Galatians 3

New American Standard Bible

Faith Brings Righteousness

3 ^[a]You foolish ^(A)Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ ^(B)was publicly portrayed as crucified? ² This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of ^[b]the Law, or by ^(C)hearing ^[c]with faith? ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun ^[d]by the Spirit, are you now ^[e]being perfected by the flesh? ⁴ Did you ^[f]suffer so many things in vain—^(D)if indeed it was in vain? ⁵ So then, does He who ^(E)provides you with the Spirit and ^(F)works ^[g]miracles among you, do it by works of ^[h]the Law, or by ^(G)hearing ^[i]with faith?

⁶ Just as ^(H)Abraham ^(I)believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. ⁷ Therefore, recognize that ^(J)it is those who are of faith who are ^(K)sons of Abraham. ⁸ The Scripture, foreseeing that God ^[j]would justify the ^[k]Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “^(L)All the nations will be blessed in you.” ⁹ So then, ^(M)those who are of faith are blessed with ^[l]Abraham, the believer.

¹⁰ For all who are of works of ^[m]the Law are under a curse; for it is written: “^(N)Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the book of the Law, to do them.” ¹¹ Now, that ^(O)no one is justified ^[n]by ^[o]the Law before God is evident; for, “^[p](P)the righteous one will live by faith.” ^12 [q]However, the Law is not ^[r]of faith; on the contrary, “^(Q)The person who performs ^[s]them will live by ^[t]them.” ¹³ Christ ^(R)redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: “^(S)Cursed is everyone who hangs on ^(T)a ^[u]tree”— ¹⁴ in order that ^(U)in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we ^(V)would receive ^(W)the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Intent of the Law

^15 (X)Brothers and sisters, ^(Y)I speak ^[v]in terms of human relations: ^(Z)even though it is only a man’s ^[w]covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds ^[x]conditions to it. ¹⁶ Now the promises were spoken ^(AA)to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as one would in referring to many, but rather as in referring to one, “^(AB)And to your seed,” that is, Christ. ¹⁷ What I am saying is this: the Law, which came ^(AC)430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. ¹⁸ For ^(AD)if the inheritance is ^[y]based on law, it is no longer ^[z]based on a promise; but ^(AE)God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

^19 (AF)Why the Law then? It was added on account of the ^[aa]violations, having been ^(AG)ordered through angels ^(AH)at the hand of a ^[ab]mediator, until ^(AI)the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. ²⁰ Now ^(AJ)a mediator is not ^[ac]for one party only; but God is only one. ²¹ Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? ^[ad](AK)Far from it! For ^(AL)if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness ^[ae]would indeed have been ^[af]based on law. ²² But the Scripture has ^(AM)confined ^[ag]everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

²³ But before faith came, ^[ah]we were kept in custody under the Law, ^(AN)being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed. ²⁴ Therefore the Law has become our ^[ai](AO)guardian to lead us to Christ, so that ^(AP)we may be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a ^[aj](AQ)guardian. ²⁶ For you are all ^(AR)sons and daughters of God through faith in ^(AS)Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For all of you who were ^(AT)baptized into Christ have ^(AU)clothed yourselves with Christ. ^28 (AV)There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is ^[ak]neither male nor female; for ^(AW)you are all one in ^(AX)Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if ^(AY)you ^[al]belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s ^[am]descendants, heirs according to ^(AZ)promise.