Galatians 3
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Justification through Faith
3 You foolish(A) Galatians! Who has hypnotized you,[a] before whose eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed[b] as crucified?(B) 2 I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith?[c] 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete by the flesh?[d] 4 Did you suffer(C) so much for nothing—if in fact it was for nothing? 5 So then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles(D) among you by the works of the law or by hearing with faith?[e]
6 Just as Abraham believed God,(E) and it was credited to him for righteousness,(F)[f] 7 then understand that those who have faith are Abraham’s sons.(G) 8 Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and told the good news ahead of time to Abraham,(H) saying, All the nations will be blessed through you.(I)[g] 9 So those who have faith are blessed with Abraham,(J) who had faith.[h]
Law and Promise
10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse,(K) because it is written:(L) Everyone who does not continue doing everything written in the book of the law is cursed.(M)[i] 11 Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live(N) by faith.(O)[j] 12 But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them.(P)[k] 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,(Q) because it is written: Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed.(R)[l] 14 The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith.(S)
15 Brothers, I’m using a human illustration.[m] No one sets aside or makes additions to even a human covenant[n] that has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed,(T)[o] who is Christ. 17 And I say this: The law, which came 430 years later,(U) does not revoke a covenant that was previously ratified by God[p] and cancel the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise.
The Purpose of the Law
19 Why then was the law given?(V) It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. The law was put into effect through angels(W) by means of a mediator.(X) 20 Now a mediator is not for just one person, but God is one.(Y) 21 Is the law therefore contrary to God’s promises? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly be by the law. 22 But the Scripture has imprisoned everything under sin’s power,[q](Z) so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ(AA) might be given to those who believe.(AB) 23 Before this faith(AC) came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed.(AD) 24 The law, then, was our guardian[r] until Christ,(AE) so that we could be justified by faith. 25 But since that faith(AF) has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Sons and Heirs
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment.(AG) 28 There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free,(AH) male or female;(AI) for you are all one(AJ) in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs(AK) according to the promise.(AL)
Footnotes
- Galatians 3:1 Other mss add not to obey the truth
- Galatians 3:1 Other mss add among you
- Galatians 3:2 Lit by law works or faith hearing or hearing the message
- Galatians 3:3 By human effort
- Galatians 3:5 Lit by law works or faith hearing or hearing the message
- Galatians 3:6 Gn 15:6
- Galatians 3:8 Gn 12:3; 18:18
- Galatians 3:9 Or with believing Abraham
- Galatians 3:10 Dt 27:26
- Galatians 3:11 Hab 2:4
- Galatians 3:12 Lv 18:5
- Galatians 3:13 Dt 21:23
- Galatians 3:15 Lit I speak according to man
- Galatians 3:15 Or will, or testament
- Galatians 3:16 Gn 12:7; 13:15; 17:8; 24:7
- Galatians 3:17 Other mss add in Christ
- Galatians 3:22 Lit under sin
- Galatians 3:24 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.
Galatians 3
New King James Version
Justification by Faith(A)
3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you [a]that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed [b]among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, (B)or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? (C)Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by (D)the flesh? 4 (E)Have you suffered so [c]many 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 (F)“believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only (G)those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And (H)the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, (I)“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, (J)“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 [d]justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for (K)“the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet (L)the law is not of faith, but (M)“the man who does them shall live by them.”
13 (N)Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, (O)“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 (P)that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the (Q)Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive (R)the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The Changeless Promise(S)
15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: (T)Though 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 (U)one, (V)“And to your Seed,” who is (W)Christ. 17 And this I say, that the law, (X)which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God [e]in Christ, (Y)that it should make the promise of no effect. 18 For if (Z)the inheritance is of the law, (AA)it 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? (AB)It was added because of transgressions, till the (AC)Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was (AD)appointed through angels by the hand (AE)of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, (AF)but 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 (AG)all under sin, (AH)that 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, [f]kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore (AI)the law was our [g]tutor to bring us to Christ, (AJ)that 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 (AK)are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For (AL)as many of you as were baptized into Christ (AM)have put on Christ. 28 (AN)There is neither Jew nor Greek, (AO)there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all (AP)one in Christ Jesus. 29 And (AQ)if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s (AR)seed, and (AS)heirs according to the promise.
Footnotes
- Galatians 3:1 NU omits that you should not obey the truth
- Galatians 3:1 NU omits among you
- Galatians 3:4 Or great
- Galatians 3:11 declared righteous
- Galatians 3:17 NU omits in Christ
- Galatians 3:23 Lit. confined
- Galatians 3:24 In a household, the guardian responsible for the care and discipline of the children
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
