1 O Galates, dépourvus de sens! qui vous a fascinés, vous, aux yeux de qui Jésus Christ a été peint comme crucifié?

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 V oici seulement ce que je veux apprendre de vous: Est-ce par les oeuvres de la loi que vous avez reçu l'Esprit, ou par la prédication de la foi?

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 E tes-vous tellement dépourvus de sens? Après avoir commencé par l'Esprit, voulez-vous maintenant finir par la chair?

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 A vez-vous tant souffert en vain? si toutefois c'est en vain.

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

5 C elui qui vous accorde l'Esprit, et qui opère des miracles parmi vous, le fait-il donc par les oeuvres de la loi, ou par la prédication de la foi?

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 C omme Abraham crut à Dieu, et que cela lui fut imputé à justice,

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

7 r econnaissez donc que ce sont ceux qui ont la foi qui sont fils d'Abraham.

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

8 A ussi l'Écriture, prévoyant que Dieu justifierait les païens par la foi, a d'avance annoncé cette bonne nouvelle à Abraham: Toutes les nations seront bénies en toi!

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 d e sorte que ceux qui croient sont bénis avec Abraham le croyant.

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

10 C ar tous ceux qui s'attachent aux oeuvres de la loi sont sous la malédiction; car il est écrit: Maudit est quiconque n'observe pas tout ce qui est écrit dans le livre de la loi, et ne le met pas en pratique.

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 E t que nul ne soit justifié devant Dieu par la loi, cela est évident, puisqu'il est dit: Le juste vivra par la foi.

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

12 O r, la loi ne procède pas de la foi; mais elle dit: Celui qui mettra ces choses en pratique vivra par elles.

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

13 C hrist nous a rachetés de la malédiction de la loi, étant devenu malédiction pour nous-car il est écrit: Maudit est quiconque est pendu au bois, -

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 a fin que la bénédiction d'Abraham eût pour les païens son accomplissement en Jésus Christ, et que nous reçussions par la foi l'Esprit qui avait été promis.

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 F rères (je parle à la manière des hommes), une disposition en bonne forme, bien que faite par un homme, n'est annulée par personne, et personne n'y ajoute.

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 O r les promesses ont été faites à Abraham et à sa postérité. Il n'est pas dit: et aux postérités, comme s'il s'agissait de plusieurs, mais en tant qu'il s'agit d'une seule: et à ta postérité, c'est-à-dire, à 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 V oici ce que j'entends: une disposition, que Dieu a confirmée antérieurement, ne peut pas être annulée, et ainsi la promesse rendue vaine, par la loi survenue quatre cents trente ans plus tard.

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 C ar si l'héritage venait de la loi, il ne viendrait plus de la promesse; or, c'est par la promesse que Dieu a fait à Abraham ce don de sa grâce.

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 P ourquoi donc la loi? Elle a été donnée ensuite à cause des transgressions, jusqu'à ce que vînt la postérité à qui la promesse avait été faite; elle a été promulguée par des anges, au moyen d'un médiateur.

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 O r, le médiateur n'est pas médiateur d'un seul, tandis que Dieu est un seul.

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

21 L a loi est-elle donc contre les promesses de Dieu? Loin de là! S'il eût été donné une loi qui pût procurer la vie, la justice viendrait réellement de la loi.

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 M ais l'Écriture a tout renfermé sous le péché, afin que ce qui avait été promis fût donné par la foi en Jésus Christ à ceux qui croient.

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 A vant que la foi vînt, nous étions enfermés sous la garde de la loi, en vue de la foi qui devait être révélée.

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 A insi la loi a été comme un pédagogue pour nous conduire à Christ, afin que nous fussions justifiés par la foi.

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 L a foi étant venue, nous ne sommes plus sous ce pédagogue.

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

26 C ar vous êtes tous fils de Dieu par la foi en Jésus Christ;

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

27 v ous tous, qui avez été baptisés en Christ, vous avez revêtu Christ.

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

28 I l n'y a plus ni Juif ni Grec, il n'y a plus ni esclave ni libre, il n'y a plus ni homme ni femme; car tous vous êtes un en Jésus Christ.

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 E t si vous êtes à Christ, vous êtes donc la postérité d'Abraham, héritiers selon la promesse.

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