Faith Brings Righteousness

[a]You foolish (A)Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ (B)was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of [b]the Law, or by [c](C)hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun [d]by the Spirit, are you now [e]being perfected by the flesh? Did you [f]suffer so many things in vain—(D)if indeed it was in vain? So then, does He who (E)provides you with the Spirit and (F)works [g]miracles among you, do it by the works of [h]the Law, or by [i](G)hearing with faith?

[j]Even so (H)Abraham (I)believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Therefore, [k]be sure that (J)it is those who are of faith who are (K)sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God [l]would justify the [m]Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “(L)All the nations will be blessed in you. So then (M)those who are of faith are blessed with [n]Abraham, the believer.

10 For as many as are of the works of [o]the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “(N)Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” 11 Now that (O)no one is justified [p]by [q]the Law before God is evident; for, “[r](P)The righteous man shall live by faith.” 12 [s]However, the Law is not [t]of faith; on the contrary, “(Q)He who practices them shall live [u]by them.” 13 Christ (R)redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “(S)Cursed is everyone who hangs on (T)a [v]tree”— 14 in order that (U)in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might [w]come to the Gentiles, so that we (V)would receive (W)the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 3:1 Lit O
  2. Galatians 3:2 Or law
  3. Galatians 3:2 Lit the hearing of faith
  4. Galatians 3:3 Or with
  5. Galatians 3:3 Or ending with
  6. Galatians 3:4 Or experience
  7. Galatians 3:5 Or works of power
  8. Galatians 3:5 Or law
  9. Galatians 3:5 Lit the hearing of faith
  10. Galatians 3:6 Lit Just as
  11. Galatians 3:7 Lit know
  12. Galatians 3:8 Lit justifies
  13. Galatians 3:8 Lit nations
  14. Galatians 3:9 Lit the believing Abraham
  15. Galatians 3:10 Or law
  16. Galatians 3:11 Or in
  17. Galatians 3:11 Or law
  18. Galatians 3:11 Or But he who is righteous by faith shall live
  19. Galatians 3:12 Or And
  20. Galatians 3:12 Or based on
  21. Galatians 3:12 Or in
  22. Galatians 3:13 Or cross; lit wood
  23. Galatians 3:14 Or occur

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)

Read full chapter

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