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¹ O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, [fn] before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you [fn] as crucified? ² This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?³ Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?⁴ Have you suffered so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain? ⁵ Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?--

⁶ just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." [fn] ⁷ Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.⁸ And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." [fn] ⁹ So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. ¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." [fn] ¹¹ But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith." [fn] ¹² Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them." [fn] ¹³ Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" [fn] ), ¹⁴ that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. ¹⁵ [xr] Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.¹⁶ Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," [fn] who is Christ. ¹⁷ And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, [fn] that it should make the promise of no effect. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

¹⁹ What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.²⁰ Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. ²¹ Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.²² But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.²³ But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.²⁴ Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.²⁵ But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. ²⁶ For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.²⁷ For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.²⁹ And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.