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Faith Brings Righteousness
1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
6 Even so Abraham ʙᴇʟɪᴇvᴇᴅ Goᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ wᴀs ʀᴇcᴋoɴᴇᴅ ᴛo ʜɪᴍ ᴀs ʀɪɢʜᴛᴇoᴜsɴᴇss.
7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.
8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “Aʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀᴛɪoɴs wɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ʙʟᴇssᴇᴅ ɪɴ ʏoᴜ.”
9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.
10 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cᴜʀsᴇᴅ ɪs ᴇvᴇʀʏoɴᴇ wʜo ᴅoᴇs ɴoᴛ ᴀʙɪᴅᴇ ʙʏ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜɪɴɢs wʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙooᴋ oꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀw, ᴛo ᴘᴇʀꜰoʀᴍ ᴛʜᴇᴍ.”
11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “Tʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛᴇoᴜs ᴍᴀɴ sʜᴀʟʟ ʟɪvᴇ ʙʏ ꜰᴀɪᴛʜ.”
12 However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “Hᴇ wʜo ᴘʀᴀcᴛɪcᴇs ᴛʜᴇᴍ sʜᴀʟʟ ʟɪvᴇ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇᴍ.”
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cᴜʀsᴇᴅ ɪs ᴇvᴇʀʏoɴᴇ wʜo ʜᴀɴɢs oɴ ᴀ ᴛʀᴇᴇ”—
14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Intent of the Law
15 Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it.
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.
17 What I am saying is this: 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 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.
20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one.
21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.
22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.
24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have 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 in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.