1 O foolish Galatians, who fascinated cast a spell overbeguiledinfluenced you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was openly presented impaled.
2 I want to learn this from you. Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law, or by having faith in what you heard?
3 Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now made perfect mature in the flesh?
4 Did you suffer so many things in vain? Does it have no purpose?
5 He that provides the Spirit, and works miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
6 Abraham believed God and »Jehovah considered his faith as his righteousness.« (Genesis 15:6)
7 You know that those who have faith are sons of Abraham.
8 The Scripture revealed ahead of time, that God justified the people of the nations by faith. He preached the good news beforehand to Abraham. He said: »In you will all the nations be blessed.«
9 So then those who have faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.
10 Those who are of the works of the Law are under a curse. For it is written, »Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, by obeying them.«
11 The fact that the Law justifies no man before God is evident. The righteous will live by faith.
12 The Law is not based on faith. »He that does them will live by them.«
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. It is written; »Cursed is everyone who is hung on a stake.«
14 This way the blessing of Abraham might come upon the nations through Christ Jesus and we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
15 Brothers, I speak like a man speaks: Though it is only a man's covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void, or adds to it.
16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He did not say to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to your seed, which is Christ.
17 Now this I say: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.
18 If the inheritance is based on the Law, it is no longer based on a promise. However God granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
19 What then is the law? It was added to cause awareness of sin because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
20 A mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one.
21 Is the Law then against the promises of God? God forbid! If a law had been given which could impart life, righteousness would have been from the Law.
22 But the Scriptures shut up imprisonedpictured all things mankind under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came the Law held us in custody. We were locked up until faith was revealed.
24 The Law was our schoolmaster Greek: paedagogue: a combination of schoolmaster, instructor, servant and guardian in charge of us to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you who were baptized into Christ put on clothed yourselves with Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one united in Christ Jesus. (John 17:21) (Ephesians 4:4-6)
29 If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise.