Galatians 3–5

Justification through Faith

3You foolish ^kGalatians! Who has hypnotized you, ^lbefore whose eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed ^mas crucified? ⁿ²I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? ^o3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete by the flesh? ^p4Did you suffer ^qso much for nothing—if in fact it was for nothing? ⁵So then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles ^ramong you by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? ^s

⁶Just as Abraham believed God, ^tand it was credited to him for righteousness, ^uv7then understand that those who have faith are Abraham’s sons. ^w8Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and told the good news ahead of time to Abraham, ^xsaying, All the nations will be blessed through you. ^yz9So those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, ^awho had faith. ^b

Law and Promise

¹⁰For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, ^cbecause it is written: ^dEveryone who does not continue doing everything written in the book of the law is cursed. ^ef11Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live ^gby faith. ^hi12But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them. ^jk13Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, ^lbecause it is written: Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed. ^mn14The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith. ^o

¹⁵Brothers, I’m using a human illustration. ^pNo one sets aside or makes additions to even a human covenant ^qthat has been ratified. ¹⁶Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, ^rswho is Christ. ¹⁷And I say this: The law, which came 430 years later, ^tdoes not revoke a covenant that was previously ratified by God ^uand cancel the promise. ¹⁸For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise.

The Purpose of the Law

¹⁹Why then was the law given? ^vIt was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. The law was put into effect through angels ^wby means of a mediator. ^x20Now a mediator is not for just one person, but God is one. ^y21Is the law therefore contrary to God’s promises? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly be by the law. ²²But the Scripture has imprisoned everything under sin’s power, ^zaso that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ ^bmight be given to those who believe. ^c23Before this faith ^dcame, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. ^e24The law, then, was our guardian ^funtil Christ, ^gso that we could be justified by faith. ²⁵But since that faith ^hhas come, we are no longer under a guardian, ²⁶for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Sons and Heirs

²⁷For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment. ⁱ²⁸There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, ^jmale or female; ^kfor you are all one ^lin Christ Jesus. ²⁹And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs ^maccording to the promise. ⁿ4¹Now I say that as long as the heir ^ois a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the owner ^pof everything. ²Instead, he is under guardians and stewards until the time set by his father. ³In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elemental forces ^qof the world. ^r4When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, ^sborn of a woman, ^tborn under the law, ⁵to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. ^u6And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son ^vinto our ^whearts, crying, “Abba, ^xFather!” ^y7So you are no longer a slave ^zbut a son, ^aand if a son, then an heir ^bthrough God.

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

⁸But in the past, when you didn’t know God, ^cyou were enslaved to things ^dthat by nature are not gods. ⁹But now, since you know God, ^eor rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and bankrupt ^felemental forces? ^gDo you want to be enslaved to them all over again? ¹⁰You observe special days, months, seasons, and years. ^h11I am fearful for you, that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted.

¹²I beg you, brothers: Become like me, for I also became like you. You have not wronged me; ¹³you know that previously I preached the gospel to you because of a physical illness. ¹⁴You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you. ⁱOn the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

¹⁵What happened to this sense of being blessed you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? ^j17They ^kare enthusiastic about you, but not for any good. Instead, they want to isolate you so you will be enthusiastic about them. ¹⁸Now it is always good to be enthusiastic about good—and not just when I am with you. ¹⁹My children, ^lI am again suffering labor pains ^mfor you until Christ is formed in you. ²⁰I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you.

Sarah and Hagar: Two Covenants

²¹Tell me, those of you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? ²²For it is written that Abraham ⁿhad two sons, one by a slave ^oand the other by a free woman. ²³But the one by the slave was born according to the impulse of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born as the result of a promise. ²⁴These things are illustrations, ^pfor the women represent the two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai ^qand bears children into slavery—this is Hagar. ^r25Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia ^sand corresponds to the present Jerusalem, ^tfor she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶But the Jerusalem above ^uis free, and she is our mother. ²⁷For it is written: ^v

Rejoice, childless woman, ^w

who does not give birth.

Burst into song and shout,

you who are not in labor,

for the children of the desolate are many,

more numerous than those

of the woman who has a husband. ^xy

²⁸Now you, brothers, like Isaac, ^zare children of promise. ^a29But just as then the child born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, ^bso also now. ^c30But what does the Scripture say?

Drive out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a coheir with the son of the free woman. ^de

³¹Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. ^f

Freedom of the Christian

5Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm ^gthen and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery. ^h2Take note! I, Paul, tell you that if you get yourselves circumcised, Christ will not benefit you at all. ³Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to keep the entire law. ⁴You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace. ⁱ⁵For through the Spirit, by faith, we eagerly wait ^jfor the hope ^kof righteousness. ⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith ^lworking through love. ^m

⁷You were running well. Who prevented you from obeying the truth? ⁿ⁸This persuasion did not come from the One who called you. ^o9A little yeast leavens the whole lump of dough. ¹⁰I have confidence in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty. ^p11Now brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross ^qhas been abolished. ¹²I wish those who are disturbing you might also get themselves castrated!

¹³For you were called ^rto be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. ¹⁴For the entire law is fulfilled ^sin one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. ^tu15But if you bite and devour ^vone another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

The Spirit versus the Flesh

¹⁶I say then, walk by the Spirit ^wand you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh desires ^xwhat is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. ^y18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are obvious: ^zasexual immorality, ^bmoral impurity, ^cpromiscuity, ^d20idolatry, ^esorcery, ^fhatreds, ^gstrife, ^hjealousy, ⁱoutbursts of anger, ^jselfish ambitions, ^kdissensions, ^lfactions, ^m21envy, ^nodrunkenness, carousing, ^pand anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ^q

²²But the fruit of the Spirit ^ris love, ^sjoy, ^tpeace, patience, ^ukindness, ^vgoodness, faith, ^w23gentleness, ^xself-control. ^yAgainst such things there is no law. ²⁴Now those who belong to Christ Jesus ^zhave crucified the flesh ^awith its passions and desires. ^b25Since we live ^cby the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. ²⁶We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. ^d