Galatians 3
1 O YOU poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless Galatians! Who has fascinated or bewitched or cast a spell over you, unto whom--right before your very eyes--Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was openly and graphically set forth and portrayed as crucified?2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying the Law and doing its works, or was it by hearing [the message of the Gospel] and believing [it]? [Was it from observing a law of rituals or from a message of faith?]3 Are you so foolish and so senseless and so silly? Having begun [your new life spiritually] with the [Holy] Spirit, are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the flesh?4 Have you suffered so many things and experienced so much all for nothing (to no purpose)--if it really is to no purpose and in vain?5 Then does He Who supplies you with His marvelous [Holy] Spirit and works powerfully and miraculously among you do so on [the grounds of your doing] what the Law demands, or because of your believing in and adhering to and trusting in and relying on the message that you heard?6 Thus Abraham believed in and adhered to and trusted in and relied on God, and it was reckoned and placed to his account and credited as righteousness (as conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action). 7 Know and understand that it is [really] the people [who live] by faith who are [the true] sons of Abraham.8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify (declare righteous, put in right standing with Himself) the Gentiles in consequence of faith, proclaimed the Gospel [foretelling the glad tidings of a Savior long beforehand] to Abraham in the promise, saying, In you shall all the nations [of the earth] be blessed. 9 So then, those who are people of faith are blessed and made happy and favored by God [as partners in fellowship] with the believing and trusting Abraham.10 And all who depend on the Law [who are seeking to be justified by obedience to the Law of rituals] are under a curse and doomed to disappointment and destruction, for it is written in the Scriptures, Cursed (accursed, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment) be everyone who does not continue to abide (live and remain) by all the precepts and commands written in the Book of the Law and to practice them. 11 Now it is evident that no person is justified (declared righteous and brought into right standing with God) through the Law, for the Scripture says, The man in right standing with God [the just, the righteous] shall live by and out of faith and he who through and by faith is declared righteous and in right standing with God shall live. 12 But the Law does not rest on faith [does not require faith, has nothing to do with faith], for it itself says, He who does them [the things prescribed by the Law] shall live by them [not by faith]. 13 Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified); 14 To the end that through [their receiving] Christ Jesus, the blessing [promised] to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might [all] receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit.15 To speak in terms of human relations, brethren, [if] even a man makes a last will and testament (a merely human covenant), no one sets it aside or makes it void or adds to it when once it has been drawn up and signed (ratified, confirmed).16 Now the promises (covenants, agreements) were decreed and made to Abraham and his Seed (his Offspring, his Heir). He [God] does not say, And to seeds (descendants, heirs), as if referring to many persons, but, And to your Seed (your Descendant, your Heir), obviously referring to one individual, Who is [none other than] Christ (the Messiah). 17 This is my argument: The Law, which began 430 years after the covenant [concerning the coming Messiah], does not and cannot annul the covenant previously established (ratified) by God, so as to abolish the promise and make it void. 18 For if the inheritance [of the promise depends on observing] the Law [as these false teachers would like you to believe], it no longer [depends] on the promise; however, God gave it to Abraham [as a free gift solely] by virtue of His promise.19 What then was the purpose of the Law? It was added [later on, after the promise, to disclose and expose to men their guilt] because of transgressions and [to make men more conscious of the sinfulness] of sin; and it was intended to be in effect until the Seed (the Descendant, the Heir) should come, to and concerning Whom the promise had been made. And it [the Law] was arranged and ordained and appointed through the instrumentality of angels [and was given] by the hand (in the person) of a go-between [Moses, an intermediary person between God and man].20 Now a go-between (intermediary) has to do with and implies more than one party [there can be no mediator with just one person]. Yet God is [only] one Person [and He was the sole party in giving that promise to Abraham. But the Law was a contract between two, God and Israel; its validity was dependent on both].21 Is the Law then contrary and opposed to the promises of God? Of course not! For if a Law had been given which could confer [spiritual] life, then righteousness and right standing with God would certainly have come by Law.22 But the Scriptures [picture all mankind as sinners] shut up and imprisoned by sin, so that [the inheritance, blessing] which was promised through faith in Jesus Christ (the Messiah) might be given (released, delivered, and committed) to [all] those who believe [who adhere to and trust in and rely on Him].23 Now before the faith came, we were perpetually guarded under the Law, kept in custody in preparation for the faith that was destined to be revealed (unveiled, disclosed),24 So that the Law served [to us Jews] as our trainer [our guardian, our guide to Christ, to lead us] until Christ [came], that we might be justified (declared righteous, put in right standing with God) by and through faith.25 But now that the faith has come, we are no longer under a trainer (the guardian of our childhood).26 For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.27 For as many [of you] as were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union and communion with Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah] have put on (clothed yourselves with) Christ.28 There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.29 And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham’s Seed], then you are Abraham’s offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise.
