Galatians 3

1 You foolish Galatians! Whose sophistry has bewitched you--you to whom Jesus Christ has been vividly portrayed as on the Cross?

O thoughtless Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been plainly set forth crucified?

2 Answer me this one question, "Is it on the ground of your obedience to the Law that you received the Spirit, or is it because, when you heard, you believed?"

This only I wish to learn of you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of law, or by the hearing of faith?

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now going to reach perfection through what is external?

Are you so thoughtless? After having begun in Spirit, do you make an end in flesh?

4 Have you endured such sufferings to no purpose--if indeed it has been to no purpose?

Have you suffered so many things in vain? if, indeed, it be in vain.

5 He who gives you His Spirit and works miracles among you--does He do so on the ground of your obedience to the Law, or is it the result of your having heard and believed:

He that supplies to you the Spirit, and works mighty deeds among you, does he this by works of law or by the hearing of faith?

6 even as Abraham believed God, and his faith was placed to his account as righteousness?

even as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.

7 Notice therefore that those who possess faith are true sons of Abraham.

Know, therefore, that those who are of faith are the sons of Abraham.

8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that in consequence of faith God would declare the nations to be free from guilt, sent beforehand the Good News to Abraham, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."

For the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached beforehand the gospel to Abraham, saying: In you shall all the nations be blessed.

9 So we see that it is those who possess faith that are blessed with believing Abraham.

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

10 All who are depending upon their own obedience to the Law are under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed is every one who does not remain faithful to all the precepts of the Law, and practise them."

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

11 It is evident, too, that no one can find acceptance with God simply by obeying the Law, because "the righteous shall live by faith,"

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

12 and the Law has nothing to do with faith. It teaches that "he who does these things shall live by doing them."

The law, indeed, is not of faith; but he that does these things shall live by them.

13 Christ has purchased our freedom from the curse of the Law by becoming accursed for us--because "Cursed is every one who is hanged upon a tree."

Christ has bought us off from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us: (for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree: )

14 Our freedom has been thus purchased in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing belonging to Abraham may come upon the nations, so that through faith we may receive the promised Spirit.

in order that the blessing of Abraham may come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we may receive the promise of the Spirit through the faith.

15 Brethren, even a covenant made by a man--to borrow an illustration from daily life--when once formally sanctioned is not liable to be set aside or added to.

Brethren, I speak of things common among men: No one sets a covenant aside, or enjoins any thing additional after it is confirmed, though it be a man’s covenant.

16 (Now the promises were given to Abraham and to his seed. God did not say "and to seeds," as if speaking of many, but "and to your seed," since He spoke of only one--and this is Christ.)

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring; he does not say: And to offsprings, as if he spoke of many; but as of one, And to your offspring, which is Christ.

17 I mean that the Covenant which God had already formally made is not abrogated by the Law which was given four hundred and thirty years later--so as to annul the promise.

And this I affirm, that the covenant which had been before confirmed by God with respect to Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, could not annul so as to make the promise of no effect.

18 For if the inheritance comes through obedience to Law, it no longer comes because of a promise. But, as a matter of fact, God has granted it to Abraham in fulfilment of a promise.

For if the inheritance be by law, it is no longer by promise: but God bestowed it on Abraham by promise.

19 Why then was the Law given? It was imposed later on for the sake of defining sin, until the seed should come to whom God had made the promise; and its details were laid down by a mediator with the help of angels.

What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added on account of transgressions, (till the offspring should come, to whom the promise was made, ) having been appointed through the service of angels, in the hand of a mediator.

20 But there cannot be a mediator where only one individual is concerned.

Now, a mediator for one is impossible; but God is one.

21 God, however, is only one. Is the Law then opposed to the promises of God? No, indeed; for if a Law had been given which could have conferred Life, righteousness would certainly have come by the Law.

Is the law, then, against the promises of God? It can not be. For if a law had been given which could have given life, surely righteousness would have been by law.

22 But Scripture has shown that all mankind are the prisoners of sin, in order that the promised blessing, which depends on faith in Jesus Christ, may be given to those who believe.

But the scripture has shut up all under sin, that the promise by faith in Christ Jesus may be given to those who believe.

23 Before this faith came, we Jews were perpetual prisoners under the Law, living under restraints and limitations in preparation for the faith which was soon to be revealed.

But before the faith came, we were kept under law, being shut up to the faith which was to be revealed.

24 So that the Law has acted the part of a tutor-slave to lead us to Christ, in order that through faith we may be declared to be free from guilt.

So, then, the law was our pedagogue that led us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

25 But now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor-slave.

But since the faith has come, we are no longer under a pedagogue:

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

for you are all the sons of God, by faith in Christ Jesus:

27 for all of you who have been baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ.

for as many of you as have been immersed into Christ, have put on Christ.

28 In Him the distinctions between Jew and Gentile, slave and free man, male and female, disappear; you are all one in Christ Jesus.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bondman nor freeman, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are indeed true descendants of Abraham, and are heirs in fulfilment of the promise.

And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s posterity, and heirs according to the promise.