加拉太書 3

律法或信心

1 無知的加拉太人哪，耶穌基督釘十字架，已經活現在你們眼前，誰又迷惑了你們呢？ 2 這是我惟一要問你們的：你們領受了聖靈，是因律法的行為或是因聽信福音呢？ 3 你們既然以聖靈開始，如今竟要以肉身終結嗎？你們是這樣的無知嗎？ 4 你們受這麼多的苦都是徒然的嗎？如果真是徒然的， 5 那麼，上帝賜給你們聖靈，又在你們中間行異能，是因律法的行為或是因聽信福音呢？ 6 正如亞伯拉罕「信了上帝，這就算他為義」。

7 所以，你們知道：有信心的人才是亞伯拉罕的子孫。 8 聖經既然預先看見上帝要使外邦人因信稱義，預先傳福音給亞伯拉罕，說：「萬國都必因你得福。」 9 可見，那有信心的人和有信心的亞伯拉罕一同得福。 10 凡出於律法的行為都是受詛咒的，因為經上記著：「凡不持守律法書上所記的一切而去行的，都是受詛咒的。」 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 律法並不出於信，而是說：「行這些事的就必因此得生。」 13 既然基督為我們成了詛咒，就把我們從律法的詛咒中贖出來。因為經上記著：「凡掛在木頭上的都是受詛咒的。」 14 這是要使亞伯拉罕的福，因著基督耶穌臨到外邦人，使我們能因信得著所應許的聖靈。

律法和應許

15 弟兄們，我照著人的觀點說，人的遺囑一經確定，沒有人能廢棄或加增。 16 那些應許原是向亞伯拉罕和他後裔說的，並不是說「和眾後裔」，指許多人，而是說「和你那個後裔」，指一個人，就是基督。 17 我是這麼說，上帝預先所立的約不能被四百三十年以後的律法廢掉，使應許失效。 18 因為承受產業若是出於律法，就不再是出於應許；但上帝是憑著應許把產業賜給亞伯拉罕。 19 這樣說來，為甚麼要有律法呢？律法是為過犯的緣故而加上去的，等候那蒙應許的子孫來到才結束，是藉著天使經中保之手而設立的。 20 但中保本不是為單方設立的；上帝卻是一位。

奴隸和兒子

21 這樣，律法是與上帝的t應許對立嗎？絕對不是！如果律法的頒佈能使人得生命，義就誠然出於律法了。 22 但聖經把萬物都圈在罪裏，為要使因信耶穌基督t而來的應許歸給信的人。

23 但這「信」還未來以前，我們被看守在律法之下，像被圈住，直到那將來的「信」顯明出來。 24 這樣，律法是我們的啟蒙教師，直到基督來了t，好使我們因信稱義。 25 但這「信」既然來到，我們從此就不在啟蒙教師的手下了。

26 其實，你們藉著信，在基督耶穌裏都成為上帝的兒女。 27 你們凡受洗歸入基督的都披戴基督了： 28 不再分猶太人或希臘人，不再分為奴的自主的，不再分男的女的，因為你們在基督耶穌裏都成為一了。 29 既然你們屬於基督，你們就是亞伯拉罕的子孫，是照著應許承受產業的了。

GALATIANS 3

Faith Is the Only Way

1 You stupid Galatians! I told you exactly how Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross. Has someone now put an evil spell on you? 2 I want to know only one thing. How were you given God's Spirit? Was it by obeying the Law of Moses or by hearing about Christ and having faith in him? 3 How can you be so stupid? Do you think that by yourself you can complete what God's Spirit started in you? 4 Have you gone through all of this for nothing? Is it all really for nothing?

5 God gives you his Spirit and works miracles in you. But does he do this because you obey the Law of Moses or because you have heard about Christ and have faith in him?
6  t The Scriptures say that God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith. 7 t And so, you should understand that everyone who has faith is a child of Abraham.t 8 t Long ago the Scriptures said God would accept the Gentiles because of their faith. This is why God told Abraham the good news that all nations would be blessed because of him.

9 This means everyone who has faith will share in the blessings given to Abraham because of his faith.
10  t Anyone who tries to please God by obeying the Law is under a curse. The Scriptures say, “Everyone who doesn't obey everything in the Law is under a curse.”

11 t No one can please God by obeying the Law. The Scriptures also say, “The people God accepts because of their faith will live.”t
12  t The Law isn't based on faith. It promises life only to people who obey its commands. 13 t But Christ rescued us from the Law's curse, when he became a curse in our place. This is because the Scriptures say that anyone who is nailed to a tree is under a curse.

14 And because of what Jesus Christ has done, the blessing promised to Abraham was taken to the Gentiles. This happened so that by faith we would be given the promised Holy Spirit.

The Law and the Promise

15 My friends, I will use an everyday example to explain what I mean. Once someone agrees to something, no one else can change or cancel the agreement.t 16 That is how it is with the promises God made to Abraham and his descendant.t The promises were not made to many descendants, but only to one, and that one is Christ. 17 t What I am saying is that the Law cannot change or cancel God's promise made 430 years before the Law was given.

18 t If we have to obey the Law in order to receive God's blessings, those blessings don't really come to us because of God's promise. But God was kind to Abraham and made him a promise.
19 What is the use of the Law? It was given later to show that we sin. But it was only supposed to last until the coming of that descendantt who was given the promise. In fact, angels gave the Law to Moses, and he gave it to the people.

20 There is only one God, and the Law did not come directly from him.

Slaves and Children

21 Does the Law disagree with God's promises? No, it doesn't! If any law could give life to us, we could become acceptable to God by obeying that law.

22 But the Scriptures say that sin controls everyone, so that God's promises will be for anyone who has faith in Jesus Christ.
23 The Law controlled us and kept us under its power until the time came when we would have faith. 24 In fact, the Law was to be our teacher until Christ came. Then we could have faith and be acceptable to God.

25 But once a person has learned to have faith, there is no more need to have the Law as a teacher.
26 All of you are God's children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes. 28 Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman. 29 t So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham's family, t and you will be given what God has promised.