Galatians 3

1 O foolish Galatians, by what strange powers have you been tricked, to whom it was made clear that Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross?

You foolish Galatians! Whose sophistry has bewitched you--you to whom Jesus Christ has been vividly portrayed as on the Cross?

2 Give me an answer to this one question, Did the Spirit come to you through the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Answer me this one question, "Is it on the ground of your obedience to the Law that you received the Spirit, or is it because, when you heard, you believed?"

3 Are you so foolish? having made a start in the Spirit, will you now be made complete in the flesh?

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now going to reach perfection through what is external?

4 Did you undergo such a number of things to no purpose? if it is in fact to no purpose.

Have you endured such sufferings to no purpose--if indeed it has been to no purpose?

5 He who gives you the Spirit, and does works of power among you, is it by the works of law, or by the hearing of faith?

He who gives you His Spirit and works miracles among you--does He do so on the ground of your obedience to the Law, or is it the result of your having heard and believed:

6 Even as Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness.

even as Abraham believed God, and his faith was placed to his account as righteousness?

7 Be certain, then, that those who are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.

Notice therefore that those who possess faith are true sons of Abraham.

8 And the holy Writings, seeing before the event that God would give the Gentiles righteousness by faith, gave the good news before to Abraham, saying, In you will all the nations have a blessing.

And the Scripture, foreseeing that in consequence of faith God would declare the nations to be free from guilt, sent beforehand the Good News to Abraham, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed."

9 So then those who are of faith have a part in the blessing of Abraham who was full of faith.

So we see that it is those who possess faith that are blessed with believing Abraham.

10 For all who are of the works of the law are under a curse: because it is said in the Writings, A curse is on everyone who does not keep on doing all the things which are ordered in the book of the law.

All who are depending upon their own obedience to the Law are under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed is every one who does not remain faithful to all the precepts of the Law, and practise them."

11 Now that no man gets righteousness by the law in the eyes of God, is clear; because, The upright will be living by faith.

It is evident, too, that no one can find acceptance with God simply by obeying the Law, because "the righteous shall live by faith,"

12 And the law is not of faith; but, He who does them will have life by them.

and the Law has nothing to do with faith. It teaches that "he who does these things shall live by doing them."

13 Christ has made us free from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us: because it is said in the Writings, A curse on everyone who is put to death by hanging on a tree:

Christ has purchased our freedom from the curse of the Law by becoming accursed for us--because "Cursed is every one who is hanged upon a tree."

14 So that on the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; in order that we through faith might have the Spirit which God had undertaken to give.

Our freedom has been thus purchased in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing belonging to Abraham may come upon the nations, so that through faith we may receive the promised Spirit.

15 Brothers, as men would say, even a man's agreement, when it has been made certain, may not be put on one side, or have additions made to it.

Brethren, even a covenant made by a man--to borrow an illustration from daily life--when once formally sanctioned is not liable to be set aside or added to.

16 Now to Abraham were the undertakings given, and to his seed. He says not, And to seeds, as of a great number; but as of one, he says, And to your seed, which is Christ.

(Now the promises were given to Abraham and to his seed. God did not say "and to seeds," as if speaking of many, but "and to your seed," since He spoke of only one--and this is Christ.)

17 Now this I say: The law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, does not put an end to the agreement made before by God, so as to make the undertaking without effect.

I mean that the Covenant which God had already formally made is not abrogated by the Law which was given four hundred and thirty years later--so as to annul the promise.

18 Because if the heritage is by the law, it is no longer dependent on the word of God; but God gave it to Abraham by his word.

For if the inheritance comes through obedience to Law, it no longer comes because of a promise. But, as a matter of fact, God has granted it to Abraham in fulfilment of a promise.

19 What then is the law? It was an addition made because of sin, till the coming of the seed to whom the undertaking had been given; and it was ordered through angels by the hand of a go-between.

Why then was the Law given? It was imposed later on for the sake of defining sin, until the seed should come to whom God had made the promise; and its details were laid down by a mediator with the help of angels.

20 Now a go-between is not a go-between of one; but God is one.

But there cannot be a mediator where only one individual is concerned.

21 Is the law then against the words of God? in no way; because if there had been a law which was able to give life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

God, however, is only one. Is the Law then opposed to the promises of God? No, indeed; for if a Law had been given which could have conferred Life, righteousness would certainly have come by the Law.

22 However, the holy Writings have put all things under sin, so that that for which God gave the undertaking, based on faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who have such faith.

But Scripture has shown that all mankind are the prisoners of sin, in order that the promised blessing, which depends on faith in Jesus Christ, may be given to those who believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept in prison under the law, waiting for the revelation of the faith which was to come.

Before this faith came, we Jews were perpetual prisoners under the Law, living under restraints and limitations in preparation for the faith which was soon to be revealed.

24 So the law has been a servant to take us to Christ, so that we might have righteousness by faith.

So that the Law has acted the part of a tutor-slave to lead us to Christ, in order that through faith we may be declared to be free from guilt.

25 But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a servant.

But now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor-slave.

26 Because you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus;

27 For all those of you who were given baptism into Christ did put on Christ.

for all of you who have been baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ.

28 There is no Jew or Greek, servant or free, male or female: because you are all one in Jesus Christ.

In Him the distinctions between Jew and Gentile, slave and free man, male and female, disappear; you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and yours is the heritage by the right of God's undertaking given to Abraham.

And if you belong to Christ, then you are indeed true descendants of Abraham, and are heirs in fulfilment of the promise.