GALATIANS

Galatians Chapter 3

1 ¶ O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth? Before your very eyes, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was clearly expounded among you.

2 There is just one thing that I want you to tell me. Did you receive the Holy Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

3 Are you so foolish, that after beginning in the Spirit, you now seek perfection through your own effort?

4 Have you suffered so much for nothing — if it yet is for nothing.

5 Did God give you His Spirit, and work miracles among you, because you observed the law, or because you heard and believed the gospel?

6 ¶ Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

7 Realize therefore that those who trust in Christ are the children of Abraham.

8 And the scripture, having foreseen that God would justify the heathen through faith, proclaimed the gospel to Abraham in advance, saying, In you shall all nations be blessed.

9 So then those who have faith in Christ are blessed with Abraham, who also believed.

10 For all who trust in the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who does not continue to do everything that is written in the book of the law.

11 But it is clear that no man is justified in the sight of God by the law, for, The just shall live by faith.

12 However the law has nothing to do with faith: for it says, The man who does these things will live by them.

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, receiving the curse in our stead: for it is written, Cursed is every one who hangs on a tree:

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

15 Brethren, What I am saying happens in everyday life; Even if a covenant is but a human agreement, once it is enacted, no man sets it aside, or adds to it.

16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and his seed. God did not say, And to your seeds, as referring to many; but, And to your seed, referring to one which is Christ.

17 My point is this, the covenant concerning faith in Christ, that was confirmed by God at the time of Abraham, cannot be nullified by the law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, so as to make the promise of no effect.

18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it is not given by promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

19 ¶ What then is the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed to whom the promise referred had come; and it was put into force by angels in the hand of a mediator.

20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Absolutely not: for if there had been a law given that could have given life, righteousness truly would have been by the law.

22 But the scripture has concluded all under sin, that the promise might be given to those who believe, through faith in Jesus Christ.

23 Moreover before faith came, we were imprisoned by the law, kept under guard by the law for the faith that would be revealed.

24 Therefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be declared righteous by faith.

25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

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

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

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

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