Galatians 3

1 You unthinking Galatians! Who put the evil eye on you — you before whose own eyes Jesus Christ was posted up in public as crucified? [a] 2 This only I want to learn from you: did you receive the Spirit out of works of law, or out of a hearing of faith? [b] 3 Are you so unthinking? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being completed by flesh? 4 Did you go through so much to no purpose — if indeed it was to no purpose? [c] 5 So then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you and works acts of power among you — is it out of works of law, or out of a hearing of faith? [d]

6 Just as Abraham trusted God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. [e] 7 Know then that those who are of faith, these are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, seeing beforehand that God sets the nations right out of faith, brought the good news beforehand to Abraham: “In you all the nations will be blessed.” [f] 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed together with faithful Abraham.

10 For as many as are of works of law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not stay in all the things written in the book of the law, to do them.” [g] 11 And that no one is set right by law before God is plain, because “The righteous will live by faith.” [h] 12 But the law is not out of faith; rather, “The one who does them will live by them.” [i] 13 Christ bought us out from the curse of the law, becoming a curse for us — because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” — [j] † 14 so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the nations in Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

15 Brothers, I speak in a human way: even a man’s covenant, once it has been ratified, no one sets aside or adds to. [k] 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one: “And to your seed,” who is Christ. [l] 17 And this I say: a covenant already ratified by God, the law that came four hundred and thirty years later does not annul, so as to do away with the promise. [m] 18 For if the inheritance is out of law, it is no longer out of promise; but God has freely given it to Abraham through a promise.

19 Why then the law? It was added for the sake of the oversteppings, until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made — set in order through messengers, in a mediator’s hand. [n] 20 Now a mediator is not of one, but God is one. [o] 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given that was able to make alive, righteousness would indeed have been out of law. 22 But the Scripture shut up all things together under sin, so that the promise out of faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who trust. [p]

23 But before the faith came, we were kept under guard, shut up together toward the faith that was going to be revealed. 24 So the law has become our guardian toward Christ, so that we might be set right out of faith. [q] 25 But now that the faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

26 For you are all sons of God through faith, in Christ Jesus. [r] 27 For as many of you as were immersed into Christ have put on Christ. [s] 28 There is no Jew nor Greek, there is no slave nor free, there is no male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [t] 29 And if you are of Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.