Galatians 3:15-4:7

English Standard Version

The Law and the Promise

^15 (A)To give a human example, brothers:^{[a] (B)}even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. ¹⁶ Now ^(C)the promises were made ^(D)to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, ^(E)“And to your offspring,” who is Christ. ¹⁷ This is what I mean: the law, which came ^(F)430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as ^(G)to make the promise void. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but ^(H)God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

¹⁹ Why then the law? ^(I)It was added because of transgressions, ^(J)until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was ^(K)put in place through angels ^(L)by an intermediary. ²⁰ Now ^(M)an intermediary implies more than one, but ^(N)God is one.

²¹ Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For ^(O)if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. ²² But the Scripture ^(P)imprisoned everything under sin, so that ^(Q)the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given ^(R)to those who believe.

²³ Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, ^(S)imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. ²⁴ So then, ^(T)the law was our ^(U)guardian until Christ came, ^(V)in order that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, ²⁶ for in Christ Jesus ^(W)you are all sons of God, through faith. ²⁷ For as many of you as ^(X)were baptized ^(Y)into Christ have ^(Z)put on Christ. ^28 (AA)There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave^[b] nor free, ^(AB)there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And ^(AC)if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, ^(AD)heirs according to promise.

Sons and Heirs

4 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave,^[c] though he is the owner of everything, ² but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. ³ In the same way we also, when we were children, ^(AE)were enslaved to the elementary principles^[d] of the world. ⁴ But ^(AF)when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, ^(AG)born ^(AH)of woman, born ^(AI)under the law, ^5 (AJ)to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive ^(AK)adoption as sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent ^(AL)the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then ^(AM)an heir through God.