Galatians 3

Faith Brings Righteousness

11You foolish 2Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ 3was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of 4the Law, or by 56hearing with faith? 3Are you so foolish? Having begun 7by the Spirit, are you now 8being perfected by the flesh? 4Did you 9suffer so many things in vain--10if indeed it was in vain? 5So then, does He who 11provides you with the Spirit and 12works 13miracles among you, do it by the works of 14the Law, or by 1516hearing with faith?

617Even so 18Abraham 19believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. 7Therefore, 20be sure that 21it is those who are of faith who are 22sons of Abraham. 8The Scripture, foreseeing that God 23would justify the 24Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “25All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9So then 26those who are of faith are blessed with 27Abraham, the believer.

10For as many as are of the works of 28the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “29Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” 11Now that 30no one is justified 31by 32the Law before God is evident; for, “3334The righteous man shall live by faith.” 1235However, the Law is not 36of faith; on the contrary, “37He who practices them shall live 38by them.” 13Christ 39redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, “40Cursed is everyone who hangs on 41a 42tree”-- 14in order that 43in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might 44come to the Gentiles, so that we 45would receive 46the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Intent of the Law

1547Brethren, 48I speak 49in terms of human relations: 50even though it is only a man’s 51covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds 52conditions to it. 16Now the promises were spoken 53to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “54And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17What I am saying is this: the Law, which came 55four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18For 56if the inheritance is 57based on law, it is no longer 58based on a promise; but 59God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

1960Why the Law then? It was added 61because of transgressions, having been 62ordained through angels 63by the 64agency of a mediator, until 65the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20Now 66a mediator is not 67for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? 68May it never be! For 69if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness 70would indeed have been 71based on law. 22But the Scripture has 72shut up 73everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, 74being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24Therefore the Law has become our 75tutor to lead us to Christ, so that 76we may be justified by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a 7778tutor. 26For you are all 79sons of God through faith in 80Christ Jesus. 27For all of you who were 81baptized into Christ have 82clothed yourselves with Christ. 2883There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is 84neither male nor female; for 85you are all one in 86Christ Jesus. 29And if 87you 88belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s 89descendants, heirs according to 90promise.