Galatians 3:7

THE MESSAGE

Is it not obvious to you that persons who put their trust in Christ (not persons who put their trust in the law!) are like Abraham: children of faith? It was all laid out beforehand in Scripture that God would set things right with non-Jews by faith. Scripture anticipated this in the promise to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed in you."

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.

Legacy Standard Bible
so know that those who are of faith, those are sons of Abraham.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Abraham's real descendants are those who have faith in God, not rules.

Bible in Basic English
Be certain, then, that those who are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.

Darby Translation
Know then that they that are on the principle of faith, these are Abraham's sons;

Christian Standard Bible®
then understand that those who have faith are Abraham's sons.

World English Bible
Know therefore that those who are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Know then, that they who are of faith, these are the sons of Abraham.

Weymouth's New Testament
Notice therefore that those who possess faith are true sons of Abraham.

King James Version (1611)
Knowe yee therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Literal Translation
know, then, that those of faith, these are sons of Abraham.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thus ye knowe, that they which are of faith, are Abrahams children.

Mace New Testament (1729)
so hence ye know, that it is they who believe who are the children of Abraham.

Amplified Bible
So understand that it is the people who live by faith [with confidence in the power and goodness of God] who are [the true] sons of Abraham.

American Standard Version
Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.

Revised Standard Version
So you see that it is men of faith who are the sons of Abraham.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Vnderstonde therfore yt they which are of fayth the same are the chyldren of Abraham.

Update Bible Version
Know therefore that those that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.

Webster's Bible Translation
Know ye therefore, that they who are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Young's Literal Translation
know ye, then, that those of faith -- these are sons of Abraham,

New Century Version
So you should know that the true children of Abraham are those who have faith.

New English Translation
so then, understand that those who believe are the sons of Abraham.

Berean Standard Bible
Understand, then, that those who have faith are the sons of Abraham.

Contemporary English Version
And so, you should understand that everyone who has faith is a child of Abraham.

Complete Jewish Bible
Be assured, then, that it is those who live by trusting and being faithful who are really children of Avraham.

English Standard Version
Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Knowe ye therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

George Lamsa Translation
You must know therefore, that those who trust on faith are the children of Abraham.

Hebrew Names Version
Know therefore that those who are of faith, the same are sons of Avraham.

International Standard Version
You see, then, that those who have faith are Abraham's real descendants.John 8:39; Romans 4:11-12,16;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
know therefore that they who are of faith are the children of Abraham. [fn]

Murdock Translation
Know ye, therefore, that those who are of faith, they are the children of Abraham.

New King James Version
Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.

New Living Translation
The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God.

New Life Bible
Be sure to remember that all men who put their trust in God are the sons of Abraham.

English Revised Version
Know therefore that they which be of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.

New Revised Standard
so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Be taking note, therefore - that, they who are of faith, the same, are, sons, of Abraham;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Know ye, therefore, that they who are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

King James Version
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

Lexham English Bible
then understand that the ones who have faith, these are sons of Abraham.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Knowe ye therfore, that they which are of fayth, the same are the chyldren of Abraham.

Easy-to-Read Version
So you should know that the true children of Abraham are those who have faith.

New American Standard Bible
Therefore, recognize that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.

Good News Translation
You should realize, then, that the real descendants of Abraham are the people who have faith.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And therfor knowe ye, that these that ben of bileue, ben the sones of Abraham.

