Galatians 3 - Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT)

Who Has Bewitched You? Do You Live By The Spirit And Faith, Or The Flesh And Law?

3 O foolish Galatians, who bewitched^[a] you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was portrayed^[b] as crucified? ² I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law or by the hearing^[c] of ^[d] faith? ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun-with^[e] the Spirit are you now perfecting-yourselves^[f] with the flesh? ⁴ Did you suffer^[g] so many things in-vain— if indeed it really was in-vain? ⁵ Did then the One supplying^[h] you the Spirit and working miracles among you do it because-of ^[i] works of the Law, or because-of the hearing of faith?

The Children of Abraham Are The Ones Living By Faith, Not By The Law

⁶ Just as Abraham “ believed God and it was credited to him for righteousness” [Gen 15:6], ⁷ know then that the ones of ^[j] faith— these are the sons^[k] of Abraham. ⁸ Now the Scripture, having foreseen that God declares the Gentiles righteous by faith, announced-the-good-news-beforehand to Abraham: that “All the Gentiles will be blessed in^[l] you”[Gen 12:3]. ⁹ So then the ones of faith are being blessed together-with Abraham, the man-of-faith^[m]. ¹⁰ For all-who are of the works of the Law are under a curse, for it has been written that “Cursed is everyone who is not continuing-in^[n] all the things having been written in the book of the Law, that he might do them”[Deut 27:26]. ¹¹ And that no one is declared-righteous by^[o] the Law before God is evident^[p], because “The righteous one will live by faith” [Hab 2:4]. ¹² But the Law is not of faith, but “The one having done these things shall live by them” [Lev 18:5]. ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us— because it has been written, “Cursed is everyone hanging on a tree” [Deut 21:23]— ¹⁴ in order that the blessing of ^[q] Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, in order that we might receive the promise of ^[r] the Spirit through faith.

God’s Promises To Abraham Were Not Cancelled By The Law Which Came Later

¹⁵ Brothers, I speak in accordance with human thinking: Though it is [a covenant] of a human, no one sets-aside or adds-conditions-to a covenant having been ratified. ¹⁶ Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed^[s]. He^[t] does not say [in Gen 13:15] “and to seeds”, as-though speaking in reference to many; but as-though speaking in reference to one, “and to your seed”— who is Christ. ¹⁷ And this I say: the Law, having come-about after four-hundred and thirty years, does not un-ratify^[u] the covenant having been previously-ratified by God, so as to do-away-with^[v] the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance is of ^[w] the Law, it is no longer of the promise. But God has freely-given it to Abraham through the promise!

The Law Was Added Because of Transgressions, Until The Christ Should Come

¹⁹ Why then the Law? It was added because of the transgressions until which time the Seed should come to Whom the promise has been made, having been commanded^[x] through angels by the hand of a mediator^[y]. ²⁰ Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of [only] one [party], but God is one^[z].

The Law Served To Lead Us To Faith In Christ So As To Inherit The Abrahamic Promises

²¹ Is the Law then against the promises of God? May it never be! For if a Law being able to give-life had been given, righteousness really would have been by the Law! ²² But the Scripture confined all things under^[aa] sin, in order that the promise by faith^[ab] in Jesus Christ might be given to the ones believing. ²³ And before the faith^[ac] came, we were being kept-in-custody^[ad] under the Law— being confined until^[ae] the faith destined to be revealed. ²⁴ So then the Law has been^[af] our tutor^[ag] leading-to^[ah] Christ, in order that we might be declared-righteous by faith. ²⁵ But the faith having come, we are no longer under a tutor! ²⁶ For you all are sons^[ai] of God through faith in Christ Jesus! ²⁷ For all you who were baptized into Christ put-on^[aj] Christ. ²⁸ There is no Jew nor Greek, there is no slave nor free, there is no male and female. For you all are one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you are Christ’s, then you are seed of Abraham— heirs according-to the promise.

Footnotes

1. Galatians 3:1 Or, charmed.
2. Galatians 3:1 Or, placarded, publicly-posted.
3. Galatians 3:2 Or, report.
4. Galatians 3:2 That is, the subjective obedient hearing proceeding from or characterized by faith (was it by works or by your believing?); or, the objective report concerning faith (was it by works or by the proclaiming of the gospel to you?).
5. Galatians 3:3 That is, begun in the sphere of; or, begun by means of. Same next on ‘with the flesh’.
6. Galatians 3:3 Or, being perfected, completed, finished.
7. Galatians 3:4 That is, suffer negative consequences, persecutions. Or, experience, referring to positive benefits.
8. Galatians 3:5 Or, providing.
9. Galatians 3:5 Or, out-of, in the sense of originating in.
10. Galatians 3:7 That is, originating in and living by. So also in v 9, 10, 12, 18.
11. Galatians 3:7 That is, spiritual descendants.
12. Galatians 3:8 That is, in connection with, in union with.
13. Galatians 3:9 Or, the believer, the faithful one.
14. Galatians 3:10 Or, abiding-in; and thus, being-faithful-to, being-true-to. Only doers are justified, Rom 2:12-13.
15. Galatians 3:11 Or, in the sphere of, under.
16. Galatians 3:11 Or, clear, plain.
17. Galatians 3:14 That is, promised to Abraham.
18. Galatians 3:14 That is, consisting of the Spirit.
19. Galatians 3:16 This word had the collective sense of offspring, descendants, posterity, but also the singular sense which Paul reminds us of next, linking Abraham and Christ.
20. Galatians 3:16 Or, It, meaning the Scripture.
21. Galatians 3:17 Or, nullify.
22. Galatians 3:17 Or, invalidate, set-aside, render-useless.
23. Galatians 3:18 That is, originating in. If this is the source of the inheritance.
24. Galatians 3:19 Or, ordained, set in order, arranged.
25. Galatians 3:19 That is, Moses.
26. Galatians 3:20 That is, a mediator stands between two parties. But God acted alone when He made His promise to Abraham and his seed.
27. Galatians 3:22 That is, under its power and consequence.
28. Galatians 3:22 Or, by the faithfulness of Jesus (to what God sent Him to do).
29. Galatians 3:23 That is, the faith just mentioned. Or, faith.
30. Galatians 3:23 Or, guarded.
31. Galatians 3:23 Or, to, for.
32. Galatians 3:24 Or, come-to-be.
33. Galatians 3:24 Or, guardian, guide; our childhood custodian.
34. Galatians 3:24 Or, until.
35. Galatians 3:26 That is, descendants, children.
36. Galatians 3:27 Or, are dressed-in, are wearing.