Justification by Faith

3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you 1that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed 2among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, aor by the hearing of faith?—3 Are you so foolish? bHaving begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by cthe flesh? 4 dHave you suffered so 3many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 6 just as Abraham e“believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only fthose who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And gthe Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, h“In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

The Law Brings a Curse

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, i“Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is 4justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for j“the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet kthe law is not of faith, but l“the man who does them shall live by them.”

13 mChrist has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, n“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 othat the blessing of Abraham might come upon the pGentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive qthe promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Changeless Promise

15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: rThough it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. 16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of sone, t“And to your Seed,” who is uChrist. 17 And this I say, that the law, vwhich was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God 5in Christ, wthat it should make the promise of no effect. 18 For if xthe inheritance is of the law, yit is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Purpose of the Law

19 What purpose then does the law serve? zIt was added because of transgressions, till the aSeed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was bappointed through angels by the hand cof a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, dbut God is one.

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined eall under sin, fthat the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, 6kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore gthe law was our 7tutor to bring us to Christ, hthat we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Sons and Heirs

26 For you iare all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For jas many of you as were baptized into Christ khave put on Christ. 28 lThere is neither Jew nor Greek, mthere is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all none in Christ Jesus. 29 And oif you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s pseed, and qheirs according to the promise.