Galatians 3

By Faith, or by Works of the Law?

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? z It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly a portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: b Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by c hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? d Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by 1 the flesh? 4 e Did you suffer 2 so many things in vain - if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and f works miracles among you do so g by works of the law, or by hearing with faith - 6 just as h Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"?

7 Know then that it is i those of faith who are j the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that k God would justify 3 the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, l "In you shall all the nations be blessed." 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

10 For all who rely on works of the law are m under a curse; for it is written, n "Cursed be everyone who does not o abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them." 11 Now it is evident that p no one is justified before God by the law, for q "The righteous shall live by faith." 4 12 But the law is not of faith, rather r "The one who does them shall live by them." 13 Christ s redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it is written, t "Cursed is everyone who is hanged u on a tree" - 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might v come to the Gentiles, so that w we might receive x the promised Spirit 5 through faith.

The Law and the Promise

15 y To give a human example, brothers: 6 z even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now a the promises were made b to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to offsprings," referring to many, but referring to one, c "And to your offspring," who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came d 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as e to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but f God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

19 Why then the law? g It was added because of transgressions, h until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was i put in place through angels j by an intermediary. 20 Now k an intermediary implies more than one, but l God is one.

21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For m if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture n imprisoned everything under sin, so that o the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given p to those who believe.

23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, q imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, r the law was our s guardian until Christ came, t in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus u you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as v were baptized w into Christ have x put on Christ. 28 y There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave 7 nor free, z there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And a if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, b heirs according to promise.

  1. Cross References
    Numbers 21:9
    So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
  2. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 1:23
    But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.
  3. Cross References
    Galatians 3:14
    So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
    Ephesians 1:13
    In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.
    Hebrews 6:4
    For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit.
    Acts 15:8
    And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us.
  4. Cross References
    Romans 10:17
    So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
  5. Cross References
    Philippians 1:6
    And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
    Galatians 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 elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
  6. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 15:2
    And by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you - unless you believed in vain.
    Hebrews 10:35
    Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
    2 John 1:8
    Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.
  7. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 12:10
    To another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
  8. Cross References
    Galatians 3:2
    Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 15:6
    And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
    Romans 4:9
    Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.
    Romans 4:21 - 22
    Fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
    Romans 4:3
    For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.
  10. Cross References
    Genesis 15:6
    And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
  11. Cross References
    Galatians 3:9
    So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
  12. Cross References
    Luke 19:9
    And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
  13. Cross References
    Romans 3:30
    Since God is one - who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 12:3
    I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
  15. Cross References
    Genesis 12:3
    I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
  16. Cross References
    Galatians 5:4
    You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
    Romans 4:15
    For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
  17. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 27:26
    "'Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'
    Jeremiah 11:3
    You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man who does not hear the words of this covenant
    Ezekiel 18:4
    Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.
  18. Cross References
    Matthew 5:19
    Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
  19. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 27:26
    "'Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'
  20. Cross References
    Galatians 2:16
    Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
  21. Cross References
    Romans 1:17
    For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith.
    Hebrews 10:38
    But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.
    Habakkuk 2:4
    Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.
  22. Cross References
    Habakkuk 2:4
    Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.
  23. Cross References
    Leviticus 18:5
    You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.
    Romans 10:5
    For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.
  24. Cross References
    Leviticus 18:5
    You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.
  25. Cross References
    Galatians 4:5
    To redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
    Revelation 22:3
    No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.
    2 Peter 2:1
    But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
  26. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 21:23
    His body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.
  27. Cross References
    Acts 5:30
    The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
  28. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 21:23
    His body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.
  29. Cross References
    Romans 4:9
    Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.
    Romans 4:16
    That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring - not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
    Galatians 3:28
    There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
  30. Cross References
    Galatians 3:2
    Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
  31. Cross References
    Acts 2:33
    Being therefore exalted at the right hand of Go...
    Isaiah 32:15
    Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high...
    Isaiah 44:3
    For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and ...
    Joel 2:28
    And it shall come to pass afterward, that I wil...
    John 7:39
    Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those w...
    Ephesians 1:13
    In him you also, when you heard the word of tru...
  32. Cross References
    Romans 3:5
    But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? ( I speak in a human way.)
  33. Cross References
    Hebrews 9:17
    For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.
  34. Cross References
    Romans 4:13
    For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
    Romans 4:16
    That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring - not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
    Luke 1:55
    As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.
  35. Cross References
    Genesis 12:7
    Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
    Acts 13:32
    And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers.
  36. Cross References
    Acts 3:25
    You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
  37. Cross References
    Exodus 12:40 - 41
    The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years.
    Genesis 15:13
    Then the Lord said to Abram, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.
    Acts 7:6
    And God spoke to this effect - that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years.
  38. Cross References
    Romans 4:14
    For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
  39. Cross References
    Hebrews 6:13 - 14
    For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself.
  40. Cross References
    Romans 4:15
    For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
  41. Cross References
    Galatians 3:16
    Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to offsprings," referring to many, but referring to one, "And to your offspring," who is Christ.
  42. Cross References
    Acts 7:53
    You who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.
    Hebrews 2:2
    For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution.
  43. Cross References
    Exodus 20:19
    And said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we wil...
    Exodus 20:21 - 22
    The people stood far off, while Moses drew near...
    Deuteronomy 5:5
    While I stood between the Lord and you at that ...
    Deuteronomy 5:22 - 23
    These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly...
    Deuteronomy 5:27
    Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will...
    Deuteronomy 5:31
    But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you ...
    Acts 7:38
    This is the one who was in the congregation in ...
  44. Cross References
    1 Timothy 2:5
    For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
    Hebrews 8:6
    But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
    Hebrews 9:15
    Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
    Hebrews 12:24
    And to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
    Hebrews 6:17
    So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath.
  45. Cross References
    Romans 3:30
    Since God is one - who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
  46. Cross References
    Galatians 2:21
    I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
  47. Cross References
    Romans 11:32
    For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
    Romans 3:9
    What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin.
  48. Cross References
    Romans 4:16
    That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring - not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
  49. Cross References
    Acts 10:43
    To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
  50. Cross References
    1 Peter 1:5
    Who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
  51. Cross References
    Matthew 5:17
    Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
    Romans 10:4
    For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
    Colossians 2:17
    These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
    Hebrews 9:9 - 10
    (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper.
  52. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 4:15
    For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
  53. Cross References
    Galatians 3:11
    Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith.
    Galatians 2:16
    Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
  54. Cross References
    Galatians 4:5 - 6
    To redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
    John 1:12
    But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
    Romans 8:14 - 16
    For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
  55. Cross References
    Romans 6:3
    Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
  56. Cross References
    Acts 8:16
    For he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
  57. Cross References
    Romans 13:14
    But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
  58. Cross References
    Galatians 3:14
    So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
    Galatians 5:6
    For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
    Galatians 6:15
    For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
    Romans 3:30
    Since God is one - who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
    1 Corinthians 12:13
    For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
  59. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 11:11
    Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman.
  60. Cross References
    Romans 9:7
    And not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.
    1 Corinthians 3:23
    And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
  61. Cross References
    Galatians 4:1
    I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child,...
    Galatians 4:7
    So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if...
    Romans 8:17
    And if children, then heirs - heirs of God and ...
    Ephesians 3:6
    This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow he...
    Galatians 4:28
    Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of ...
    2 Timothy 1:1
    Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of...
    Titus 1:2
    In hope of eternal life, which God, who never l...
    Hebrews 9:15
    Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant,...
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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