Galatians 3

Modern

Literal

Faith and Belief

¹O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.

¹O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was previously written as having been crucified?

²I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?

²I want only to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit out of works of the law or out of hearing of faith?

³Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?

³Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?

⁴Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing?

⁴Did you suffer so much in vain, if indeed even in vain?

⁵Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?

⁵Therefore, the One supplying to you the Spirit and working miracles among you, is it out of works of the law, or out of hearing of faith—

⁶So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^a

⁶just as, “Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him for righteousness”?

⁷Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham.

⁷Know, then, that those of faith, these are sons of Abraham.

⁸The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”^a

⁸Now the Scripture, having foreseen that God justifies the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel beforehand to Abraham: “All the nations will be blessed in you.”

⁹So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

⁹So then, those of faith are blessed along with the faithful Abraham.

Christ Has Redeemed Us

¹⁰All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”^a

¹⁰For as many as are of works of the law, they are under a curse, for it has been written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things having been written in the Book of the Law, to do them.”

¹¹Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”^a

¹¹Now it is evident that no one is justified before God in the law, because, “The righteous will live out of faith.”

¹²The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”^a

¹²But the law is not out of faith; rather, “The one having done these things will live in them.”

¹³Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”^a

¹³Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us—for it has been written: “Cursed is everyone hanging on a tree,”

¹⁴He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham^a would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

¹⁴so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Purpose of the Law

¹⁵Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.

¹⁵Brothers, I am speaking according to man. Even a covenant of man having been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds thereto.

¹⁶The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,”^a meaning One, who is Christ.

¹⁶Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It does not say “and to seeds,” as of many, but as of One, “and to your seed,” who is Christ.

¹⁷What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.

¹⁷Now I say this: The law, having come four hundred and thirty years afterward, does not repeal the covenant having been ratified beforehand by God, so as to nullify the promise.

¹⁸For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.

¹⁸For if the inheritance is by the law, it is no longer by a promise. But God has granted it to Abraham through a promise.

¹⁹Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator.

¹⁹Why then the law? It was added on account of transgressions, until the seed to whom promise has been made shall have come, having been ordained through angels in the hand of a mediator.

²⁰A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one.

²⁰Now the mediator is not of one; but God is one.

²¹Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law.

²¹Is the law, therefore, contrary to the promises of God? Never may it be! For if a law were given being able to make alive, then righteousness indeed would have been from out of the law.

²²But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.

²²But the Scripture shut in all things under sin, so that by faith from Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those believing.

²³Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.

²³Now before the faith came, we were being held in custody under the law, having been shut in until the faith being about to be revealed,

²⁴So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

²⁴so that the law has become our tutor unto Christ, so that we might be justified by faith.

²⁵Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

²⁵And faith having come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Sons through Faith in Christ

²⁶You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁶For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

²⁷For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

²⁷For as many of you as were baptized into Christ, you put on Christ.

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

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

²⁹And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

²⁹Now if you are of Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.