Galatians 3
3
Faith is the only way to be saved
1You stupid Galatians! I told you exactly how Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross. Has someone now put an evil spell on you?#Dt 27.26 (LXX). 2I 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? 3How can you be so stupid? Do you think that by yourself you can complete what God's Spirit started in you? 4Have you gone through all this for nothing? Is it all really for nothing? 5God 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?
6The Scriptures say that God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith.#Gn 15.6; Ro 4.3. 7And so, you should understand that everyone who has faith is a child of Abraham.#3.7 a child of Abraham: God chose Abraham, and so it was believed that anyone who was a child of Abraham was also a child of God. See the note at 3.29.#Ro 4.16. 8Long ago the Scriptures said that God would accept the Gentiles because of their faith. That's why God told Abraham the good news that all nations would be blessed because of him.#Gn 12.3. 9This means that everyone who has faith will share in the blessings that were given to Abraham because of his faith.
10Anyone 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.” 11No one can please God by obeying the Law. The Scriptures also say, “The people God accepts because of their faith will live.”#3.11 The people God accepts because of their faith will live: Or “The people God accepts will live because of their faith.”#He 2.4.
12The Law isn't based on faith. It promises life only to people who obey its commands.#Lv 18.5. 13But 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.#Dt 21.23. 14And because of what Jesus Christ has done, the blessing that was 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
15My 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.#3.15 Once someone…cancel the agreement: Or “Once a person makes out a will, no one can change or cancel it.” 16That is how it is with the promises God made to Abraham and his descendant.#3.16 descendant: The Greek text has “seed”, which may mean one or many descendants. In this verse Paul says it means Christ. The promises were not made to many descendants, but only to one, and that one is Christ. 17What I am saying is that the Law cannot change or cancel God's promise that was made 430 years before the Law was given.#Ex 12.40. 18If 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.#Ro 4.14.
19What 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 descendant#3.19 that descendant: Jesus. who was given the promise. In fact, angels gave the Law to Moses, and he gave it to the people. 20There is only one God, and the Law did not come directly from him.
Slaves and children
21Does 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. 22But the Scriptures say that sin controls everyone, so that God's promises will be for anyone who has faith in Jesus Christ.
23The Law controlled us and kept us under its power until the time came when we would have faith. 24In fact, the Law was our teacher. It was supposed to teach us until we had faith and were acceptable to God. 25But once a person has learnt to have faith, there is no more need to have the Law as a teacher.
26All of you are God's children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. 27And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes. 28Faith 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. 29So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham's family,#3.29 you are now part of Abraham's family: Paul tells the Galatians that faith in Jesus Christ is what makes someone a true child of Abraham and of God. See the note at 3.7. and you will be given what God has promised.#Ro 4.13.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
Galatians 3
3
Justification by Faith
1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, #Rom. 10:16, 17or by the hearing of faith? 3Are you so foolish? #(Gal. 4:9)Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by #Heb. 7:16the flesh? 4#Heb. 10:35Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— 6just as Abraham #Gen. 15:6“believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7Therefore know that only #John 8:39those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8And #Rom. 9:17the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, #Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14“In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
The Law Brings a Curse
10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, #Deut. 27:26“Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for #Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17; Heb. 10:38“the just shall live by faith.” 12Yet #Rom. 4:4, 5the law is not of faith, but #Lev. 18:5; Rom. 10:5“the man who does them shall live by them.”
13#(Rom. 8:3)Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, #Deut. 21:23“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),14#(Rom. 4:1–5, 9, 16; Gal. 3:28)that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the #Is. 42:1, 6; 49:6; Luke 2:32; Rom. 3:29, 30Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive #Is. 32:15the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The Changeless Promise
15Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: #Heb. 9:17Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. 16Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of #Gen. 22:18one, #Gen. 12:3, 7; 13:15; 24:7“And to your Seed,” who is #(1 Cor. 12:12)Christ. 17And this I say, that the law, #Gen. 15:13; Ex. 12:40; Acts 7:6which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, #(Rom. 4:13)that it should make the promise of no effect. 18For if #(Rom. 8:17)the inheritance is of the law, #Rom. 4:14it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Purpose of the Law
19What purpose then does the law serve? #John 15:22It was added because of transgressions, till the #Gal. 4:4Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was #Acts 7:53appointed through angels by the hand #Ex. 20:19; Deut. 5:5of a mediator. 20Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, #(Rom. 3:29)but God is one.
21Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22But the Scripture has confined #Rom. 11:32all under sin, #Rom. 4:11that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24Therefore #Rom. 10:4the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, #Acts 13:39that we might be justified by faith. 25But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Sons and Heirs
26For you #John 1:12are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27For #Matt. 28:19; (Rom. 6:3); 1 Cor. 10:2as many of you as were baptized into Christ #Rom. 10:12; 13:14have put on Christ. 28#(John 10:16); Rom. 3:22; 10:12; (Eph. 2:14); Col. 3:11There is neither Jew nor Greek, #(1 Cor. 12:13)there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all #John 17:11; (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:15, 16)one in Christ Jesus. 29And #Gen. 21:10; Heb. 11:18if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s #Rom. 4:11; Gal. 3:7seed, and #Gen. 12:3; 18:18; Rom. 8:17heirs according to the promise.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.