Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
3 O foolish (A)Galatians, who bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ (B)was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to learn from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of [a]the Law, or by [b](C)hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun [c]by the Spirit, are you now [d]being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you [e]suffer so many things for nothing—(D)if indeed it was for nothing? 5 So then, does He who (E)provides you with the Spirit and (F)works [f]miracles among you, do it by the works of [g]the Law, or by [h](G)hearing with faith?
6 Just as (H)Abraham (I)believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness, 7 so know that (J)those who are of faith, those are (K)sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God [i]would justify the [j]Gentiles by faith, proclaimed 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 [k]Abraham, the believer.
10 For as many as are of the works of [l]the Law are under a curse, for it is written, “(N)Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 Now that (O)no one is justified [m]by [n]the Law before God is evident, [o]for “(P)The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 [p]However, the Law is not [q]of faith; rather, “(Q)He who does them shall live [r]by 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 [s]tree”— 14 in order that (U)in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might [t]come to the Gentiles, so that we (V)would receive (W)the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The Promise by Faith
15 (X)Brothers, (Y)I speak [u]in human terms: (Z)even though it is only a man’s [v]covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds [w]conditions to it. 16 Now the promises were spoken (AA)to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And (AB)to your seed,” that is, Christ. 17 And 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 abolish the promise. 18 For (AD)if the inheritance is by law, it is no longer by promise, but (AE)God has granted it to Abraham through promise.
19 (AF)Why the Law then? It was added [x]because of trespasses, having been (AG)ordained through angels (AH)by the hand of a mediator, until (AI)the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now (AJ)a mediator is not [y]for one person only, whereas God is one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? (AK)May it never be! For (AL)if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed be by law. 22 But the Scripture has (AM)shut up [z]everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were held in custody under the Law, (AN)being shut up for the coming faith to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our (AO)tutor unto Christ, so that (AP)we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a [aa](AQ)tutor. 26 For you are all (AR)sons 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 man, there is no (AW)male and female, for (AX)you are all one in (AY)Christ Jesus. 29 And if (AZ)you [ab]belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s [ac]seed, heirs according to (BA)promise.
Sonship in Christ
4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a [ad]child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is [ae]owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and stewards until the date set by the father. 3 So also we, while we were children, were (BB)enslaved under the [af](BC)elemental things of the world. 4 But when (BD)the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, (BE)born of a woman, born (BF)under [ag]the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under [ah]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as (BG)sons. 6 And because you are sons, (BH)God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “(BI)Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and (BJ)if a son, then an heir [ai]through God.
8 However at that time, (BK)when you did not know God, you were (BL)slaves to (BM)those which by nature are no gods. 9 But now, having known God, or rather having been (BN)known by God, (BO)how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless [aj](BP)elemental things, to which you want to be enslaved all over again? 10 You (BQ)observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [ak]over you for nothing.
12 I beg of you, (BR)brothers, (BS)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 [al]bodily illness that I proclaimed the gospel to you the [am]first time; 14 and that which was a [an]trial to you in my [ao]bodily condition you did not despise or [ap]loathe, but (BT)you received me as an angel of God, as (BU)Christ Jesus Himself. 15 Where then is [aq]that sense of blessing you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So have I become your enemy (BV)by [ar]telling you the truth? 17 They zealously seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will zealously seek them. 18 But it is good always to be zealously sought in a commendable [as]manner, and (BW)not only when I am present with you. 19 (BX)My children, with whom (BY)I am again in labor until (BZ)Christ is formed in you— 20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, because (CA)I am perplexed about you.
An Allegory of Two Covenants
21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not (CB)listen to the Law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, (CC)one by the servant-woman and (CD)one by the free woman. 23 But (CE)the son by the servant-woman had been born according to the flesh, while (CF)the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 [at](CG)This is [au]spoken with allegory, for these women are two covenants: one from (CH)Mount Sinai bearing children into (CI)slavery; [av]she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But (CJ)the Jerusalem above is free; [aw]she is our mother. 27 For it is written,
“(CK)Rejoice, barren woman who does not give birth;
Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;
For more numerous are the children of the desolate one
Than of the one who has a husband.”
28 And you brothers, (CL)in accordance with Isaac, are (CM)children of promise. 29 But as at that time (CN)he who was born according to the flesh (CO)was persecuting him who was born according to the Spirit, (CP)so it is now also. 30 But what does the Scripture say?
“(CQ)Cast out the servant-woman and her son,
For (CR)the son of the servant-woman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”
31 So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant-woman, [ax]but of the free woman.
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