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律法和信心

無知的加拉太人哪!耶穌基督釘十字架,已經活現在你們眼前,誰又迷惑了你們呢? 我只想問你們這一點:你們接受了聖靈,是靠著行律法,還是因為信所聽見的福音呢? 你們是這樣的無知嗎?你們既然靠著聖靈開始,現在還要靠著肉體成全嗎? 你們受了這麼多的苦,都是白受的嗎?恐怕真是白受的了。 那麼, 神賜聖靈給你們,又在你們中間行神蹟,是因為你們行律法,還是因為你們信所聽見的福音呢? 正如亞伯拉罕信 神,這就算為他的義。

所以你們要知道,有信心的人,就是亞伯拉罕的子孫。 聖經既然預先看見 神要使外族人因信稱義,就預先把好信息傳給亞伯拉罕:“萬國都必因你得福。” 這樣看來,有信心的人,必定和有信心的亞伯拉罕一同得福。 10 凡是靠行律法稱義的,都在咒詛之下,因為經上記著:“凡不常常照著律法書上所寫的一切去行的,都被咒詛。” 11 很明顯,在 神面前,沒有一個人可以靠著律法稱義,因為“義人必因信得生”(“義人必因信得生”或譯:“因信稱義的人,必定得生”)。 12 律法本來不是出於信,而是說:“遵行這些事的人,就必因這些事而活。” 13 基督替我們受了咒詛,就救贖我們脫離了律法的咒詛,因為經上記著:“凡掛在木頭上的,都是受咒詛的。” 14 這樣,亞伯拉罕所蒙的福,就在耶穌基督裡臨到外族人,使我們因著信,可以領受所應許的聖靈。

律法和應許

15 弟兄們,我照著人的常理說:一個立好了的約,雖然是人所立的,卻沒有人可以廢棄或增加。 16 那些應許本來是給亞伯拉罕和他的後裔的。 神並沒有說“給眾後裔”,好像指著多數;而是說“給你的一個後裔”,指著一個,就是基督。 17 我要這樣說, 神預先立好的約,那四百三十年後才有的律法,不能把它廢掉,使那應許落空。 18 因為所承受的,如果是出於律法,就不是出於應許;但 神是憑著應許賜給了亞伯拉罕。 19 那麼,為甚麼要有律法呢?是為了過犯的緣故才加上的,直到那得應許的後裔來到。律法是藉著天使經中保的手設立的; 20 中保不是為單方面的,但 神卻是一位。

律法的功用

21 這樣,律法和 神的應許是對立的嗎?絕對不是。如果所賜下的律法能使人得生命,義就真的是出於律法了。 22 但聖經把所有的人都圈在罪中,好把那因信耶穌基督而來的應許,賜給相信的人。

23 但信的道理還沒有來到以前,我們在律法下被囚禁、被圍困,直到那要來的信的道理顯明出來。 24 這樣,律法成了我們的啟蒙教師,領我們到基督那裡,使我們可以因信稱義。 25 但信的道理既然來到,我們就不再在啟蒙教師之下了。

因信作承受產業的兒子

26 你們因著信,在基督耶穌裡都作了 神的兒子。 27 你們所有受洗歸入基督的人,都是披戴基督的, 28 並不分猶太人或希臘人,作奴僕的或自由人,男的或女的,因為你們在基督耶穌裡都成為一體了。 29 如果你們屬於基督,就是亞伯拉罕的後裔,是按照應許承受產業的了。

Faith or Works of the Law

You foolish(A) Galatians!(B) Who has bewitched you?(C) Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.(D) I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit(E) by the works of the law,(F) or by believing what you heard?(G) Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?[a] Have you experienced[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles(H) among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?(I) So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[c](J)

Understand, then, that those who have faith(K) are children of Abraham.(L) Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”[d](M) So those who rely on faith(N) are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.(O)

10 For all who rely on the works of the law(P) are under a curse,(Q) as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”[e](R) 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God,(S) because “the righteous will live by faith.”[f](T) 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”[g](U) 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law(V) by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”[h](W) 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,(X) so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.(Y)

The Law and the Promise

15 Brothers and sisters,(Z) let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.(AA) Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”[i](AB) meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years(AC) later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise;(AD) but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions(AE) until the Seed(AF) to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels(AG) and entrusted to a mediator.(AH) 20 A mediator,(AI) however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!(AJ) For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.(AK) 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin,(AL) so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

Children of God

23 Before the coming of this faith,[j] we were held in custody(AM) under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.(AN) 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came(AO) that we might be justified by faith.(AP) 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.(AQ)

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God(AR) through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ(AS) have clothed yourselves with Christ.(AT) 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,(AU) nor is there male and female,(AV) for you are all one in Christ Jesus.(AW) 29 If you belong to Christ,(AX) then you are Abraham’s seed,(AY) and heirs(AZ) according to the promise.(BA)

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 3:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
  2. Galatians 3:4 Or suffered
  3. Galatians 3:6 Gen. 15:6
  4. Galatians 3:8 Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18
  5. Galatians 3:10 Deut. 27:26
  6. Galatians 3:11 Hab. 2:4
  7. Galatians 3:12 Lev. 18:5
  8. Galatians 3:13 Deut. 21:23
  9. Galatians 3:16 Gen. 12:7; 13:15; 24:7
  10. Galatians 3:23 Or through the faithfulness of Jesus … 23 Before faith came

God Approves of Those Who Believe

You stupid people of Galatia! Who put you under an evil spell? Wasn’t Christ Yeshua’s crucifixion clearly described to you? I want to learn only one thing from you. Did you receive the Spirit by your own efforts to follow the laws in the Scriptures or by believing what you heard? Are you that stupid? Did you begin in a spiritual way only to end up doing things in a human way? Did you suffer so much for nothing? I doubt that it was for nothing! Does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you through your own efforts or through believing what you heard?

Abraham serves as an example. He believed God, and that faith was regarded as the basis of Abraham’s approval by God. You must understand that people who have faith are Abraham’s descendants. Scripture saw ahead of time that God would give his approval to non-Jewish people who have faith. So Scripture announced the Good News to Abraham ahead of time when it said, “Through you all the people of the world will be blessed.” So people who believe are blessed together with Abraham, the man of faith.

10 Certainly, there is a curse on all who rely on their own efforts because Scripture says, “Whoever doesn’t obey everything that is written in Moses’ Teachings is cursed.” 11 No one receives God’s approval by obeying the laws in Moses’ Teachings since, “The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.” 12 These laws have nothing to do with faith, but, “Whoever obeys laws will live because he obeys them.”

13 Christ paid the price to free us from the curse that the laws in Moses’ Teachings bring by becoming cursed instead of us. Scripture says, “Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed.” 14 Christ paid the price so that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to all the people of the world through Yeshua Christ and we would receive the promised Spirit through faith.

The Relationship between Law and Promise

15 Brothers and sisters, let me use an example from everyday life. No one can cancel a person’s will or add conditions to it once that will is put into effect. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture doesn’t say, “descendants,” referring to many, but “your descendant,” referring to one. That descendant is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: The laws given to Moses 430 years after God had already put his promise to Abraham into effect didn’t cancel the promise to Abraham. 18 If we have to gain the inheritance by following those laws, then it no longer comes to us because of the promise. However, God freely gave the inheritance to Abraham through a promise.

19 What, then, is the purpose of the laws given to Moses? They were added to identify what wrongdoing is. Moses’ laws did this until the descendant to whom the promise was given came.[a] It was put into effect through angels, using a mediator. 20 A mediator is not used when there is only one person involved, and God has acted on his own.

21 Does this mean, then, that the laws given to Moses contradict God’s promises? That’s unthinkable! If those laws could give us life, then certainly we would receive God’s approval because we obeyed them. 22 But Scripture states that the whole world is controlled by the power of sin. Therefore, a promise based on faith in Yeshua Christ could be given to those who believe.

23 We were kept under control by Moses’ laws until this faith came. We were under their control until this faith which was about to come would be revealed.

24 Before Christ came, Moses’ laws served as our guardian. Christ came so that we could receive God’s approval by faith. 25 But now that this faith has come, we are no longer under the control of a guardian. 26 You are all God’s children by believing in Christ Yeshua. 27 Clearly, all of you who were baptized in Christ’s name have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There are neither Jews nor Greeks, slaves nor free people, males nor females. You are all the same in Christ Yeshua. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants and heirs, as God promised.

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 3:19 Or “Moses’ laws did this until the descendant referred to in the promise to Abraham came.”

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.