20 I have been crucified with Christ(A) and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.(B) The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,(C) who loved me(D) and gave himself for me.(E) 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law,(F) Christ died for nothing!”[a]

Faith or Works of the Law

You foolish(G) Galatians!(H) Who has bewitched you?(I) Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.(J) I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit(K) by the works of the law,(L) or by believing what you heard?(M) Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?[b] Have you experienced[c] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles(N) among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?(O) So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[d](P)

Understand, then, that those who have faith(Q) are children of Abraham.(R) 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.”[e](S) So those who rely on faith(T) are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.(U)

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 2:21 Some interpreters end the quotation after verse 14.
  2. 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.
  3. Galatians 3:4 Or suffered
  4. Galatians 3:6 Gen. 15:6
  5. Galatians 3:8 Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18

Bible Gateway Recommends