Introduction
Galatians Chapter 3 forms the theological heart of Paul’s argument against the false teaching that had infiltrated the Galatian churches. Paul begins with a direct and passionate rebuke, calling the Galatians foolish for turning away from the gospel of grace they had received through faith and instead attempting to complete their walk with God through the works of the law. He reminds them that the Holy Spirit was given to them by faith, not by observing the law, and points to their own experience as evidence of this truth.
Throughout the chapter, Paul uses the example of Abraham to demonstrate that righteousness has always come through faith, not through law keeping, since Abraham was justified by his faith long before the law was given through Moses. Paul explains that the law served a temporary and specific purpose, to reveal sin and to point people toward Christ, acting like a guardian until faith in Jesus was revealed. He concludes with the powerful truth that all who belong to Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, slave or free, are one in Him and are heirs according to the promise given to Abraham.
Chapter 3 (BBE)
1 O foolish Galatians, by what strange powers have you been tricked, to whom it was made clear that Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross?
2 Give me an answer to this one question, Did the Spirit come to you through the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are you so foolish? having made a start in the Spirit, will you now be made complete in the flesh?
4 Did you undergo such a number of things to no purpose? if it is in fact to no purpose.
5 He who gives you the Spirit, and does works of power among you, is it by the works of law, or by the hearing of faith?
6 Even as Abraham had faith in God, and it was put to his account as righteousness.
7 Be certain, then, that those who are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.
8 And the holy Writings, seeing before the event that God would give the Gentiles righteousness by faith, gave the good news before to Abraham, saying, In you will all the nations have a blessing.
9 So then those who are of faith have a part in the blessing of Abraham who was full of faith.
10 For all who are of the works of the law are under a curse: because it is said in the Writings, A curse is on everyone who does not keep on doing all the things which are ordered in the book of the law.
11 Now that no man gets righteousness by the law in the eyes of God, is clear; because, The upright will be living by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith; but, He who does them will have life by them.
13 Christ has made us free from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us: because it is said in the Writings, A curse on everyone who is put to death by hanging on a tree:
14 So that on the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; in order that we through faith might have the Spirit which God had undertaken to give.
15 Brothers, as men would say, even a man’s agreement, when it has been made certain, may not be put on one side, or have additions made to it.
16 Now to Abraham were the undertakings given, and to his seed. He says not, And to seeds, as of a great number; but as of one, he says, And to your seed, which is Christ.
17 Now this I say: The law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, does not put an end to the agreement made before by God, so as to make the undertaking without effect.
18 Because if the heritage is by the law, it is no longer dependent on the word of God; but God gave it to Abraham by his word.
19 What then is the law? It was an addition made because of sin, till the coming of the seed to whom the undertaking had been given; and it was ordered through angels by the hand of a go-between.
20 Now a go-between is not a go-between of one; but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the words of God? in no way; because if there had been a law which was able to give life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
22 However, the holy Writings have put all things under sin, so that that for which God gave the undertaking, based on faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who have such faith.
23 But before faith came, we were kept in prison under the law, waiting for the revelation of the faith which was to come.
24 So the law has been a servant to take us to Christ, so that we might have righteousness by faith.
25 But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a servant.
26 Because you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For all those of you who were given baptism into Christ did put on Christ.
28 There is no Jew or Greek, servant or free, male or female: because you are all one in Jesus Christ.
29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and yours is the heritage by the right of God’s undertaking given to Abraham.
Important Verses
- Galatians 3:2-3 Paul asks the Galatians whether they received the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith, challenging them to recognize the inconsistency of starting in the Spirit and then trying to be made complete through the flesh.
- Galatians 3:6-9 Paul uses Abraham as the prime example of justification by faith, showing that those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, regardless of their ethnic or religious background.
- Galatians 3:11 Paul affirms that no one is justified before God by the law, but that the righteous will live by faith, reinforcing the gospel principle central to his argument.
- Galatians 3:24-25 The law is described as a guardian meant to lead people to Christ until faith came, after which believers are no longer under the supervision of the law but are justified through faith.
- Galatians 3:28 One of the most significant declarations in the New Testament, Paul states that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for all are one in Christ Jesus, emphasizing the unity and equality of all believers.
