Galatians 3:12-18

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

¹² But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, “Whoever does the works of the law^[a] will live by them.” ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— ¹⁴ in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Promise to Abraham

¹⁵ Brothers and sisters,^[b] I give an example from daily life: once a person’s will^[c] has been ratified, no one adds to it or annuls it. ¹⁶ Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring;^[d] it does not say, “And to offsprings,”^[e] as of many; but it says, “And to your offspring,”^[f] that is, to one person, who is Christ. ¹⁷ My point is this: the law, which came four hundred thirty years later, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance comes from the law, it no longer comes from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise.