Galatians 3:11-21

New International Version

¹¹ Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God,^(A) because “the righteous will live by faith.”^{[a](B) 12} The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”^{[b](C) 13} Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law^(D) by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”^{[c](E) 14} He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,^(F) so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.^(G)

The Law and the Promise

¹⁵ Brothers and sisters,^(H) 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.^(I) Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”^[d](J) meaning one person, who is Christ. ¹⁷ What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years^(K) 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;^(L) 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^(M) until the Seed^(N) to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels^(O) and entrusted to a mediator.^{(P) 20} A mediator,^(Q) however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

²¹ Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!^(R) For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.^(S)