Contextual Overview

⁷Is it not obvious to you that persons who put their trust in Christ (not persons who put their trust in the law!) are like Abraham: children of faith? It was all laid out beforehand in Scripture that God would set things right with non-Jews by faith. Scripture anticipated this in the promise to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed in you." ⁹So those now who live by faith are blessed along with Abraham, who lived by faith—this is no new doctrine! And that means that anyone who tries to live by his own effort, independent of God, is doomed to failure. Scripture backs this up: "Utterly cursed is every person who fails to carry out every detail written in the Book of the law." ¹¹The obvious impossibility of carrying out such a moral program should make it plain that no one can sustain a relationship with God that way. The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. Habakkuk had it right: "The person who believes God, is set right by God—and that's the real life." Rule-keeping does not naturally evolve into living by faith, but only perpetuates itself in more and more rule-keeping, a fact observed in Scripture: "The one who does these things [rule-keeping] continues to live by them." ¹³Christ redeemed us from that self-defeating, cursed life by absorbing it completely into himself. Do you remember the Scripture that says, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the cross: He became a curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse. And now, because of that, the air is cleared and we can see that Abraham's blessing is present and available for non-Jews, too. We are all able to receive God's life, his Spirit, in and with us by believing—just the way Abraham received it. ¹⁵Friends, let me give you an example from everyday affairs of the free life I am talking about. Once a person's will has been ratified, no one else can annul it or add to it. Now, the promises were made to Abraham and to his descendant. You will observe that Scripture, in the careful language of a legal document, does not say "to descendants," referring to everybody in general, but "to your descendant" (the noun, note, is singular), referring to Christ. This is the way I interpret this: A will, earlier ratified by God, is not annulled by an addendum attached 430 years later, thereby negating the promise of the will. No, this addendum, with its instructions and regulations, has nothing to do with the promised inheritance in the will. What is the point, then, of the law, the attached addendum? It was a thoughtful addition to the original covenant promises made to Abraham. The purpose of the law was to keep a sinful people in the way of salvation until Christ (the descendant) came, inheriting the promises and distributing them to us. Obviously this law was not a firsthand encounter with God. It was arranged by angelic messengers through a middleman, Moses. But if there is a middleman as there was at Sinai, then the people are not dealing directly with God, are they? But the original promise is the direct blessing of God, received by faith. If such is the case, is the law, then, an anti-promise, a negation of God's will for us? Not at all. Its purpose was to make obvious to everyone that we are, in ourselves, out of right relationship with God, and therefore to show us the futility of devising some religious system for getting by our own efforts what we can only get by waiting in faith for God to complete his promise. For if any kind of rule-keeping had power to create life in us, we would certainly have gotten it by this time. Until the time when we were mature enough to respond freely in faith to the living God, we were carefully surrounded and protected by the Mosaic law. The law was like those Greek tutors, with which you are familiar, who escort children to school and protect them from danger or distraction, making sure the children will really get to the place they set out for. But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ's life, the fulfillment of God's original promise. In Christ's family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, since you are Christ's family, then you are Abraham's famous "descendant," heirs according to the covenant promises.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Know: Psalms 100:3, Luke 21:31, Hebrews 13:23

they: Galatians 3:26-29, John 8:39, Romans 4:11-16, Romans 4:24, Romans 9:7, Romans 9:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:2 - General Luke 19:9 - forsomuch John 8:56 - rejoiced Romans 3:22 - and upon Romans 4:16 - of faith Galatians 3:9 - General Galatians 3:29 - Abraham's Galatians 6:16 - the Israel Hebrews 1:14 - heirs

Cross-References

Genesis 3:10
He said, "I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid."

Genesis 3:11
God said, "Who told you you were naked? Did you eat from that tree I told you not to eat from?"

2 Kings 6:20
As they entered the city, Elisha prayed, "O God , open their eyes so they can see where they are." God opened their eyes. They looked around—they were trapped in Samaria!

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Know ye therefore,.... Or "ye know"; this is a thing known by you, at least may, or should be; it ought not to be contradicted or disputed, it is so plain a case, and so clear a point:

that they which are of faith; of the faith of Abraham, as in Romans 4:16 have the same faith as he had, for nature and kind; though it may not be to the same degree, yet exercised on the same object, Jehovah the Word, the Lord our righteousness, and wrought by the same Spirit; or who are of the faith of Christ, believers in him with all their hearts, and for themselves; who look to him for righteousness and life, who seek for justification by his righteousness, and trust in him alone for it, and not in the works of the law:

the same are the children of Abraham; his spiritual seed, though they may not be his natural offspring; for he is the father of all that believe, whether of the circumcision or the uncircumcision, and of none else in a spiritual sense: in this the apostle strikes at the false teachers, who boasted of their being the seed of Abraham, his natural descendants, which they might be, and yet not his spiritual children; for none are such, but they that are of faith, or seek for righteousness by faith; not they that are of the law, or seek for justification by the works of it, and so not heirs of the blessing; were they, faith would be made void, and the promise of none effect, Romans 5:14 and his view herein is to prove, that the Gentiles, who believe, are the true seed of Abraham, the children of the promise, those in many nations, he was promised to be the father of; and his further view is to observe, that as the father of the faithful was justified, so are all his children; and that as he was justified by faith, so are they.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Know ye therefore ... - Learn from this case. It is an inference which follows, that all they who believe are the children of Abraham.

They which are of faith - Who believe, and who are justified in this manner.

Are the children of Abraham - Abraham was the “father of the faithful.” The most remarkable trait in his character was his unwavering confidence in God. They who evinced the same trait, therefore were worthy to be called his children. They would be justified in the same way, and in the same manner meet the approbation of God. It is implied here, that it was sufficient for salvation to have a character which would render it proper to say that we are the children of Abraham. If we are like him, if we evince the same spirit and character, we may be sure of salvation.