加拉太书 3

律法或信心

1 无知的加拉太人哪，耶稣基督钉十字架，已经活现在你们眼前，谁又迷惑了你们呢？ 2 这是我惟一要问你们的：你们领受了圣灵，是因律法的行为或是因听信福音呢？ 3 你们既然以圣灵开始，如今竟要以肉身终结吗？你们是这样的无知吗？ 4 你们受这么多的苦都是徒然的吗？如果真是徒然的， 5 那么，上帝赐给你们圣灵，又在你们中间行异能，是因律法的行为或是因听信福音呢？ 6 正如亚伯拉罕“信了上帝，这就算他为义”。

7 所以，你们知道：有信心的人才是亚伯拉罕的子孙。 8 圣经既然预先看见上帝要使外邦人因信称义，预先传福音给亚伯拉罕，说：“万国都必因你得福。” 9 可见，那有信心的人和有信心的亚伯拉罕一同得福。 10 凡出于律法的行为都是受诅咒的，因为经上记着：“凡不持守律法书上所记的一切而去行的，都是受诅咒的。” 11 没有一个人靠着律法在上帝面前称义，这是明显的，因为经上说：“义人必因信得生。” 12 律法并不出于信，而是说：“行这些事的就必因此得生。” 13 既然基督为我们成了诅咒，就把我们从律法的诅咒中赎出来。因为经上记着：“凡挂在木头上的都是受诅咒的。” 14 这是要使亚伯拉罕的福，因着基督耶稣临到外邦人，使我们能因信得着所应许的圣灵。

律法和应许

15 弟兄们，我照着人的观点说，人的遗嘱一经确定，没有人能废弃或加增。 16 那些应许原是向亚伯拉罕和他后裔说的，并不是说“和众后裔”，指许多人，而是说“和你那个后裔”，指一个人，就是基督。 17 我是这么说，上帝预先所立的约不能被四百三十年以后的律法废掉，使应许失效。 18 因为承受产业若是出于律法，就不再是出于应许；但上帝是凭着应许把产业赐给亚伯拉罕。 19 这样说来，为什么要有律法呢？律法是为过犯的缘故而加上去的，等候那蒙应许的子孙来到才结束，是藉着天使经中保之手而设立的。 20 但中保本不是为单方设立的；上帝却是一位。

奴隶和儿子

21 这样，律法是与上帝的t应许对立吗？绝对不是！如果律法的颁布能使人得生命，义就诚然出于律法了。 22 但圣经把万物都圈在罪里，为要使因信耶稣基督t而来的应许归给信的人。

23 但这“信”还未来以前，我们被看守在律法之下，像被圈住，直到那将来的“信”显明出来。 24 这样，律法是我们的启蒙教师，直到基督来了t，好使我们因信称义。 25 但这“信”既然来到，我们从此就不在启蒙教师的手下了。

26 其实，你们藉着信，在基督耶稣里都成为上帝的儿女。 27 你们凡受洗归入基督的都披戴基督了： 28 不再分犹太人或希腊人，不再分为奴的自主的，不再分男的女的，因为你们在基督耶稣里都成为一了。 29 既然你们属于基督，你们就是亚伯拉罕的子孙，是照着应许承受产业的了。

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.