加拉太書 3

律法和信心

1 無知的加拉太人哪，耶穌基督釘十字架，已經活畫在你們眼前，誰又迷惑了你們呢？ 2 我只要問你們這一件：你們受了聖靈，是因行律法呢？是因聽信福音呢？ 3 你們既靠聖靈入門，如今還靠肉身成全嗎？你們是這樣的無知嗎？ 4 你們受苦如此之多，都是徒然的嗎？難道果真是徒然的嗎？ 5 那賜給你們聖靈，又在你們中間行異能的，是因你們行律法呢？是因你們聽信福音呢？ 6 正如「亞伯拉罕信上帝，這就算為他的義」。

7 所以，你們要知道：那以信為本的人，就是亞伯拉罕的子孫。 8 並且聖經既然預先看明，上帝要叫外邦人因信稱義，就早已傳福音給亞伯拉罕，說：「萬國都必因你得福。」 9 可見那以信為本的人和有信心的亞伯拉罕一同得福。 10 凡以行律法為本的，都是被咒詛的；因為經上記著：「凡不常照律法書上所記一切之事去行的，就被咒詛。」 11 沒有一個人靠著律法在上帝面前稱義，這是明顯的；因為經上說：「義人必因信得生。」 12 律法原不本乎信，只說：「行這些事的，就必因此活著。」 13 基督既為我們受t了咒詛，就贖出我們脫離律法的咒詛；因為經上記著：「凡掛在木頭上都是被咒詛的。」 14 這便叫亞伯拉罕的福，因基督耶穌可以臨到外邦人，使我們因信得著所應許的聖靈。

律法和應許

15 弟兄們，我且照著人的常話說：雖然是人的文約，若已經立定了，就沒有能廢棄或加增的。 16 所應許的原是向亞伯拉罕和他子孫說的。上帝並不是說「眾子孫」，指著許多人，乃是說「你那一個子孫」，指著一個人，就是基督。 17 我是這麼說，上帝預先所立的約，不能被那四百三十年以後的律法廢掉，叫應許歸於虛空。 18 因為承受產業，若本乎律法，就不本乎應許；但上帝是憑著應許把產業賜給亞伯拉罕。 19 這樣說來，律法是為甚麼有的呢？原是為過犯添上的，等候那蒙應許的子孫來到，並且是藉天使經中保之手設立的。 20 但中保本不是為一面作的；上帝卻是一位。

奴僕和兒子

21 這樣，律法是與上帝的應許反對嗎？斷乎不是！若曾傳一個能叫人得生的律法，義就誠然本乎律法了。 22 但聖經把眾人都圈在罪裏，使所應許的福因信耶穌基督，歸給那信的人。

23 但這因信得救的理還未來以先，我們被看守在律法之下，直圈到那將來的真道顯明出來。 24 這樣，律法是我們訓蒙的師傅，引我們到基督那裏，使我們因信稱義。 25 但這因信得救的理既然來到，我們從此就不在師傅的手下了。

26 所以，你們因信基督耶穌都是上帝的兒子。 27 你們受洗歸入基督的都是披戴基督了。 28 並不分猶太人、希臘人，自主的、為奴的，或男或女，因為你們在基督耶穌裏都成為一了。 29 你們既屬乎基督，就是亞伯拉罕的後裔，是照著應許承受產業的了。

Galatians 3

Justification by Law or by Faith?

1 Yout foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spellt on you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayedt as crucified!2 The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the lawt or by believing what you heard?t3 Are you so foolish? Although you begant witht the Spirit, are you now trying to finisht by human effort?t4 Have you suffered so many things for nothing? – if indeed it was for nothing.

5 Does God then givet you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the lawt or by your believing what you heard?t
6 Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,s7 so then, understandt that those who believe are the sons of Abraham.t8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel to Abraham ahead of time,t saying, “All the nationstwill be blessed in you,"s9 So then those who believet are blessed along with Abraham the believer.10 For all whot rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law.”ts11 Now it is clear no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous one will live by faith.t12 But the law is not based on faith,t but the one who does the works of the lawtwill live by them.s13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becomingt a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)s

14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles,t so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.

Inheritance Comes from Promises and not Law

15 Brothers and sisters,t I offer an example from everyday life:t When a covenantt has been ratified,t even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it.16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant.t Scripturet does not say, “and to the descendants,”t referring to many, but “and to your descendant,”ts referring to one, who is Christ.17 What I am saying is this: The law that came four hundred thirty years later does not cancel a covenant previously ratified by God,s so as to invalidate the promise.

18 For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise, but God graciously gavet it to Abraham through the promise.
19 Why then was the law given?t It was addeds because of transgressions,s until the arrival of the descendantt to whom the promise had been made. It was administeredt through angels by an intermediary.t20 Now an intermediary is not for one party alone, but God is one.t21 Is the law therefore opposed to the promises of God?s Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.t

22 But the scripture imprisonedt everything and everyonet under sin so that the promise could be given – because of the faithfulnessts of Jesus Christ – to those who believe.

Sons of God Are Heirs of Promise

23 Now before faitht came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisonersst until the coming faith would be revealed.24 Thus the law had become our guardiant until Christ, so that we could be declared righteoust by faith.25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.t26 For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.t27 For all of you whot were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slavet nor free, there is neither male nor femalet – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants,t heirs according to the promise.