3:1 You ¹  foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell ²  on you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed ³  as crucified! 3:2 The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law ⁴  or by believing what you heard? ⁵  3:3 Are you so foolish? Although you began ⁶  with ⁷  the Spirit, are you now trying to finish ⁸  by human effort? ⁹  3:4 Have you suffered so many things for nothing? – if indeed it was for nothing. 3:5 Does God then give ¹⁰  you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law ¹¹  or by your believing what you heard? ¹² 

3:6 Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, ¹³  3:7 so then, understand ¹⁴  that those who believe are the sons of Abraham. ¹⁵  3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel to Abraham ahead of time, ¹⁶  saying, “All the nations ¹⁷  will be blessed in you.” ¹⁸  3:9 So then those who believe ¹⁹  are blessed along with Abraham the believer. 3:10 For all who ²⁰  rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law.” ²¹  3:11 Now it is clear no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous one will live by faith. ²²  3:12 But the law is not based on faith, ²³  but the one who does the works of the law ²⁴  will live by them. ²⁵  3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming ²⁶  a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) ²⁷  3:14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, ²⁸  so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.

3:15 Brothers and sisters, ²⁹  I offer an example from everyday life: ³⁰  When a covenant ³¹  has been ratified, ³²  even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it. 3:16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. ³³  Scripture ³⁴  does not say, “and to the descendants,” ³⁵  referring to many, but “and to your descendant,” ³⁶  referring to one, who is Christ. 3:17 What I am saying is this: The law that came four hundred thirty years later does not cancel a covenant previously ratified by God, ³⁷  so as to invalidate the promise. 3:18 For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise, but God graciously gave ³⁸  it to Abraham through the promise.

3:19 Why then was the law given? ³⁹  It was added ⁴⁰  because of transgressions, ⁴¹  until the arrival of the descendant ⁴²  to whom the promise had been made. It was administered ⁴³  through angels by an intermediary. ⁴⁴  3:20 Now an intermediary is not for one party alone, but God is one. ⁴⁵  3:21 Is the law therefore opposed to the promises of God? ⁴⁶  Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. ⁴⁷  3:22 But the scripture imprisoned ⁴⁸  everything and everyone ⁴⁹  under sin so that the promise could be given – because of the faithfulness ⁵⁰  of Jesus Christ – to those who believe.

3:23 Now before faith ⁵¹  came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners ⁵²  until the coming faith would be revealed. 3:24 Thus the law had become our guardian ⁵³  until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous ⁵⁴  by faith. 3:25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. ⁵⁵  3:26 For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith. ⁵⁶  3:27 For all of you who ⁵⁷  were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave ⁵⁸  nor free, there is neither male nor female ⁵⁹  – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, ⁶⁰  heirs according to the promise.