By Faith, or by Works of the Law?
1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? zIt was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly aportrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: bDid you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by chearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? dHaving begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by1 the flesh? 4 eDid you suffer2 so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and fworks miracles among you do so gby works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as hAbraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
7 Know then that it is ithose of faith who are jthe sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that kGod would justify3 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 munder a curse; for it is written, n“Cursed be everyone who does not oabide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that pno 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 sredeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, t“Cursed is everyone who is hanged uon a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might vcome to the Gentiles, so that wwe might receive xthe promised Spirit5 through faith.
The Law and the Promise
15 yTo give a human example, brothers:6 zeven with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now athe promises were made bto 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 d430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as eto make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but fGod gave it to Abraham by a promise.
19 Why then the law? gIt was added because of transgressions, huntil the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was iput in place through angels jby an intermediary. 20 Now kan intermediary implies more than one, but lGod is one.
21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For mif a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture nimprisoned everything under sin, so that othe promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given pto those who believe.
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, qimprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, rthe law was our sguardian until Christ came, tin 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 uyou are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as vwere baptized winto Christ have xput on Christ. 28 yThere is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave7 nor free, zthere is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And aif you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, bheirs according to promise.
1 A wise son hears his father’s instruction,
but qa scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
2 From the fruit of his mouth a man reats what is good,
but the desire of the treacherous sis for violence.
3 tWhoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
uhe who opens wide his lips vcomes to ruin.
4 wThe soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent xis richly supplied.
5 The righteous hates falsehood,
but the wicked brings shame1 and disgrace.
6 yRighteousness guards him whose zway is blameless,
but sin overthrows the wicked.
7 aOne pretends to be rich,2 yet has nothing;
banother pretends to be poor,3 yet has great wealth.
8 The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth,
but a poor man chears no threat.
9 dThe light of the righteous rejoices,
but ethe lamp of the wicked will be put out.
10 fBy insolence comes nothing but strife,
but with those who take advice is wisdom.
11 gWealth gained hastily4 will dwindle,
but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
hbut a desire fulfilled is ia tree of life.
13 Whoever jdespises kthe word5 brings destruction on himself,
but he who reveres the commandment6 will be lrewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is ma fountain of life,
that one may nturn away from the snares of death.
but the way of the treacherous is their ruin.7
16 qEvery prudent man acts with knowledge,
rbut a fool flaunts his folly.
17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but sa faithful envoy brings healing.
18 Poverty and disgrace come to him who tignores instruction,
ubut whoever vheeds reproof is honored.
19 wA desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.
20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
21 xDisaster8 pursues sinners,
ybut the righteous are rewarded with good.
22 zA good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
but athe sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
23 The fallow ground of the poor would yield much food,
but it is swept away through binjustice.
24 cWhoever spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.9
25 dThe righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite,
but the belly of the wicked suffers want.
