Faith Is the Only Way
1 You stupid Galatians! I told you exactly how Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross. Has someone now put an evil spell on you? 2 I want to know only one thing. How were you given God's Spirit? Was it by obeying the Law of Moses or by hearing about Christ and having faith in him? 3 How can you be so stupid? Do you think that by yourself you can complete what God's Spirit started in you? 4 Have you gone through all of this for nothing? Is it all really for nothing? 5 God gives you his Spirit and works miracles in you. But does he do this because you obey the Law of Moses or because you have heard about Christ and have faith in him?
6 The Scriptures say that God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith. 7 And so, you should understand that everyone who has faith is a child of Abraham. 8 Long ago the Scriptures said God would accept the Gentiles because of their faith. This is why God told Abraham the good news that all nations would be blessed because of him. 9 This means everyone who has faith will share in the blessings given to Abraham because of his faith.
10 Anyone who tries to please God by obeying the Law is under a curse. The Scriptures say, “Everyone who doesn't obey everything in the Law is under a curse.” 11 No one can please God by obeying the Law. The Scriptures also say, “The people God accepts because of their faith will live.”
12 The Law isn't based on faith. It promises life only to people who obey its commands. 13 But Christ rescued us from the Law's curse, when he became a curse in our place. This is because the Scriptures say that anyone who is nailed to a tree is under a curse. 14 And because of what Jesus Christ has done, the blessing promised to Abraham was taken to the Gentiles. This happened so that by faith we would be given the promised Holy Spirit.
The Law and the Promise
15 My friends, I will use an everyday example to explain what I mean. Once someone agrees to something, no one else can change or cancel the agreement. 16 That is how it is with the promises God made to Abraham and his descendant. The promises were not made to many descendants, but only to one, and that one is Christ. 17 What I am saying is that the Law cannot change or cancel God's promise made 430 years before the Law was given. 18 If we have to obey the Law in order to receive God's blessings, those blessings don't really come to us because of God's promise. But God was kind to Abraham and made him a promise.
19 What is the use of the Law? It was given later to show that we sin. But it was only supposed to last until the coming of that descendant who was given the promise. In fact, angels gave the Law to Moses, and he gave it to the people. 20 There is only one God, and the Law did not come directly from him.
Slaves and Children
21 Does the Law disagree with God's promises? No, it doesn't! If any law could give life to us, we could become acceptable to God by obeying that law. 22 But the Scriptures say that sin controls everyone, so that God's promises will be for anyone who has faith in Jesus Christ.
23 The Law controlled us and kept us under its power until the time came when we would have faith. 24 In fact, the Law was to be our teacher until Christ came. Then we could have faith and be acceptable to God. 25 But once a person has learned to have faith, there is no more need to have the Law as a teacher.
26 All of you are God's children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes. 28 Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman. 29 So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham's family, and you will be given what God has promised.
1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the trueth, to whome Iesus Christ before was described in your sight, and among you crucified? 2 This only would I learne of you, Receiued ye the Spirit by the workes of the Lawe, or by the hearing of faith preached? 3 Are ye so foolish, that after ye haue begun in the Spirit, ye would now be made perfect by the flesh? 4 Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine? if so be it be euen in vaine. 5 He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it through the workes of the Law, or by the hearing of faith preached? 6 Yea rather as Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteousnes. 7 Knowe ye therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 For the Scripture foreseeing, that God would iustifie the Gentiles through faith, preached before the Gospel vnto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith, are blessed with faithfull Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the workes of the Lawe, are vnder the curse: for it is written, Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things, which are written in the booke of the Law, to doe them. 11 And that no man is iustified by the Law in the sight of God, it is euident: for the iust shall liue by faith. 12 And the Lawe is not of faith: but the man that shall doe those things, shall liue in them. 13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Lawe, made a curse for vs, (for it is written, Cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree) 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Iesus, that wee might receiue the promise of the Spirite through faith. 15 Brethren, I speake as men do: though it be but a mans couenant, when it is confirmed, yet no man doeth abrogate it, or addeth any thing thereto. 16 Nowe to Abraham and his seede were the promises made. Hee saith not, And to the seedes, as speaking of many: but, And to thy seede, as of one, which is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the couenant that was confirmed afore of God in respect of Christ, the Lawe which was foure hundreth and thirtie yeeres after, can not disanull, that it shoulde make the promise of none effect. 18 For if the inheritance be of the Lawe, it is no more by the promise, but God gaue it freely vnto Abraham by promise. 19 Wherefore then serueth the Law? It was added because of the transgressions, til the seed came, vnto the which the promise was made: and it was ordeined by Angels in the hande of a Mediatour. 20 Nowe a Mediatour is not a Mediatour of one: but God is one. 21 Is the Lawe then against the promises of God? God forbid: For if there had bene a Lawe giuen which coulde haue giuen life, surely righteousnes should haue bene by the Lawe. 22 But the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne, that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue. 23 But before faith came, we were kept vnder the Law, as vnder a garison, and shut vp vnto that faith, which should afterward be reueiled. 24 Wherefore the Lawe was our scholemaster to bring vs to Christ, that we might be made righteous by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer vnder a scholemaster. 26 For ye are al the sonnes of God by faith, in Christ Iesus. 27 For all ye that are baptized into Christ, haue put on Christ. 28 There is neither Iewe nor Grecian: there is neither bonde nor free: there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Iesus. 29 And if ye be Christes, then are ye Abrahams seede, and heires by promise.