Galatians · Berean Standard Bible
Galatians 3 Berean Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
1 Foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you not to obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly portrayed among you as crucified?
2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
2 I just want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?
3 Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed in the flesh?
4 Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing?
4 Did you suffer so many things in vain, if it is indeed in vain?
5 Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?
5 He therefore who supplies the Spirit to you and does miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?
6 So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
6 Even so, Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.”
7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham.
7 Know therefore that those who are of faith are children of Abraham.
8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations will be blessed.”
9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.
10 All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
11 Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
11 Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.”
12 The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”
12 The law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live by them.”
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
13 Christ 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,”
14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
15 Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.
15 Brothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void or adds to it.
16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn’t say, “To descendants”, as of many, but as of one, “To your offspring”, which is Christ.
17 What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.
17 Now I say this: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect.
18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.
18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by promise.
19 Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator.
19 Then why is there the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
20 A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one.
20 Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one.
21 Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law.
22 But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.
22 But the Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
24 So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
26 For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
29 If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise.
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Galatians 5:7–8; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 2:20; Galatians 1:6; Galatians 3:3
- 2 Romans 10:16–17; Galatians 3:14; Acts 15:8; Ephesians 1:13–14; Galatians 3:5
- 3 Galatians 5:4–8; Galatians 4:7–10; Hebrews 7:16–19; Hebrews 9:9–10; Galatians 6:12–14
- 4 2 John 8; 1 Corinthians 15:2; Hebrews 10:32–39; Hebrews 6:4–6; Ezekiel 18:24
- 5 Galatians 3:2; Acts 14:9–10; Acts 19:11–12; Acts 14:3; 2 Corinthians 13:3
- 6 Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:21–22; James 2:23; Romans 4:3–6; Romans 4:24
- 7 Galatians 3:9; Romans 9:7–8; Galatians 3:26–29; Psalm 100:3; Romans 4:24
- 8 Genesis 12:3; Genesis 22:18; Genesis 28:14; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 26:4
- 9 Romans 4:16; Galatians 3:29; Galatians 4:28; Romans 4:24; Romans 4:11
- 10 Deuteronomy 27:26; Romans 8:7; Romans 3:19–20; Deuteronomy 11:26–28; James 2:9–11
- 11 Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Hebrews 10:38; Galatians 2:16; Ecclesiastes 7:20
- 12 Leviticus 18:5; Romans 10:5–6; Nehemiah 9:29; Romans 4:14; Luke 10:25–28
- 13 1 Peter 2:24; Deuteronomy 21:23; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 9:15; 1 Peter 1:18–21
- 14 Galatians 3:28–29; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 2:18; Galatians 3:2; Ezekiel 36:26–27
- 15 Hebrews 9:17; Romans 6:19; Romans 3:5
- 16 Genesis 17:7–8; Romans 4:13; Luke 1:55; Genesis 22:17–18; Galatians 3:27–29
- 17 Hebrews 11:39–40; Romans 4:13–14; Exodus 12:40–41; Genesis 15:13; 2 Corinthians 1:20
- 18 Romans 4:13–16; Hebrews 6:12–15; Galatians 2:21; Psalm 105:42; Luke 1:54–55
- 19 Acts 7:53; Romans 7:7–13; Hebrews 2:2; Galatians 3:16; Romans 5:20–21
- 20 1 Timothy 2:5; Deuteronomy 6:4; Job 9:33; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 8:6
- 21 Galatians 2:21; Romans 9:31; Romans 3:20–22; Galatians 2:19; Romans 10:3–6
- 22 Romans 11:32; Hebrews 9:15; John 11:25–26; Galatians 3:23; 1 John 2:25
- 23 Galatians 5:18; Galatians 3:24–25; Romans 6:14–15; Romans 11:32; Galatians 3:19
- 24 Romans 10:4; Acts 13:38–39; Hebrews 10:1–14; Romans 7:24–25; Matthew 5:17–18
- 25 Romans 6:14; Romans 7:4; Hebrews 10:15–18; Hebrews 7:11–19; Hebrews 8:3–13
- 26 Ephesians 1:5; 2 Corinthians 6:18; John 1:12–13; Galatians 4:5–6; 1 John 3:1–2
- 27 Romans 13:14; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:3–4; 1 Peter 3:21; Ephesians 4:24
- 28 1 Corinthians 12:12–13; Colossians 3:11; Romans 3:29–30; Galatians 5:6; Romans 10:12–15
- 29 Ephesians 3:6; Romans 9:7–8; Galatians 3:7; Romans 8:17; Romans 4:16–21
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
It was added, until the seed should come to whom the promise was made; [and it was] ordained by angels in the hand of a Mediator." For the order of the words runs thus: "Wherefore then the law of works?
… deep, saying, "Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." And, "Be not children in understanding, howbeit in malice be ye children," that in "understanding ye may be perfect;" and "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you?" But now not in his own voice, but in Thine who sentest Thy Spirit from …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… ye are not so minded, our fathers thought it necessary by these boards to wall you off; since I hear from the elder ones, that of old there were not so much as these partitions; "For in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female." And in the apostle's time also both men and women were together.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, and, the law hath been our tutor to bring us unto Christ.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
But you must hear too the words, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law;" and "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Give careful heed, too, to the words of the Lord, and note how, whenever He instructs us about His Father, He is in the habit of using terms of personal authority, saying, "I …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)