1 You foolish Galatians! Who put you under a spell? Was not Jesus the Messiah a3:1 Or Christ clearly portrayed before your very eyes as having been crucified? ISV — Galatians 3:1
2 I want to learn only one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by doing b3:2 Lit. Spirit through the actions of the Law or by believing what you heard? c3:2 Lit. or through the hearing of faith ISV — Galatians 3:2
3 Are you so foolish? Having started out with the Spirit, are you now ending up with the flesh? ISV — Galatians 3:3
4 Did you suffer so much for nothing? (If it really was for nothing!) ISV — Galatians 3:4
5 Does God d3:5 Lit. he supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you because you do the actions e3:5 Lit. you through the works of the Law or because you believe what you heard? f3:5 Lit. you through the hearing of faith ISV — Galatians 3:5
6 In the same way, Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” g3:6 Gen 15:6 ISV — Galatians 3:6
7 You see, then, that those who have faith are Abraham’s real descendants. ISV — Galatians 3:7
8 Because the Scripture saw ahead of time that God would justify the gentiles h3:8 Or nations by faith, it announced the gospel to Abraham beforehand when it said, “Through you all nations i3:8 Or all the gentiles will be blessed.” j3:8 Gen 12:3 ISV — Galatians 3:8
9 Therefore, those who believe are blessed together with Abraham, the one who believed. ISV — Galatians 3:9
10 Certainly all who depend on the actions of the Law are under a curse. For it is written, “A curse on everyone who does not obey everything that is written in the Book of the Law!” k3:10 Deut 27:26 ISV — Galatians 3:10
11 Now it is obvious that no one is justified in the sight of God by the Law, because “The righteous will live by faith.” l3:11 Hab 2:4 ISV — Galatians 3:11
12 But the Law has nothing to do with faith. Instead, “The person who keeps the commandments m3:12 Lit. who does them will have life in them.” n3:12 Lev 18:5 ISV — Galatians 3:12
13 The Messiah o3:13 Or Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written, “A curse on everyone who is hung on a tree!” p3:13 Deut 21:23 ISV — Galatians 3:13
14 This happened q3:14 The Gk. lacks This happened in order that the blessing promised to r3:14 Lit. the blessing of Abraham would come to the gentiles through the Messiah s3:14 Or Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promised Spirit t3:14 Or the promise of the Spirit through faith. ISV — Galatians 3:14
15 Brothers, let me use an example from everyday life. u3:15 Lit. I am speaking according to man Once a person’s will has been ratified, no one can cancel it or add conditions to it. ISV — Galatians 3:15
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. It doesn’t say “descendants,” referring to many, but “your descendant,” v3:16 Gen 12:7 referring to one person, who is the Messiah. w3:16 Or Christ ISV — Galatians 3:16
17 This is what I mean: The Law that came 430 years later did not cancel the covenant that God ratified previously. The promise was never nullified. ISV — Galatians 3:17
18 For if the inheritance comes about through the Law, it no longer comes about through the promise. But it was through a promise that God so graciously gave it to Abraham. ISV — Galatians 3:18
19 Why, then, was the Law added? x3:19 The Gk. lacks added Because of transgressions, until the descendant y3:19 Lit. seed came about whom the promise pertained. It was put into effect through angels by means of a mediator. ISV — Galatians 3:19
20 Now a mediator involves more than one party, but God is one. ISV — Galatians 3:20
21 So is the Law in conflict with the promises of God? Of course not! For if a law had been given that could give us life, then certainly righteousness would come through the Law. ISV — Galatians 3:21
22 But the Scripture has captured everything by means of sin’s net, so that what was promised by the faithfulness of z3:22 Or by faith in the Messiah aa3:22 Or Christ might be granted to those who believe. ISV — Galatians 3:22
23 Now before faith came about, we were held in custody and confined under the Law in preparation for the faith that was to be revealed. ISV — Galatians 3:23
24 And so the Law was our guardian until the Messiah bb3:24 Or Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. ISV — Galatians 3:24
25 But now that faith has come about, we are no longer under a guardian. ISV — Galatians 3:25
26 For all of you are God’s children through faith in the Messiah cc3:26 Or Christ Jesus. ISV — Galatians 3:26
27 Indeed, all of you who were baptized into the Messiah dd3:27 Or Christ have clothed yourselves with the Messiah. ee3:27 Or Christ ISV — Galatians 3:27
28 Because all of you are one in the Messiah ff3:28 Or Christ Jesus, a person is no longer a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a male or a female. ISV — Galatians 3:28
29 And if you belong to the Messiah, gg3:29 Or Christ then you are Abraham’s descendants indeed, and heirs according to the promise. ISV — Galatians 3:29