Galatians

Chapter 3

1 O FOOLISH Galatians, who has be witched you from your faith after Jesus Christ, crucified, has been pictured before your eyes?

2 This only I want to know from you, Did you receive the Spirit through the works of the law, or through obedience to faith?

3 Are you so foolish, after having begun with spiritual things to end now with things of the flesh?

4 Have you believed all these things at random? I hope that it is to no purpose.

5 He therefore who gives you the Spirit, and works miracles among you, does he do these things by the works of the law, or by obedience to faith?

6 Just as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness,

7 You must know therefore, that those who trust on faith are the children of Abraham.

8 Because God knew in advance that the Gentiles would be declared righteous through faith, he first preached to Abraham, as it is said in the Holy Scripture, In you shall all the Gentiles be blessed.

9 So then, it is the believers who are blessed through Abraham the faithful.

10 For those who rely on the works of the law are still under the curse: for as it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not practice everything which is written in the book of the law.

11 But that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, as it is written, The righteous shall live by faith.

12 Thus the law is not made by faith, but, Whosoever shall do the things which are written in it shall live in it.

13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, by becoming accursed for our sakes: for it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a cross:

14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

15 My brethren, I speak as a man; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man can reject it or change anything in it.

16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his seed as a covenant. He did not say, To your seeds, as of many, but to your seed, as one, that is Christ.

17 And this I say, that the covenant which was previously confirmed of God in Christ cannot be repudiated and the promise nullified by the law which came four hundred and thirty years later.

18 For if the inheritance is by the law, then it would not be as the fulfillment of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

19 Then what is the use of the law? It was added because of transgression, till the coming of the heir to whom the promise was made; and the law was given by angels by the hand of a mediator;

20 Now a mediator does not represent one alone, but God is one.

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Far be it: for if a law had been given, which could have wrought salvation, righteousness would truly have come as the result of the law.

22 But the scripture has included everything under sin, that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23 But before faith came, we were guided by the law, while we were waiting for the faith which was to be revealed.

24 The law then was our pathfinder to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

25 But since faith has come, we no longer are in need of the pathfinder.

26 For you are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ.

27 For those who have been baptized in the name of Christ have been clothed with Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Syrian, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Jesus Christ.

29 So if you belong to Christ, then you are descendants of Abraham, and his heirs according to the promise.