Galatians 3

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

Foolish Galatians, who has cunningly deceived you, before whose eyes Yeshua the Messiah was openly set forth as 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?"

I just want to learn this from you. Did you receive the Ruach by the works of the law, or by 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 foolish? Having begun in the Ruach, are you now completed in the flesh?

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

Did you suffer so many things in vain, if it is indeed 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 therefore who supplies the Ruach to you, and works miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by 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 credited to him as righteousness."

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

Know therefore that those who are of faith, the same are 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."

The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the non-Jews by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, "Through you all the nations will 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 the 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 a curse. For it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things that are 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,"

Now it is evident that that no one is justified by the law before God, for, "The righteous will live by faith."

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 is not of faith, but, "The one who does them will 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."

Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, "Cursed is everyone who 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.

that the blessing of Abraham might come on the non-Jews through Messiah Yeshua; that we might receive the promise of the Ruach through 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.

Brothers, I am speaking in human terms. Though it is only a human covenant, once it has been ratified, no one annuls it or adds to it.

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 of many, but as of one, "And to your offspring," which is Messiah.

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.

Now I say this: the law, which came four hundred thirty years later, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to cancel the promise.

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 is of the law, it is no more of promise; but God has granted it to 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 is the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

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

Now a mediator is not between one, 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? Certainly not. For if there had been a law given which could give life, most certainly righteousness would have been of the 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 Scriptures imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Yeshua the Messiah might 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 faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards 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 that the law was our tutor to bring us to Messiah, that we might be justified by faith.

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

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

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

For you are all sons of God, through faith in Messiah Yeshua.

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

For as many of you as were immersed into Messiah have put on Messiah.

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 slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua.

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

If you are Messiah's, then you are Abraham's offspring and heirs according to promise.