ye now end with the flesh?

Can you be so foolish? Having begun in spirit, do you finish in flesh?

4 Have ye suffered so much in vain? if indeed it be really in vain.

Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing?

5 Doth he then who is supplying to you the Spirit, and working miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by the preaching of faith?

Furthermore, He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, is He activated by works of law, or by hearing of faith?—

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

just as Abraham ‘believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.’

7 Know then that they who have faith, these are the sons of Abraham.

Now you must know that only those who are of faith are ‘sons’ of Abraham.

8 Moreover the Scripture, foreseeing that God was to accept the gentiles as righteous by faith, proclaimed beforehand the glad tidings to Abraham, saying, “In thee shall all nations be blessed.”

Further, the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations by faith, proclaimed the Gospel in advance to Abraham: “All the nations will be blessed through you.”

9 So then they who have faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the faithful.

10 For as many as rely on the works of the Law are under a 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.”

Now as many as are ‘by works of law’ are under a curse; because it stands written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the things written in the Book of the Law, to do them.”

11 But further, that through the observance of the Law no one is accepted as righteous with God is evident; for “the righteous shall live by faith.”

Further, it is evident that no one is justified by law before God, because “the righteous one will live by faith.”

12 And the Law hath nothing to do with faith; but [[its language is]], “He that hath done them shall live in them.”

While the law is not of faith but, “the man who does them will live by them.”

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, “Cursed is every one that is hanged on a beam of wood,”—

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse in our place—because it stands written, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree”—

14 to the end that in Christ Jesus the blessing promised to Abraham might come to the gentiles, that we through faith might receive the Spirit which was promised.

so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the nations/Gentiles through Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through the faith.

15 Brethren, I speak according to what is practised among men; no one sets aside even a human covenant, or makes additions to it, after it has been ratified.

Brothers: as a man I speak a covenant; though only of a man, once it has been ratified no one annuls or adds to it.

16 But the promises were made to Abraham and “to his offspring.” He doth not say, “and to offsprings,” as speaking of many, but, as speaking of one, “and to thy offspring,” which is Christ.

But to Abraham were spoken the promises, and to his Seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as about many, but “and to your seed,” as about one, who is Christ.

17 And what I mean is this; that a covenant that was before ratified by God, the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, cannot annul, so as to make void the promise;

Further, I say this: a covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ cannot be annulled by the law that came four hundred and thirty years later, so as to make the promise of no effect.

18 for if the inheritance cometh from the Law, it ceaseth to be the consequence of the promise; but to Abraham God gave it by promise.

For if the inheritance were of law, it would no longer be of promise, but God granted it to Abraham by promise.

19 To what end then was the Law? It was added because of transgressions, till the offspring should come to whom the promise belongeth, having been ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

Why then the law? It was added on account of the transgressions, until the Seed should come to whom the inheritance had been promised; and it was ordered through angels by the hand of a mediator.

20 Now no mediator is a mediator of one; but God is one.

(Now that mediator is not for just one, but God is one.)

21 Is then the Law against the promises of God? Far be it! For if a law had been given which was able to give life, righteousness would indeed have been by the Law;

Is the law then against the promises of God? Of course not! Rather, if a law had been given that was capable of imparting life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

22 but the Scripture shut up all under sin, that the blessing promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the Law, shut up unto the faith which was to be revealed.

Now before this faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, in confinement until the coming faith was revealed.

24 So then the Law hath been our schoolmaster, to lead us to Christ, that we might be accepted as righteous through faith;

So then, the law became our guardian until Christ, so that we might be justified by faith.

25 but faith having come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Now that the faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

26 For ye are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus;

So all of you are sons of God through the faith in Christ Jesus.

27 for as many of you as were baptized into Christ, did put on Christ.

As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is no male and female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus;

—there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no ‘male and female’; all of you are one in Christ Jesus—

29 and if ye belong to Christ, then are ye Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.

so if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.