Zophar

11 Then Zophar the Naamathite^(A) replied:

Faith or Works of the Law

3 You foolish^(A) Galatians!^(B) Who has bewitched you?^(C) Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.^{(D) 2} 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) 3} Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?^{[a] 4} Have you experienced^[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? ⁵ 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) 6} So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[c](J)

⁷ Understand, then, that those who have faith^(K) are children of Abraham.^{(L) 8} 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) 9} 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)

The Law and the Promise

¹⁵ Brothers and sisters,^(Z) 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.^(AA) Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”^[i](AB) meaning one person, who is Christ. ¹⁷ What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years^(AC) 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;^(AD) 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^(AE) until the Seed^(AF) to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels^(AG) and entrusted to a mediator.^{(AH) 20} A mediator,^(AI) however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

²¹ Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!^(AJ) For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.^{(AK) 22} But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin,^(AL) so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

Children of God

²³ Before the coming of this faith,^[j] we were held in custody^(AM) under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.^{(AN) 24} So the law was our guardian until Christ came^(AO) that we might be justified by faith.^{(AP) 25} Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.^(AQ)

²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God^(AR) through faith, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ^(AS) have clothed yourselves with Christ.^{(AT) 28} There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,^(AU) nor is there male and female,^(AV) for you are all one in Christ Jesus.^{(AW) 29} If you belong to Christ,^(AX) then you are Abraham’s seed,^(AY) and heirs^(AZ) according to the promise.^(BA)

Psalm 137