Galatians 3

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you to keep you from obeying the truth? In your presence, before your very eyes, Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as 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 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?

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

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now trying to be perfected by the flesh?

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

4 Did you suffer so much in vain?—if indeed it was in vain.

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

5 Does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you because you perform the works of the law or because you hear with 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 Remember, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

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

7 Therefore you must understand that those who have faith are the sons of Abraham.

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

8 Now the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in yoʋ.”

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, those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

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

10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

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 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, because “the righteous will 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 But the law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The person who does these things will live by 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 by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.”

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 He redeemed us so that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

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 Brothers, let me give an example from everyday life: When a man-made covenant is ratified, no one annuls it or adds to it.

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 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture does not say, “And to his descendants,” referring to many, but referring to one man it says, “And to yoʋr descendant,” who 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 My point is this: The law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul a covenant previously ratified by God to Christ, so as to invalidate 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 comes by the law, it no longer comes by the promise; but God granted it to Abraham by a promise.

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

19 Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the descendant should come to whom the promise had been made. It was 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 a mediator does not represent just one party, but God is one.

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

21 Is the law then opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, truly righteousness would have come through 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 has confined all under sin, so that the promise might be given on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ 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 Now before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined until the faith that was to come would be revealed.

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

24 The law, then, was our guardian until Christ came, so that we could be justified by faith.

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

25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,

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

26 for you 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 all of you who were baptized into Christ have 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 slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you 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 you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants and heirs according to the promise.

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