1 O senseless Galatians, who has bewitched you; to whom, as before your very eyes, Jesus Christ has been portrayed, crucified ?

You foolish Galatians! What strange powers are trying to lead you from the way of faith in Christ? We made it plain for you to see that Jesus Christ was put on a cross to die.

2 T his only I wish to learn of you, Have ye received the Spirit on the principle of works of law, or of report of faith?

There is one thing I want to know. Did you receive the Holy Spirit by keeping the Law? Or did you receive Him by hearing about Christ?

3 A re ye so senseless? having begun in Spirit, are ye going to be made perfect in flesh?

How foolish can you be? You started the Christian life by the Holy Spirit. Do you think you are going to become better Christians by your old way of worship?

4 H ave ye suffered so many things in vain, if indeed also in vain?

You suffered so much because of the Good News you received. Was this all of no use?

5 H e therefore who ministers to you the Spirit, and works miracles among you, on the principle of works of law, or of report of faith?

He gave you the Holy Spirit and did powerful works among you. Does He do it because you do what the Law says or because you hear and believe the truth?

6 E ven as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

It was the same with Abraham. He put his trust in God. This made Abraham right with God.

7 K now then that they that are on the principle of faith, these are Abraham's sons;

Be sure to remember that all men who put their trust in God are the sons of Abraham.

8 a nd the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations on the principle of faith, announced beforehand the glad tidings to Abraham: In thee all the nations shall be blessed.

The Holy Writings said long ago that God would save the people who are not Jews from the punishment of sin also. Before this time the Holy Writings gave the Good News to Abraham in these words, “All nations will be happy because of you.”

9 S o that they who are on the principle of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

So then, all those who have faith will be happy, along with Abraham who had faith.

10 F or as many as are on the principle of works of law are under curse. For it is written, Cursed is every one who does not continue in all things which written in the book of the law to do them;

All those who expect the Law to save them from the punishment of sin will be punished. Because it is written, “Everyone who does not keep on doing all the things written in the Book of the Law will be punished.”

11 b ut that by law no one is justified with God evident, because The just shall live on the principle of faith;

No one is made right with God by doing what the Law says. For, “The man right with God will live by faith.”

12 b ut the law is not on the principle of faith; but, He that shall have done these things shall live by them.

The Law does not use faith. It says, “You must obey all the Law or you will die.”

13 C hrist has redeemed us out of the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, (for it is written, Cursed every one hanged upon a tree,)

Christ bought us with His blood and made us free from the Law. In that way, the Law could not punish us. Christ did this by carrying the load and by being punished instead of us. It is written, “Anyone who hangs on a cross is hated and punished.”

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

Because of the price Christ Jesus paid, the good things that came to Abraham might come to the people who are not Jews. And by putting our trust in Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit He has promised.

15 B rethren, (I speak according to man,) even man's confirmed covenant no one sets aside, or adds other dispositions to.

Christian brothers, let me show you what this means. If two men agree to something and sign their names on a paper promising to stay true to what they agree, it cannot be changed.

16 B ut to Abraham were the promises addressed, and to his seed: he does not say, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed; which is Christ.

Now the promise was made to Abraham and to his son. He does not say, “And to sons,” speaking of many. But instead, “And to your Son,” which means Christ.

17 N ow I say this, A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which took place four hundred and thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect.

This is what I am saying: The Law which came 430 years later could not change the promise. The promise had already been made by God. The Law could not put that promise aside.

18 F or if the inheritance on the principle of law, no longer on the principle of promise; but God gave it in grace to Abraham by promise.

If it had been possible to be saved from the punishment of sin by obeying the Law, the promise God gave Abraham would be worth nothing. But since it is not possible to be saved by obeying the Law, the promise God gave Abraham is worth everything.

19 W hy then the law? It was added for the sake of transgressions, until the seed came to whom the promise was made, ordained through angels in hand of a mediator.

Then why do we have the Law? It was given because of sin. It was to be used until Christ came. The promise had been made looking toward Christ. The Law was given by angels through Moses who stood between God and man.

20 B ut a mediator is not of one, but God is one.

But when the promise was given to Abraham, God gave it without anyone standing between them.

21 t hen the law against the promises of God? Far be the thought. For if a law had been given able to quicken, then indeed righteousness were on the principle of law;

Is the Law against the promise of God? No! Never! If it had been possible to be saved from the punishment of sin by obeying the Law, then being right with God would have come by obeying the Law.

22 b ut the scripture has shut up all things under sin, that the promise, on the principle of faith of Jesus Christ, should be given to those that believe.

But the Holy Writings say that all men are guilty of sin. Then that which was promised might be given to those who put their trust in Christ. It will be because their faith is in Him.

23 B ut before faith came, we were guarded under law, shut up to faith about to be revealed.

Before it was possible to be saved from the punishment of sin by putting our trust in Christ, we were held under the Law. It was as if we were being kept in prison. We were kept this way until Christ came.

24 S o that the law has been our tutor up to Christ, that we might be justified on the principle of faith.

The Law was used to lead us to Christ. It was our teacher, and so we were made right with God by putting our trust in Christ.

25 B ut, faith having come, we are no longer under a tutor;

Now that our faith is in Christ, we do not need the Law to lead us.

26 f or ye are all God's sons by faith in Christ Jesus.

You are now children of God because you have put your trust in Christ Jesus.

27 F or ye, as many as have been baptised unto Christ, have put on Christ.

All of you who have been baptized to show you belong to Christ have become like Christ.

28 T here is no Jew nor Greek; there is no bondman nor freeman; there is no male and female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus:

God does not see you as a Jew or as a Greek. He does not see you as a servant or as a person free to work. He does not see you as a man or as a woman. You are all one in Christ.

29 b ut if ye of Christ, then ye are Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise.

If you belong to Christ, then you have become the true children of Abraham. What God promised to him is now yours.