Galatians 3

God Approves of Those Who Believe

1 You stupid people of Galatia! Who put you under an evil spell? Wasn’t Christ Jesus’ crucifixion clearly described to you?2 I want to learn only one thing from you. Did you receive the Spirit by your own efforts to live according to a set of standards or by believing what you heard?3 Are you that stupid? Did you begin in a spiritual way only to end up doing things in a human way?4 Did you suffer so much for nothing? I doubt that it was for nothing!

5 Does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you through your own efforts or through believing what you heard?
6 Abraham serves as an example. He believed God, and that faith was regarded by God to be his approval of Abraham.7 You must understand that people who have faith are Abraham’s descendants.8 Scripture saw ahead of time that God would give his approval to non-Jewish people who have faith. So Scripture announced the Good News to Abraham ahead of time when it said, “Through you all the people of the world will be blessed.”

9 So people who believe are blessed together with Abraham, the man of faith.
10 Certainly, there is a curse on all who rely on their own efforts to live according to a set of standards because Scripture says, “Whoever doesn’t obey everything that is written in Moses’ Teachings is cursed.”11 No one receives God’s approval by obeying the law’s standards since, “The person who has God’s approval will live because of faith.”

12 Laws have nothing to do with faith, but, “Whoever obeys laws will live because of the laws he obeys.”
13 Christ paid the price to free us from the curse that God’s laws bring by becoming cursed instead of us. Scripture says, “Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed.”

14 Christ paid the price so that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to all the people of the world through Jesus Christ and we would receive the promised Spirit through faith.

The Relationship Between Law and Promise

15 Brothers and sisters, let me use an example from everyday life. No one can cancel a person’s will or add conditions to it once that will is put into effect.16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture doesn’t say, “descendants,” referring to many, but “your descendant,” referring to one. That descendant is Christ.17 This is what I mean: The laws given to Moses 430 years after God had already put his promise to Abraham into effect didn’t cancel the promise to Abraham.

18 If we have to gain the inheritance by following those laws, then it no longer comes to us because of the promise. However, God freely gave the inheritance to Abraham through a promise.
19 What, then, is the purpose of the laws given to Moses? They were added to identify what wrongdoing is. Moses’ laws did this until the descendant to whom the promise was given came.t It was put into effect through angels, using a mediator.

20 A mediator is not used when there is only one person involved, and God has acted on his own.
21 Does this mean, then, that the laws given to Moses contradict God’s promises? That’s unthinkable! If those laws could give us life, then certainly we would receive God’s approval because we obeyed them.

22 But Scripture states that the whole world is controlled by the power of sin. Therefore, a promise based on faith in Jesus Christ could be given to those who believe.
23 We were kept under control by Moses’ laws until this faith came. We were under their control until this faith which was about to come would be revealed.24 Before Christ came, Moses’ laws served as our guardian. Christ came so that we could receive God’s approval because of faith.25 But now that this faith has come, we are no longer under the control of a guardian.26 You are all God’s children by believing in Christ Jesus.27 Clearly, all of you who were baptized in Christ’s name have clothed yourselves with Christ.28 There are neither Jews nor Greeks, slaves nor free people, males nor females. You are all the same in Christ Jesus.

29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants and heirs, as God promised.

Galatians 3

1 O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified?2 This only would I learn from you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh?4 Did ye suffer so many things in vain? if it be indeed in vain.5 He therefore that supplieth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.7 Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed.9 So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.11 Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith;12 and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them.13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:14 that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.16 Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.17 Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.19 What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one.21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law.22 But the scriptures shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.23 But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.24 So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.25 But now faith that is come, we are no longer under a tutor.26 For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus.27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.28 There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.29 And if ye are Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.