Study Desk

^(F1)You foolish ^(C1)Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ ^(C2)was publicly portrayed as crucified?

This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of ^(F1)the Law, or by ^(C1)hearing ^(F2)with faith?

Are you so foolish? Having begun ^(F1)by the Spirit, are you now ^(F2)being perfected by the flesh?

Did you ^(F1)suffer so many things in vain—^(C1)if indeed it was in vain?

So then, does He who ^(C1)provides you with the Spirit and ^(C2)works ^(F1)miracles among you, do it by works of ^(F2)the Law, or by ^(C3)hearing ^(F3)with faith?

Just as ^(C1)Abraham ^(C2)BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Therefore, recognize that ^(C1)it is those who are of faith who are ^(C2)sons of Abraham.

The Scripture, foreseeing that God ^(F1)would justify the ^(F2)Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "^(C1)ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU."

So then, ^(C1)those who are of faith are blessed with ^(F1)Abraham, the believer.

For all who are of works of ^(F1)the Law are under a curse; for it is written: "^(C1)CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THE THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO DO THEM."

Now, that ^(C1)no one is justified ^(F1)by ^(F2)the Law before God is evident; for, "^(F3)(C2)THE RIGHTEOUS ONE WILL LIVE BY FAITH."

^(F1)However, the Law is not ^(F2)of faith; on the contrary, "^(C1)THE PERSON WHO PERFORMS ^(F3)THEM WILL LIVE BY ^(F3)THEM."

Christ ^(C1)redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: "^(C2)CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON ^(C3)A ^(F1)TREE"—

in order that ^(C1)in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we ^(C2)would receive ^(C3)the promise of the Spirit through faith.

^(C1)Brothers and sisters, ^(C2)I speak ^(F1)in terms of human relations: ^(C3)even though it is only a man's ^(F2)covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds ^(F3)conditions to it.

Now the promises were spoken ^(C1)to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as one would in referring to many, but rather as in referring to one, "^(C2)And to your seed," that is, Christ.

What I am saying is this: the Law, which came ^(C1)430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.

For ^(C1)if the inheritance is ^(F1)based on law, it is no longer ^(F1)based on a promise; but ^(C2)God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

^(C1)Why the Law then? It was added on account of the ^(F1)violations, having been ^(C2)ordered through angels ^(C3)at the hand of a ^(F2)mediator, until ^(C4)the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made.

Now ^(C1)a mediator is not ^(F1)for one party only; but God is only one.

Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? ^(F1)(C1)Far from it! For ^(C2)if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness ^(F2)would indeed have been ^(F3)based on law.

But the Scripture has ^(C1)confined ^(F1)everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

But before faith came, ^(F1)we were kept in custody under the Law, ^(C1)being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed.

Therefore the Law has become our ^(F1)(C1)guardian to lead us to Christ, so that ^(C2)we may be justified by faith.

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a ^(F1)(C1)guardian.

For you are all ^(C1)sons and daughters of God through faith in ^(C2)Christ Jesus.

For all of you who were ^(C1)baptized into Christ have ^(C2)clothed yourselves with Christ.

^(C1)There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is ^(F1)neither male nor female; for ^(C2)you are all one in ^(C3)Christ Jesus.

And if ^(C1)you ^(F1)belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's ^(F2)descendants, heirs according to ^(C2)promise.

Now I say, as long as the heir is a ^(F1)child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is ^(F2)owner of everything,

but he is under guardians and ^(F1)managers until the ^(F2)date set by the father.

So we too, when we were children, were held ^(C1)in bondage under the ^(F1)(C2)elementary principles of the world.

But when ^(C1)the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, ^(C2)born of a woman, born ^(C3)under ^(F1)the Law,

so that He might redeem those who were under ^(F1)the Law, that we might receive the adoption as ^(C1)sons and daughters.

Because you are sons, ^(C1)God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, "^(C2)Abba! ^(F1)Father!"

Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and ^(C1)if a son, then an heir ^(F1)through God.

However at that time, ^(C1)when you did not know God, you were ^(C2)slaves to ^(C3)those which by nature are not gods.

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be ^(C1)known by God, ^(C2)how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless ^(F1)(C3)elementary principles, to which you want to be enslaved all over again?

You ^(C1)meticulously observe days and months and seasons and years.

I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored ^(F1)over you in vain.

I beg of you, ^(C1)brothers and sisters, ^(C2)become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong;

but you know that it was because of a ^(F1)bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the ^(F2)first time;

and you did not despise that which was a trial to you in my ^(F1)bodily condition, nor express contempt, but ^(C1)you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

Where then is ^(F1)that sense of blessing you had? For I testify about you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

So have I become your enemy ^(C1)by ^(F1)telling you the truth?

They eagerly seek you, not ^(F1)in a commendable way, but they want to shut you out so that you will seek them.

But it is good always to be eagerly sought ^(F1)in a commendable way, and ^(C1)not only when I am present with you.

^(C1)My children, with whom ^(C2)I am again in labor until ^(C3)Christ is formed in you—

but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone of voice, for ^(C1)I am at a loss about you!

Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not ^(C1)listen to the Law?

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, ^(C1)one by the slave woman and ^(C2)one by the free woman.

But ^(C1)the son by the slave woman ^(F1)was born according to the flesh, and ^(C2)the son by the free woman through the promise.

^(F1)(C1)This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from ^(C2)Mount Sinai giving birth to children ^(F2)who are to be ^(C3)slaves; ^(F3)she is Hagar.

Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children.

But ^(C1)the Jerusalem above is free; ^(F1)she is our mother.

For it is written: "^(C1)REJOICE, INFERTILE ONE, YOU WHO DO NOT GIVE BIRTH; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE ONE ARE MORE NUMEROUS THAN THOSE OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND."

And you, brothers and sisters, ^(C1)like Isaac, are ^(C2)children of promise.

But as at that time ^(C1)the son who was born according to the flesh ^(C2)persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, ^(C3)so it is even now.

But what does the Scripture say? "^(C1)DRIVE OUT THE SLAVE WOMAN AND HER SON, FOR ^(C2)THE SON OF THE SLAVE WOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN."

So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.