< 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 hath bewitched you, —before whose very eyes, Jesus Christ, was openly set forth as a crucified one?
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, am I wishing to learn from you: —by works of law, received ye, the Spirit? or by a believed report?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now going to reach perfection through what is external?
So thoughtless, are ye? Having made a beginning in Spirit, are ye, now, in flesh, to be made complete?
4 Have you endured such sufferings to no purpose--if indeed it has been to no purpose?
Such things, suffered ye, in vain, —if at least [it is] even 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 then who was supplying unto you the Spirit, and energising mighty works among you, by works of law, or by a believed report [did he it]?
6 even as Abraham believed God, and his faith was placed to his account as righteousness?
Even as Abraham—believed in God, and it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.
7 Notice therefore that those who possess faith are true sons of Abraham.
Be taking note, therefore—that, they 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."
And, the scripture, foreseeing, that, by faith, God would declare the nations righteous, fore-announced the good news unto Abraham, saying, All the nations shall be blessed in thee.
9 So we see that it is those who possess faith that are blessed with believing Abraham.
So then, they who are of faith, are blessed with believing 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 works of law, are, under a curse, —for it is written—Accursed, is everyone that continueth not 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,"
Moreover, that, in law, no one, is declared righteous with God, [is] evident, —because, The righteous one, 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."
And, the law, is not of faith, but—he that hath done them, shall live in 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, hath redeemed, us, out of the curse of the law, having become, in our behalf, a curse; —because it is written—Cursed, is every one that hangeth upon 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, unto the nations, the blessing of Abraham, might come about in Jesus Christ, —in order that, the promise of the Spirit, we might receive through means of 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! in human fashion, am I speaking: yet still, a man’s confirmed covenant, no one setteth aside or addeth unto:
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, unto Abraham, were spoken the promises—and unto his seed; —He saith not—and unto thy seeds, as of many, but, as of one—and unto thy seed, 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 say—a covenant previously confirmed by God, the law which, after four hundred and thirty years, hath been brought into being, doth not annul, so as to do away with 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, by law, is the inheritance, it is, no longer, by promise; but, unto Abraham, through promise, hath God favoured it.
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.
Why, then, the law? Because of the transgressions, it was added, until such time as the seed should come, unto whom the promise had been made, and was given in charge through messengers, at the hand of a mediator;
20 But there cannot be a mediator where only one individual is concerned.
Now, a mediator, is not [a mediator] of 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]? Far be it! For, if a law had been given, which had been able to give life, verily, in law, would have been our righteousness;
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, did shut up, all things, under sin, that, the promise by faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to them who have faith,
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.
Before the coming of the faith, however, under law, were we being kept in ward, being shut up unto 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, hath proved, our tutor, training us, for Christ, in order that, by faith, we might be declared righteous;
25 But now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor-slave.
But, the faith having come, no longer, are we, under a tutor; —
26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus;
For ye, all, are, sons of God, through the faith in Christ Jesus;
27 for all of you who have been baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ.
For ye, as many as, into Christ, have been immersed, have put Christ, on:
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 cannot be Jew or Greek, there cannot be bond or free, there cannot be male and female, for, all ye, are 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.
Now, if, ye, are of Christ, by consequence ye are, Abraham’s seed, according to promise, heirs.