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 works of 4the Law, or by 5hearing 6with 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 works of 14the Law, or by 15hearing 16with faith?

6Just as 17Abraham 18believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. 7Therefore, recognize that 19it is those who are of faith who are 20sons of Abraham. 8The Scripture, foreseeing that God 21would justify the 22Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “23All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9So then, 24those who are of faith are blessed with 25Abraham, the believer.

10For all who are of works of 26the Law are under a curse; for it is written: “27Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to do them.” 11Now, that 28no one is justified 29by 30the Law before God is evident; for, “3132the righteous one will live by faith.” 1233However, the Law is not 34of faith; on the contrary, “35The person who performs 36them will live by 37them.” 13Christ 38redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written: “39Cursed is everyone who hangs on 40a 41tree”-- 14in order that 42in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we 43would receive 44the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Intent of the Law

1545Brothers and sisters, 46I speak 47in terms of human relations: 48even though it is only a man’s 49covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds 50conditions to it. 16Now the promises were spoken 51to 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, “52And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17What I am saying is this: the Law, which came 53430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18For 54if the inheritance is 55based on law, it is no longer 56based on a promise; but 57God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

1958Why the Law then? It was added on account of the 59violations, having been 60ordered through angels 61at the hand of a 62mediator, until 63the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20Now 64a mediator is not 65for one party only; but God is only one. 21Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? 6667Far from it! For 68if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness 69would indeed have been 70based on law. 22But the Scripture has 71confined 72everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23But before faith came, 73we were kept in custody under the Law, 74being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed. 24Therefore the Law has become our 7576guardian to lead us to Christ, so that 77we may be justified by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a 7879guardian. 26For you are all 80sons and daughters of God through faith in 81Christ Jesus. 27For all of you who were 82baptized into Christ have 83clothed yourselves with Christ. 2884There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is 85neither male nor female; for 86you are all one in 87Christ Jesus. 29And if 88you 89belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s 90descendants, heirs according to 91promise.