Chapter 3

Faith Brings Righteousness

1 1You foolish aGalatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ bwas publicly portrayed as crucified?

2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of 1the Law, or by 2ahearing with faith?

3 Are you so foolish? Having begun 1by the Spirit, are you now 2being perfected by the flesh?

4 Did you 1suffer so many things in vain—aif indeed it was in vain?

5 So then, does He who aprovides you with the Spirit and bworks 1miracles among you, do it by the works of 2the Law, or by 3chearing with faith?

6 1Even so aAbraham bbelieved God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

7 Therefore, 1be sure that ait is those who are of faith who are bsons of Abraham.

8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God 1would justify the 2Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “aAll the nations will be blessed in you.”

9 So then athose who are of faith are blessed with 1Abraham, the believer.

10 For as many as are of the works of 1the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “aCursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”

11 Now that ano one is justified 1by 2the Law before God is evident; for, “3bThe righteous man shall live by faith.”

12 1However, the Law is not 2of faith; on the contrary, “aHe who practices them shall live 3by them.”

13 Christ aredeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “bCursed is everyone who hangs on ca 1tree”—

14 in order that ain Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might 1come to the Gentiles, so that we bwould receive cthe promise of the Spirit through faith.

Intent of the Law

15 aBrethren, bI speak 1in terms of human relations: ceven though it is only a man’s 2covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds 3conditions to it.

16 Now the promises were spoken ato Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “bAnd to your seed,” that is, Christ.

17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came afour hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.

18 For aif the inheritance is 1based on law, it is no longer 1based on a promise; but bGod has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

19 aWhy the Law then? It was added 1because of transgressions, having been bordained through angels cby the 2agency of a mediator, until dthe seed would come to whom the promise had been made.

20 Now aa mediator is not 1for one party only; whereas God is only one.

21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? aMay it never be! For bif a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness 1would indeed have been 2based on law.

22 But the Scripture has ashut up 1everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, abeing shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.

24 Therefore the Law has become our atutor to lead us to Christ, so that bwe may be justified by faith.

25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a 1atutor.

26 For you are all asons of God through faith in bChrist Jesus.

27 For all of you who were abaptized into Christ have bclothed yourselves with Christ.

28 aThere is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is 1neither male nor female; for byou are all one in cChrist Jesus.

29 And if ayou 1belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s 2descendants, heirs according to bpromise.