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.

4:1 Now I mean that the heir, as long as he is a minor, ⁶¹  is no different from a slave, though he is the owner ⁶²  of everything. 4:2 But he is under guardians ⁶³  and managers until the date set by his ⁶⁴  father. 4:3 So also we, when we were minors, ⁶⁵  were enslaved under the basic forces ⁶⁶  of the world. 4:4 But when the appropriate time ⁶⁷  had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 4:5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights. ⁶⁸  4:6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls ⁶⁹  “Abba! ⁷⁰  Father!” 4:7 So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are ⁷¹  a son, then you are also an heir through God. ⁷² 

4:8 Formerly when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods at all. ⁷³  4:9 But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless ⁷⁴  basic forces? ⁷⁵  Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? ⁷⁶  4:10 You are observing religious ⁷⁷  days and months and seasons and years. 4:11 I fear for you that my work for you may have been in vain. 4:12 I beg you, brothers and sisters, ⁷⁸  become like me, because I have become like you. You have done me no wrong!

4:13 But you know it was because of a physical illness that I first proclaimed the gospel to you, 4:14 and though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. ⁷⁹  Instead, you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God, ⁸⁰  as though I were Christ Jesus himself! ⁸¹  4:15 Where then is your sense of happiness ⁸²  now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me! 4:16 So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? ⁸³ 

4:17 They court you eagerly, ⁸⁴  but for no good purpose; ⁸⁵  they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly. ⁸⁶  4:18 However, it is good ⁸⁷  to be sought eagerly ⁸⁸  for a good purpose ⁸⁹  at all times, and not only when I am present with you. 4:19 My children – I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you! ⁹⁰  4:20 I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice, ⁹¹  because I am perplexed about you.

4:21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand the law? ⁹²  4:22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the ⁹³  slave woman and the other by the free woman. 4:23 But one, the son by the slave woman, was born by natural descent, ⁹⁴  while the other, the son by the free woman, was born through the promise. 4:24 These things may be treated as an allegory, ⁹⁵  for these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar. 4:25 Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 4:26 But the Jerusalem above is free, ⁹⁶  and she is our mother. 4:27 For it is written:

“Rejoice, O barren woman who does not bear children; ⁹⁷ 

break forth and shout, you who have no birth pains,

because the children of the desolate woman are more numerous

than those of the woman who has a husband.” ⁹⁸ 

4:28 But you, ⁹⁹  brothers and sisters, ¹⁰⁰  are children of the promise like Isaac. 4:29 But just as at that time the one born by natural descent ¹⁰¹  persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, ¹⁰²  so it is now. 4:30 But what does the scripture say? “Throw out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the son” ¹⁰³  of the free woman. 4:31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, ¹⁰⁴  we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman.

5:1 For freedom ¹⁰⁵  Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke ¹⁰⁶  of slavery. 5:2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! 5:3 And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey ¹⁰⁷  the whole law. 5:4 You who are trying to be declared righteous ¹⁰⁸  by the law have been alienated ¹⁰⁹  from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! 5:5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love. ¹¹⁰ 

5:7 You were running well; who prevented you from obeying ¹¹¹  the truth? 5:8 This persuasion ¹¹²  does not come from the one who calls you! 5:9 A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise! ¹¹³  5:10 I am confident ¹¹⁴  in the Lord that you will accept no other view. ¹¹⁵  But the one who is confusing ¹¹⁶  you will pay the penalty, ¹¹⁷  whoever he may be. 5:11 Now, brothers and sisters, ¹¹⁸  if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? ¹¹⁹  In that case the offense of the cross ¹²⁰  has been removed. ¹²¹  5:12 I wish those agitators ¹²²  would go so far as to ¹²³  castrate themselves! ¹²⁴ 

5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; ¹²⁵  only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, ¹²⁶  but through love serve one another. ¹²⁷  5:14 For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, ¹²⁸  namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹²⁹  5:15 However, if you continually bite and devour one another, ¹³⁰  beware that you are not consumed ¹³¹  by one another. 5:16 But I say, live ¹³²  by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. ¹³³  5:17 For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires ¹³⁴  that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to ¹³⁵  each other, so that you cannot do what you want. 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 5:19 Now the works of the flesh ¹³⁶  are obvious: ¹³⁷  sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, ¹³⁸  hostilities, ¹³⁹  strife, ¹⁴⁰  jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, ¹⁴¹  factions, 5:21 envying, ¹⁴²  murder, ¹⁴³  drunkenness, carousing, ¹⁴⁴  and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit ¹⁴⁵  is love, ¹⁴⁶  joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ¹⁴⁷  5:23 gentleness, and ¹⁴⁸  self-control. Against such things there is no law. 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ ¹⁴⁹  have crucified the flesh ¹⁵⁰  with its passions ¹⁵¹  and desires. 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with ¹⁵²  the Spirit. 5:26 Let us not become conceited, ¹⁵³  provoking ¹⁵⁴  one another, being jealous ¹⁵⁵  of one another.