1 F oolish Galatians, who has bewitched you not to obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly portrayed among you as 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 I just want to learn this from you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing 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 you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed in the 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 D id you suffer so many things in vain, if it is indeed in vain?

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

5 H e therefore who supplies the Spirit to you, and does miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing 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 counted to him for righteousness.”

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

7 K now therefore that those who are of faith, the same are children of Abraham.

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

8 T he Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations will 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 then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.

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

10 F or as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are 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 N ow that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by 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 T he law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live by them.”

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

13 C hrist redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on 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 on the Gentiles through 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 rothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void, or adds to it.

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 N ow the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn’t say, “To descendants ”, as of many, but as of one, “To your offspring ”, 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 in Christ, the law, which came four hundred 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 is of the law, it is no more of promise; but God has granted it 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 hat then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the 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 N ow a mediator is not between one, but God is one.

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

21 I s the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the 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 Scriptures imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who 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 kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards 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 become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by 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 now that faith has 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 you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.

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

27 F or as many of you as were baptized into 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 neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you 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 I f you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and 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.