Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
Who Has Bewitched You? Do You Live By The Spirit And Faith, Or The Flesh And Law?
3 O foolish Galatians, who bewitched[a] you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was portrayed[b] as crucified? 2 I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law or by the hearing[c] of [d] faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun-with[e] the Spirit are you now perfecting-yourselves[f] with the flesh? 4 Did you suffer[g] so many things in-vain— if indeed it really was in-vain? 5 Did then the One supplying[h] you the Spirit and working miracles among you do it because-of [i] works of the Law, or because-of the hearing of faith?
The Children of Abraham Are The Ones Living By Faith, Not By The Law
6 Just as Abraham “ believed God and it was credited to him for righteousness” [Gen 15:6], 7 know then that the ones of [j] faith— these are the sons[k] of Abraham. 8 Now the Scripture, having foreseen that God declares the Gentiles righteous by faith, announced-the-good-news-beforehand to Abraham: that “All the Gentiles will be blessed in[l] you”[Gen 12:3]. 9 So then the ones of faith are being blessed together-with Abraham, the man-of-faith[m]. 10 For all-who are of the works of the Law are under a curse, for it has been written that “Cursed is everyone who is not continuing-in[n] all the things having been written in the book of the Law, that he might do them”[Deut 27:26]. 11 And that no one is declared-righteous by[o] the Law before God is evident[p], because “The righteous one will live by faith” [Hab 2:4]. 12 But the Law is not of faith, but “The one having done these things shall live by them” [Lev 18:5]. 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us— because it has been written, “Cursed is everyone hanging on a tree” [Deut 21:23]— 14 in order that the blessing of [q] Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, in order that we might receive the promise of [r] the Spirit through faith.
God’s Promises To Abraham Were Not Cancelled By The Law Which Came Later
15 Brothers, I speak in accordance with human thinking: Though it is [a covenant] of a human, no one sets-aside or adds-conditions-to a covenant having been ratified. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed[s]. He[t] does not say [in Gen 13:15] “and to seeds”, as-though speaking in reference to many; but as-though speaking in reference to one, “and to your seed”— who is Christ. 17 And this I say: the Law, having come-about after four-hundred and thirty years, does not un-ratify[u] the covenant having been previously-ratified by God, so as to do-away-with[v] the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is of [w] the Law, it is no longer of the promise. But God has freely-given it to Abraham through the promise!
The Law Was Added Because of Transgressions, Until The Christ Should Come
19 Why then the Law? It was added because of the transgressions until which time the Seed should come to Whom the promise has been made, having been commanded[x] through angels by the hand of a mediator[y]. 20 Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of [only] one [party], but God is one[z].
The Law Served To Lead Us To Faith In Christ So As To Inherit The Abrahamic Promises
21 Is the Law then against the promises of God? May it never be! For if a Law being able to give-life had been given, righteousness really would have been by the Law! 22 But the Scripture confined all things under[aa] sin, in order that the promise by faith[ab] in Jesus Christ might be given to the ones believing. 23 And before the faith[ac] came, we were being kept-in-custody[ad] under the Law— being confined until[ae] the faith destined to be revealed. 24 So then the Law has been[af] our tutor[ag] leading-to[ah] Christ, in order that we might be declared-righteous by faith. 25 But the faith having come, we are no longer under a tutor! 26 For you all are sons[ai] of God through faith in Christ Jesus! 27 For all you who were baptized into Christ put-on[aj] Christ. 28 There is no Jew nor Greek, there is no slave nor free, there is no male and female. For you all are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are seed of Abraham— heirs according-to the promise.
God Sent His Son To Redeem Us So We All Could Be Adopted As Sons And Heirs
4 Now I say— for as much time as the heir is a child[ak], he is no different from a slave. Being the [future] owner of all, 2 nevertheless[al] he is under guardians and stewards[am] until the pre-appointed day of the father. 3 In this manner also we, when we were children, were[an] enslaved under the elemental[ao] things of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time came, God sent-forth His Son— having come[ap] from a woman, having come under the Law 5 in order that He might redeem the ones under the Law, in order that we [all] might receive the adoption. 6 And because[aq] you are sons, God sent-forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying-out, “Abba! Father!” 7 So then you are no longer a slave, but a son— and if a son, also an heir through God!
Why Turn Back To Being Slaves Again? I Fear For You
8 But at that time not knowing God, you were-slaves to the ones by nature not being gods. 9 But now having known God, yet rather having been known by God, how is it you are turning-back again to the weak and poor elemental things to which again you are wanting to be-slaves anew? 10 You are observing days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am fearing for you, that I somehow have labored in-vain for you.
I Beg You, Become As I Am. Have I Become Your Enemy By Speaking The Truth To You?
12 I beg you, brothers, become as I, because I also became as you. You did me no wrong. 13 And you know that I first[ar] announced-the-good-news to you because of a weakness[as] of the flesh. 14 And you did not treat-with-contempt nor loathe your trial in-connection-with my flesh, but you welcomed me as an angel[at] of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 Where then is your blessedness[au]? For I testify concerning you that, if possible, you would have given your eyes to me, having torn them out! 16 So then, have I become your enemy while speaking-the-truth to you? 17 They are zealously-seeking you— not commendably, but they want to shut you out[av] in-order-that you might be zealously-seeking them.
I Am Again Suffering Birth Pains For You Until Christ Is Formed In You
18 Now it is good to be zealously-sought in[aw] a commendable thing at-all-times, and not only during my being present with you— 19 my[ax] children, as to whom again I am suffering-birth-pains until which time Christ is formed in you. 20 But I was [just now] wishing[ay] to be present with you now and to change my tone, because I am perplexed with you.
Listen To The Law. We Are Children of The Free Promise, Not of The Slave Covenant
21 Tell me, the ones wanting to be under the Law, do you not hear the Law? 22 For it has been written that Abraham had two sons— one by the slave-woman and one by the free woman. 23 But the one by the slave-woman has been born according to the flesh, and the one by the free woman through the promise— 24 which things are being allegorized[az], for these women are two covenants. One[ba] is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery, which is Hagar 25 (now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia). And she[bb] corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she[bc] is a slave[bd] with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free— which is our mother[be]. 27 For it has been written, “Celebrate, barren one, the one not giving-birth. Break-forth and shout, the one not suffering-birth-pains. Because many more are the children of the desolate[bf] than of the one having the husband!”[Isa 54:1] 28 And you, brothers, are children of the promise in accordance with Isaac. 29 But just as at-that-time the one having been born according to the flesh was persecuting the one born according to the Spirit, so also now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Send-out the slave-woman and her son. For the son of the slave-woman shall by no means inherit with the son of the free woman” [Gen 21:10]. 31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of a slave-woman, but of the free woman.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing