¹⁶ know that a person is not justified by the works of the law,^(A) but by faith in Jesus Christ.^(B) So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in^[a] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.^(C)

¹⁹ “For through the law I died to the law^(A) so that I might live for God.^(B)

²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law,^(A) Christ died for nothing!”^[a]

² I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit^(A) by the works of the law,^(B) or by believing what you heard?^(C)

⁵ So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles^(A) among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?^(B)

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law^(A) are under a curse,^(B) as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”^{[a](C) 11} Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God,^(D) because “the righteous will live by faith.”^{[b](E) 12} The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”^{[c](F) 13} Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law^(G) by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”^[d](H)

¹⁷ What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years^(A) 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;^(B) 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^(C) until the Seed^(D) to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels^(E) and entrusted to a mediator.^(F)

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

Children of God

²³ Before the coming of this faith,^[a] we were held in custody^(A) under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.^(B)