Galatians 3

The Law and Faith in Christ

1Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. 2Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4Have you experienced#3:4 Or Have you suffered. so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?

5I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.

6In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”#3:6 Gen 15:6. 7The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God.

8What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.”#3:8 Gen 12:3; 18:18; 22:18. 9So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.

10But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”#3:10 Deut 27:26. 11So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”#3:11 Hab 2:4. 12This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.”#3:12 Lev 18:5.

13But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”#3:13 Deut 21:23 (Greek version). 14Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised#3:14 Some manuscripts read the blessing of the. Holy Spirit through faith.

The Law and God’s Promise

15Dear brothers and sisters,#3:15 Greek Brothers. here’s an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or amend an irrevocable agreement, so it is in this case. 16God gave the promises to Abraham and his child.#3:16a Greek seed; also in 3:16c, 19. See notes on Gen 12:7 and 13:15. And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say “to his children,#3:16b Greek seeds.” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, means Christ. 17This is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise. 18For if the inheritance could be received by keeping the law, then it would not be the result of accepting God’s promise. But God graciously gave it to Abraham as a promise.

19Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. 20Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham.

21Is there a conflict, then, between God’s law and God’s promises?#3:21 Some manuscripts read and the promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. 22But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.

God’s Children through Faith

23Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.

24Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. 25And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.

26For you are all children#3:26 Greek sons. of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.#3:27 Greek have put on Christ. 28There is no longer Jew or Gentile,#3:28 Greek Jew or Greek. slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children#3:29 Greek seed. of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.

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Galatians 3

Faith Brings Righteousness

1 # 3:1 Lit O You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of #3:2 Or lawthe Law, or by hearing #3:2 Lit of faithwith faith? 3Are you so foolish? Having begun #3:3 Or withby the Spirit, are you now #3:3 Or ending withbeing perfected by the flesh? 4Did you #3:4 Or experiencesuffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works #3:5 Or works of powermiracles among you, do it by works of #3:5 Or lawthe Law, or by hearing #3:5 Lit of faithwith faith?

6Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. 7Therefore, recognize that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8The Scripture, foreseeing that God #3:8 Lit justifieswould justify the #3:8 Lit nationsGentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9So then, those who are of faith are blessed with #3:9 Lit the believing AbrahamAbraham, the believer.

10For all who are of works of #3:10 Or lawthe Law are under a curse; for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to do them.” 11Now, that no one is justified #3:11 Or inby #3:11 Or lawthe Law before God is evident; for, “#3:11 Or the one who is righteous by faith will livethe righteous one will live by faith.” 12#3:12 Or AndHowever, the Law is not #3:12 Or based onof faith; on the contrary, “The person who performs #3:12 I.e., the statutes of the Lawthem will live by #3:12 I.e., the statutes of the Lawthem.” 13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a #3:13 Or cross; lit wood; see Deut 21:23tree”— 14in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Intent of the Law

15Brothers and sisters, I speak #3:15 Lit according to manin terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s #3:15 Or will; or testamentcovenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds #3:15 Or a codicilconditions to it. 16Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as one would in referring to many, but rather as in referring to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17What I am saying is this: the Law, which came 430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18For if the inheritance is #3:18 Lit out of, frombased on law, it is no longer #3:18 Lit out of, frombased on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

19Why the Law then? It was added on account of the #3:19 I.e., of God’s commandsviolations, having been ordered through angels at the hand of a #3:19 I.e., Mosesmediator, until the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20Now a mediator is not #3:20 Lit of onefor one party only; but God is only one. 21Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? #3:21 Lit May it never happen!Far from it! For if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness #3:21 Or would indeed bewould indeed have been #3:21 Lit out of, frombased on law. 22But the Scripture has confined #3:22 Lit all thingseveryone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23But before faith came, #3:23 I.e., the Jewswe were kept in custody under the Law, being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed. 24Therefore the Law has become our #3:24 I.e., children’s escort and supervisorguardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a #3:25 See note v 24guardian. 26For you are all sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is #3:28 Lit not male and femaleneither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you #3:29 Lit are Christ’sbelong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s #3:29 Lit seeddescendants, heirs according to promise.

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