行律法与信基督

无知的加拉太人啊!谁又迷惑了你们呢?耶稣基督被钉在十字架上的事早就像一幅画一样展现在你们眼前了。 我只想问,你们领受了圣灵是靠遵行律法呢,还是因为相信所听见的福音呢? 你们既然靠圣灵开始了基督徒的生活,现在却想靠肉体达到纯全吗?你们就这么无知吗? 你们受了许多苦,难道都是徒然的吗?都白受了吗? 上帝将圣灵赐给你们又在你们中间行神迹,是因为你们遵行律法呢,还是因为你们相信所听到的福音呢?

圣经上说:“亚伯拉罕信上帝,就被算为义人。” 因此,你们要明白,那些信上帝的人才是亚伯拉罕的子孙。 圣经早就指明,上帝要叫外族人因信而被称为义人,祂预先将福音传给亚伯拉罕,说:“万国必因你而蒙福。” 所以那些信上帝的人必和有信心的亚伯拉罕一同得到祝福。

10 凡以遵行律法为本的人都在咒诅之下,因为圣经上说:“凡不遵行律法书上一切命令的人必受咒诅。” 11 非常明显,没有人能靠遵行律法在上帝面前被称为义人,因为圣经上说:“义人必靠信心而活。” 12 律法却不是以信心为本,而是说:“遵行的人必存活。”

13 但基督替我们受了咒诅,从而救赎我们脱离了律法的咒诅,因为圣经上说:“凡挂在木头上的人都是受咒诅的。” 14 这样,赐给亚伯拉罕的祝福可以借着基督耶稣临到外族人,使我们也可以借着信得到上帝应许赐给我们的圣灵。

律法与应许

15 弟兄姊妹,我举个日常生活中的例子。世人的合约一经双方签订之后,就不能作废,也不能加添。 16 上帝曾向亚伯拉罕和他的后裔赐下应许,不过这里没有说“后裔们”——指许多人,而是说“你的后裔”——指一个人,就是基督。 17 我的意思是:四百三十年后颁布的律法不会废除上帝先前立下的约,以致应许落空。 18 倘若我们是靠守律法去承受产业,我们就不是倚靠上帝的应许。但上帝是凭应许把产业赐给了亚伯拉罕。

19 那么,为什么会有律法呢?律法是为了使人知罪而颁布的,等那位承受应许的后裔来到后,律法的任务就完成了。律法是通过天使交给一位中间人颁布的。 20 中间人代表双方,但上帝则单方面赐下应许。

21 这样看来,上帝的律法和上帝的应许是否互相矛盾呢?当然不是!如果赐下的律法能带给人生命,人就可以靠律法成为义人了。 22 但圣经说万物都在罪的权势下,为要使那些相信的人因为相信耶稣基督而得到应许[a]

23 信耶稣的时代[b]还没有来临以前,律法暂时监管我们。等到信耶稣之道显明出来后,律法就不再监管我们。 24 因此,律法是我们的监护人,负责引领我们归向基督,使我们可以因信而被称为义人。 25 现在信耶稣的时代已经来临,我们不再受律法监管。 26 你们都借着信基督耶稣而成为上帝的儿女, 27 因为你们受洗归入基督就是披戴基督[c] 28 从此不再分犹太人和希腊人,自由人和奴隶,男人和女人,因为你们都在基督耶稣里合而为一了。 29 你们若属于基督,就是亚伯拉罕的后裔,都是照着上帝的应许承受产业的人。

Footnotes

  1. 3:22 因为相信耶稣基督而得到应许”或译“因为耶稣基督的信实而得到应许”。
  2. 3:23 信耶稣的时代”希腊文是“信心”,下同25节。
  3. 3:27 披戴基督”是个隐喻,主要的意思是“像基督”,象征有基督的生命与品格。

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。

Justification by Faith(A)

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? 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? Are you so foolish? (C)Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by (D)the flesh? (E)Have you suffered so [c]many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

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?— just as Abraham (F)“believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Therefore know that only (G)those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 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.” 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

  1. Galatians 3:1 NU omits that you should not obey the truth
  2. Galatians 3:1 NU omits among you
  3. Galatians 3:4 Or great
  4. Galatians 3:11 declared righteous
  5. Galatians 3:17 NU omits in Christ
  6. Galatians 3:23 Lit. confined
  7. Galatians 3:24 In a household, the guardian responsible for the care and discipline of the children