Galatians 3

Works versus the Spirit

1 You irrational Galatians! Who put a spell on you? Jesus Christ was put on display as crucified before your eyes!2 I just want to know this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the Law or by believing what you heard?3 Are you so irrational? After you started with the Spirit, are you now finishing up with your own human effort?4 Did you experience so much for nothing? I wonder if it really was for nothing.

5 So does the one providing you with the Spirit and working miracles among you do this by you doing the works of the Law or by you believing what you heard?

Abraham: an example of righteousness

6 Understand that in the same way that Abraham " believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, "t7 those who believe are the children of Abraham.8 But, when it saw ahead of time that God would make the Gentiles righteous on the basis of faith, scripture preached the gospel in advance to Abraham: All the Gentiles will be blessed in you .t

9 Therefore, those who believe are blessed together with Abraham who believed.
10 All those who rely on the works of the Law are under a curse, because it is written, Everyone is cursed who does not keep on doing all the things that have been written in the Law scroll .t11 But since no one is made righteous by the Law as far as God is concerned, it is clear that the righteous one will live on the basis of faith .t12 The Law isn’t based on faith; rather, the one doing these things will live by them .t13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us—because it is written, Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed .t

14 He redeemed us so that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, and that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
15 Brothers and sisters, I’ll use an example from human experience. No one ignores or makes additions to a validated will.16 The promises were made to Abraham and to his descendant. It doesn’t say, "and to the descendants," as if referring to many rather than just one. It says, "and to your descendant," who is Christ.17 I’m saying this: the Law, which came four hundred thirty years later, doesn’t invalidate the agreement that was previously validated by God so that it cancels the promise.

18 If the inheritance were based upon the Law, it would no longer be from the promise. But God has given it graciously to Abraham through a promise.

The Law’s origin and purpose

19 So why was the Law given? It was added because of offenses, until the descendant would come to whom the promise had been made. It was put in place through angels by the hand of a mediator.20 Now the mediator does not take one side; but God is one.21 So, is the Law against the promises of God? Absolutely not! If a Law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would in fact have come from the Law.22 But scripture locked up all things under sin, so that the promise based on the faithfulness of Jesus Christ might be given to those who have faith.23 Before faith came, we were guarded under the Law, locked up until faith that was coming would be revealed,

24 so that the Law became our custodian until Christ so that we might be made righteous by faith.

God’s children are heirs in Christ

25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian.
26 You are all God’s children through faith in Christ Jesus.27 All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.28 There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 Now if you belong to Christ, then indeed you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.

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.