²³Before 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,

Read in Logos

Footnotes

f3:24 The word translated guardian in vv. 24–25 is different from the word in Gl 4:2. In our culture, we do not have a slave who takes a child to and from school, protecting the child from harm or corruption. In Gk the word paidogogos described such a slave. This slave was not a teacher.

Cross references

d3:23 Jd 3
e3:23 Lk 10:21
g3:24 Mt 5:17; Col 2:17; Heb 9:10
h3:25 Jd 3

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,

NLTNew Living Translation

Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.

Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

But before faith came, we were detained under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. So then, the law became our guardian until Christ, in order that we could be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

KJV 1900King James Version

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Public Domain