Gal 3 | HCSB | STEP | You foolish Galatians ! Who has hypnotized you , before whose eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified ?

Galatians 3

Justification through Faith

1 You foolish ^a Galatians! Who has hypnotized you, ^{▼▼Other mss add not to obey the truth} before whose eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed ^{▼▼Other mss add among you} as crucified? ^d 2 I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? ^{▼▼Lit by law works or faith hearing or hearing the message} 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete by the flesh? ^{▼▼By human effort} 4 Did you suffer ^g so much for nothing – if in fact it was for nothing? 5 So then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles ^h among you by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? ^{▼▼Lit by law works or faith hearing or hearing the message}

6 Just as Abraham believed God, ^j and it was credited to him for righteousness, ^{k
,} ^l 7 then understand that those who have faith are Abraham’s sons. ^m 8 Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would ^{▼▼justification/justify/justified: The act of God as judge that declares sinners (who were in the wrong) to be right or righteous in His sight. God is just in doing this because Jesus died on the cross to take away their sins and to give them His own righteousness (2Co 5:21). The sinner receives this justification by faith and by grace when he trusts Christ's work.}justify the Gentiles by faith and told the good news ahead of time to Abraham, ^o saying, All the nations will be blessed through you. ^{p
,} ^q 9 So those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, ^r who had faith. ^{▼▼Or with believing Abraham}

Law and Promise

10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, ^t because it is written: ^u Everyone who does not continue doing everything written in the book of the law is cursed. ^{v
,} ^w 11 Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live ^x by faith. ^{y
,} ^z 12 But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them. ^{aa
,} ^ab 13 Christ has ^{▼▼redemption/redeemed: The deliverance from bondage by a payment or ransom (Mk 10:45; 1Pe 1:18-19)}redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, ^ad because it is written: Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed. ^{ae
,} ^af 14 The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith. ^ag

15 ^{▼▼brother(s): The Greek word adelphoi can be used as a reference to males only or to groups that include males and females. It is the context of each usage that determines the proper meaning.}Brothers, I’m using a human illustration. ^{▼▼Lit I speak according to man} No one sets aside or makes additions to even a human covenant ^{▼▼Or will, or testament} that has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his ^{▼▼offspring/ seed: This term is used literally or metaphorically to refer to plants or grain, sowing or harvest, male reproductive seed, human children or physical descendants, and also to spiritual children or to Christ (G13:16).}seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, ^{al
,} ^am who is Christ. 17 And I say this: The law, which came 430 years later, ^an does not revoke a covenant that was previously ratified by God ^{▼▼Other mss add in Christ} and cancel the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise.

The Purpose of the Law

19 Why then was the law given? ^ap It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. The law was put into effect through angels ^aq by means of a mediator. ^ar 20 Now a mediator is not for just one person, but God is one. ^as 21 Is the law therefore contrary to God’s promises? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly be by the law. 22 But the Scripture has imprisoned everything under sin’s power, ^{▼▼Lit under sin
,} ^au so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ ^av might be given to those who believe. ^aw 23 Before this faith ^ax came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. ^ay 24 The law, then, was our guardian ^{▼▼The word translated guardian in vv. 24-25 is different from the word in Gl 4:2. In our culture, we do not have a slave who takes a child to and from school, protecting the child from harm or corruption. In Gk the word paidogogos described such a slave. This slave was not a teacher.} until Christ, ^ba so that we could be justified by faith. 25 But since that faith ^bb has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Sons and Heirs

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment. ^bc 28 There is no Jew or Greek, ^{▼▼slave: The strong Greek word doulos cannot be accurately translated in English by "servant" or "bond servant"; the HCSB translates this word as "slave," not out of insensitivity to the legitimate concerns of modern English speakers, but out of a commitment to accurately convey the brutal reality of the Roman empire's inhumane institution as well as the ownership called for by Christ.}slave or free, ^be male or female; ^bf for you are all one ^bg in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs ^bh according to the promise. ^bi