Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
Faith Brings Righteousness
3 [a]You foolish (A)Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ (B)was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of [b]the Law, or by (C)hearing [c]with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun [d]by the Spirit, are you now [e]being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you [f]suffer so many things in vain—(D)if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who (E)provides you with the Spirit and (F)works [g]miracles among you, do it by works of [h]the Law, or by (G)hearing [i]with faith?
6 Just as (H)Abraham (I)believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. 7 Therefore, recognize that (J)it is those who are of faith who are (K)sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God [j]would justify the [k]Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “(L)All the nations will be blessed in you.” 9 So then, (M)those who are of faith are blessed with [l]Abraham, the believer.
10 For all who are of works of [m]the Law are under a curse; for it is written: “(N)Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to do them.” 11 Now, that (O)no one is justified [n]by [o]the Law before God is evident; for, “[p](P)the righteous one will live by faith.” 12 [q]However, the Law is not [r]of faith; on the contrary, “(Q)The person who performs [s]them will live by [t]them.” 13 Christ (R)redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: “(S)Cursed is everyone who hangs on (T)a [u]tree”— 14 in order that (U)in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we (V)would receive (W)the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Intent of the Law
15 (X)Brothers and sisters, (Y)I speak [v]in terms of human relations: (Z)even though it is only a man’s [w]covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds [x]conditions to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken (AA)to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as one would in referring to many, but rather as in referring to one, “(AB)And to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came (AC)430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For (AD)if the inheritance is [y]based on law, it is no longer [z]based on a promise; but (AE)God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
19 (AF)Why the Law then? It was added on account of the [aa]violations, having been (AG)ordered through angels (AH)at the hand of a [ab]mediator, until (AI)the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now (AJ)a mediator is not [ac]for one party only; but God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? [ad](AK)Far from it! For (AL)if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness [ae]would indeed have been [af]based on law. 22 But the Scripture has (AM)confined [ag]everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, [ah]we were kept in custody under the Law, (AN)being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our [ai](AO)guardian to lead us to Christ, so that (AP)we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a [aj](AQ)guardian. 26 For you are all (AR)sons and daughters of God through faith in (AS)Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were (AT)baptized into Christ have (AU)clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 (AV)There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is [ak]neither male nor female; for (AW)you are all one in (AX)Christ Jesus. 29 And if (AY)you [al]belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s [am]descendants, heirs according to (AZ)promise.
Sonship in Christ
4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a [an]child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is [ao]owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and [ap]managers until the [aq]date set by the father. 3 So we too, when we were children, were held (BA)in bondage under the [ar](BB)elementary principles of the world. 4 But when (BC)the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, (BD)born of a woman, born (BE)under [as]the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under [at]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as (BF)sons and daughters. 6 Because you are sons, (BG)God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “(BH)Abba! [au]Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and (BI)if a son, then an heir [av]through God.
8 However at that time, (BJ)when you did not know God, you were (BK)slaves to (BL)those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be (BM)known by God, (BN)how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless [aw](BO)elementary principles, to which you want to be enslaved all over again? 10 You (BP)meticulously observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [ax]over you in vain.
12 I beg of you, (BQ)brothers and sisters, (BR)become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; 13 but you know that it was because of a [ay]bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the [az]first time; 14 and you did not despise that which was a trial to you in my [ba]bodily condition, nor express contempt, but (BS)you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. 15 Where then is [bb]that sense of blessing you had? For I testify about you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So have I become your enemy (BT)by [bc]telling you the truth? 17 They eagerly seek you, not [bd]in a commendable way, but they want to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought [be]in a commendable way, and (BU)not only when I am present with you. 19 (BV)My children, with whom (BW)I am again in labor until (BX)Christ is formed in you— 20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone of voice, for (BY)I am at a loss about you!
Slave and Free
21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not (BZ)listen to the Law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, (CA)one by the slave woman and (CB)one by the free woman. 23 But (CC)the son by the slave woman [bf]was born according to the flesh, and (CD)the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 [bg](CE)This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from (CF)Mount Sinai giving birth to children [bh]who are to be (CG)slaves; [bi]she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children. 26 But (CH)the Jerusalem above is free; [bj]she is our mother. 27 For it is written:
“(CI)Rejoice, infertile one, you who do not give birth;
Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;
For the children of the desolate one are more numerous
Than those of the one who has a husband.”
28 And you, brothers and sisters, (CJ)like Isaac, are (CK)children of promise. 29 But as at that time (CL)the son who was born according to the flesh (CM)persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, (CN)so it is even now. 30 But what does the Scripture say?
“(CO)Drive out the slave woman and her son,
For (CP)the son of the slave woman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”
31 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.