Galatians 3:6-4:31

New Matthew Bible

⁶ It is even as Abraham believed God, and it was ascribed to him for righteousness. ⁷ Understand therefore that it is those who are of faith who are the children of Abraham.

⁸ For the scripture foresaw that God would justify the heathen through faith, and therefore showed beforehand glad tidings to Abraham: In you shall all nations be blessed. ⁹ So then, those who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. ¹⁰ For as many as are under the deeds of the law are under malediction. For it is written: Cursed is every one who does not continue in all the things that are written in the book of the law, to fulfil them.

¹¹ That no man is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for: The just shall live by faith. ¹² The law is not of faith. (But: The man who fulfils the things contained in the law, will live in them.) ¹³ But Christ has delivered us from the curse of the law, and was made accursed for us – for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree – ¹⁴ so that the blessing of Abraham may come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, and so that we may receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

¹⁵ Brethren, I will speak with reference to the custom of men. Though it be but a man’s last will and testament, yet no one sets it aside or adds anything to it once it is confirmed. ¹⁶ To Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He does not say, In the seeds, as in many, but, In your seed, as in one, which is Christ. ¹⁷ This I say: the law, which began afterwards (over 430 years), does not nullify the testament that was confirmed before by God in Christ, so as to make the promise of no effect. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance comes by the law, it does not come by promise. But God gave it to Abraham by promise.

¹⁹ For what then does the law serve? The law was added because of transgressions (till the seed came to whom the promise was made), and it was instituted by angels in the hand of a mediator. ²⁰ A mediator is not a mediator of one. But God is one. ²¹ Is the law then against the promise of God? God forbid. However, if there had been a law given that could have given life, then no doubt righteousness would have come by the law. ²² But the scripture included all things under sin so that the promise, by the faith of Jesus Christ, should be given to those who believe.

²³ Before faith came, we were kept and shut up under the law, with a view to the faith that would afterward be declared. ²⁴ Therefore the law was our schoolmaster to the time of Christ, so that we may be made righteous by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

²⁶ For you are all the sons of God by the faith which is in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For all you who are baptized have put on Christ. ²⁸ Now there is neither Jew nor Gentile, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither man nor woman, but you are all one thing in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs by promise.

Paul shows that through Christ we are delivered from the law, and he rebukes the unthankfulness of the Galatians.

4 And I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ from a servant, though he be lord of all, ² but is under tutors and managers until the time appointed by the father. ³ Likewise we, as long as we were children, were in bondage under the ordinances of the world. ⁴ But when the time was full come, God sent his Son, born of a woman and made bond to the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, in order that we through election could receive the inheritance that belongs to the natural sons. ⁶ Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who cries, Abba, Father! ⁷ Therefore now you are not a servant, but a son. If you are a son, you are also the heir of God through Christ.

⁸ Notwithstanding, when you did not know God, you served them which by nature are no gods. ⁹ But now, seeing you know God (yea rather, are known by God), how is it that you turn backward to the weak and poor rudiments, to which again you desire afresh to be in bondage? ¹⁰ You observe days and months and times and years. ¹¹ I fear for you, lest I have bestowed on you labour in vain. ¹² Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am, for I am as you are.

You have not hurt me at all. ¹³ You know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel to you at the first. ¹⁴ And the adversity I suffered by reason of my flesh, you did not turn away or shrink from, but you received me as an angel of God, yea as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ How happy were you then? For I can attest that, if it had been possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

¹⁷ They are fervent over you amiss. Yea, they intend to exclude you so that you will be fervent for them. ¹⁸ It is good always to be fervent, provided it be in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

¹⁹ My little children, for whom I travail in birth again until Christ be fashioned in you, ²⁰ I wish I were with you now, and could change my tone. For I am in doubt concerning you. ²¹ Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, have you not heard of the law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. ²³ Yea, and the son of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but the son of the free woman was born by promise, ²⁴ which things contain an allegory. For these women are two testaments. The one is from Mount Sinai, which engenders bondage, which is Hagar. ²⁵ For Mount Sinai is called Hagar in Arabia, and corresponds to the city that is now Jerusalem and is in bondage with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. ²⁷ For it is written: Rejoice, O barren, who bears no children! Break forth and shout, you who travail not! For the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.

²⁸ Brethren, we are like Isaac: children of promise. ²⁹ But just as then he who was born carnally persecuted him who was born spiritually, so also is it now. ³⁰ Nevertheless, what does the scripture say? Put away the bondwoman and her son. For the son of the bondwoman will not be heir with the son of the free woman. ³¹ So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free woman.