Galatians 3

1 O thoughtless Galatians, who did bewitch you, not to obey the truth — before whose eyes Jesus Christ was described before among you crucified?

Foolish Galatians! Who has put a spell on you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly displayed as crucified.

2 this only do I wish to learn from you — by works of law the Spirit did ye receive, or by the hearing of faith?

This is the only thing I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by believing what you heard?

3 so thoughtless are ye! having begun in the Spirit, now in the flesh do ye end?

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now going to finish by the flesh?

4 so many things did ye suffer in vain! if, indeed, even in vain.

Have you suffered so many things for nothing—if indeed it was for nothing?

5 He, therefore, who is supplying to you the Spirit, and working mighty acts among you — by works of law or by the hearing of faith [is it]?

Does he who gives the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by the works of the law, or by hearing with faith?

6 according as Abraham did believe God, and it was reckoned to him — to righteousness;

Just as Abraham “believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness,”

7 know ye, then, that those of faith — these are sons of Abraham,

in the same way, understand, then, that those of faith are the children of Abraham.

8 and the Writing having foreseen that by faith God doth declare righteous the nations did proclaim before the good news to Abraham —

The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations will be blessed.”

9 'Blessed in thee shall be all the nations;' so that those of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham,

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

10 for as many as are of works of law are under a curse, for it hath been written, 'Cursed [is] every one who is not remaining in all things that have been written in the Book of the Law — to do them,'

All who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; and so it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the law, and do them.”

11 and that in law no one is declared righteous with God, is evident, because 'The righteous by faith shall live;'

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

12 and the law is not by faith, but — 'The man who did them shall live in them.'

But the law is not of faith, rather, “The person who does the works of the law must live by them.”

13 Christ did redeem us from the curse of the law, having become for us a curse, for it hath been written, 'Cursed is every one who is hanging on a tree,'

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”—

14 that to the nations the blessing of Abraham may come in Christ Jesus, that the promise of the Spirit we may receive through the faith.

so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

15 Brethren, as a man I say [it], even of man a confirmed covenant no one doth make void or doth add to,

Brothers, let me speak in human terms. In a man-made contract, no one can set it aside or add to it, once it is established by law.

16 and to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed; He doth not say, 'And to seeds,' as of many, but as of one, 'And to thy seed,' which is Christ;

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. It does not say, “to descendants,” referring to many, but instead to only one, “and to your descendant,” who is Christ.

17 and this I say, A covenant confirmed before by God to Christ, the law, that came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not set aside, to make void the promise,

Now what I mean is this: The law, which came 430 years afterward, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God.

18 for if by law [be] the inheritance, [it is] no more by promise, but to Abraham through promise did God grant [it].

For if the inheritance comes by the law, then it no longer comes by promise. But God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

19 Why, then, the law? on account of the transgressions it was added, till the seed might come to which the promise hath been made, having been set in order through messengers in the hand of a mediator —

What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of trespasses, until the descendant of Abraham would come to whom the promise had been made. The law was put into force through angels by a mediator.

20 and the mediator is not of one, and God is one —

Now a mediator implies more than one person, but God is one.

21 the law, then, [is] against the promises of God? — let it not be! for if a law was given that was able to make alive, truly by law there would have been the righteousness,

So is the law against the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.

22 but the Writing did shut up the whole under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ may be given to those believing.

But the scripture imprisoned everything under sin. God did this so that the promise to save us by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23 And before the coming of the faith, under law we were being kept, shut up to the faith about to be revealed,

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until faith should be revealed.

24 so that the law became our child-conductor — to Christ, that by faith we may be declared righteous,

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

25 and the faith having come, no more under a child-conductor are we,

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

26 for ye are all sons of God through the faith in Christ Jesus,

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

27 for as many as to Christ were baptized did put on Christ;

For as many of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

28 there is not here Jew or Greek, there is not here servant nor freeman, there is not here male and female, for all ye are 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 Christ Jesus.

29 and if ye [are] of Christ then of Abraham ye are seed, and according to promise — heirs.

Then if you are Christ's, you are Abraham's descendants, and heirs according to promise.