Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

God’s promise and Abraham’s faith

3 You witless Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Messiah Jesus was portrayed on the cross before your very eyes! ² There’s just one thing I want to know from you. Did you receive the spirit by doing the works of Torah, or by hearing and believing? ³ You are so witless: you began with the spirit, and now you’re ending with the flesh? ⁴ Did you really suffer so much for nothing—if indeed it is going to be for nothing? ⁵ The one who gives you the spirit and performs powerful deeds among you—does he do this through your performance of Torah, or through hearing and believing?

⁶ It’s like Abraham. “He believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.” ⁷ So you know that it’s people of faith who are children of Abraham. ⁸ The Bible foresaw that God would justify the nations by faith, so it announced the gospel to Abraham in advance, when it declared that “the nations will be blessed in you.” ⁹ So you see: the people of faith are blessed along with faithful Abraham.