Galaten 3
1 O gij uitzinnige Galaten, wie heeft u betoverd, dat gij der waarheid niet zoudt gehoorzaam zijn; denwelken Jezus Christus voor de ogen te voren geschilderd is geweest, onder u gekruist zijnde? 2 Dit alleen wil ik van u leren: hebt gij den Geest ontvangen uit de werken der wet, of uit de prediking des geloofs? 3 Zijt gij zo uitzinnig? Daar gij met den Geest begonnen zijt, voleindigt gij nu met het vlees? 4 Hebt gij zoveel tevergeefs geleden? Indien maar ook tevergeefs! 5 Die u dan den Geest verleent, en krachten onder u werkt, doet Hij dat uit de werken der wet, of uit de prediking des geloofs? 6 Gelijkerwijs Abraham Gode geloofd heeft, en het is hem tot rechtvaardigheid gerekend;
7 Zo verstaat gij dan, dat degenen, die uit het geloof zijn, Abrahams kinderen zijn. 8 En de Schrift, te voren ziende, dat God de heidenen uit het geloof zou rechtvaardigen, heeft te voren aan Abraham het Evangelie verkondigd, zeggende: In u zullen al de volken gezegend worden. 9 Zo dan, die uit het geloof zijn, worden gezegend met den gelovigen Abraham. 10 Want zovelen als er uit de werken der wet zijn, die zijn onder den vloek; want er is geschreven: Vervloekt is een iegelijk, die niet blijft in al hetgeen geschreven is in het boek der wet, om dat te doen. 11 En dat niemand door de wet gerechtvaardigd wordt voor God, is openbaar; want de rechtvaardige zal uit het geloof leven. 12 Doch de wet is niet uit het geloof; maar de mens, die deze dingen doet, zal door dezelve leven. 13 Christus heeft ons verlost van den vloek der wet, een vloek geworden zijnde voor ons; want er is geschreven: Vervloekt is een iegelijk, die aan het hout hangt. 14 Opdat de zegening van Abraham tot de heidenen komen zou in Christus Jezus, en opdat wij de belofte des Geestes verkrijgen zouden door het geloof. 15 Broeders, ik spreek naar den mens: zelfs eens mensen verbond, dat bevestigd is, doet niemand te niet, of niemand doet daartoe. 16 Nu zo zijn de beloftenissen tot Abraham en zijn zaad gesproken. Hij zegt niet: En den zaden, als van velen; maar als van een: En uw zade; hetwelk is Christus. 17 En dit zeg ik: Het verbond, dat te voren van God bevestigd is op Christus, wordt door de wet, die na vierhonderd en dertig jaren gekomen is, niet krachteloos gemaakt, om de beloftenis te niet te doen. 18 Want indien de erfenis uit de wet is, zo is zij niet meer uit de beloftenis; maar God heeft ze Abraham door de beloftenis genadiglijk gegeven. 19 Waartoe is dan de wet? Zij is om der overtredingen wil daarbij gesteld, totdat het zaad zou gekomen zijn, dien het beloofd was; en zij is door de engelen besteld in de hand des Middelaars. 20 En de Middelaar is niet Middelaar van een, maar God is een. 21 Is dan de wet tegen de beloftenissen Gods? Dat zij verre; want indien er een wet gegeven ware, die machtig was levend te maken, zo zou waarlijk de rechtvaardigheid uit de wet zijn. 22 Maar de Schrift heeft het alles onder de zonde besloten, opdat de belofte uit het geloof van Jezus Christus aan de gelovigen zou gegeven worden.
23 Doch eer het geloof kwam, waren wij onder de wet in bewaring gesteld, en zijn besloten geweest tot op het geloof, dat geopenbaard zou worden. 24 Zo dan, de wet is onze tuchtmeester geweest tot Christus, opdat wij uit het geloof zouden gerechtvaardigd worden. 25 Maar als het geloof gekomen is, zo zijn wij niet meer onder den tuchtmeester. 26 Want gij zijt allen kinderen Gods door het geloof in Christus Jezus. 27 Want zovelen als gij in Christus gedoopt zijt, hebt gij Christus aangedaan. 28 Daarin is noch Jood noch Griek; daarin is noch dienstbare noch vrije; daarin is geen man en vrouw; want gij allen zijt een in Christus Jezus. 29 En indien gij van Christus zijt, zo zijt gij dan Abrahams zaad, en naar de beloftenis erfgenamen.
