Galatians
Chapter 3: 1-14
Faith or Observance of the Law
1You
foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly
portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn just one thing
from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?
3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you
now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4Have you
suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? 5Does
God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or
because you believe what you heard?
6Consider
Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 7Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.
8The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by
faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed
through you." 9So those who have faith are blessed along
with Abraham, the man of faith.
10All who
rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone
who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because,
"The righteous will live by faith." 12The law is
not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by
them." 13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by
becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a
tree." 14He redeemed us in order that the blessing given
to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might
receive the promise of the Spirit.
