International Standard Version

English Standard Version

1You foolish Galatians! Who put you under a spell? Was not Jesus the Messiah clearly portrayed before your very eyes as having been crucified?

1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.

2I want to learn only one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the actions of the Law or by believing what you heard?

2Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?

3Are you so foolish? Having started out with the Spirit, are you now ending up with the flesh?

3Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

4Did you suffer so much for nothing? (If it really was for nothing!)

4Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

5Does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you because you do the actions of the Law or because you believe what you heard?

5Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—

6In the same way, Abraham "believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

6just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

7You see, then, that those who have faith are Abraham's real descendants.

7Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.

8Because the Scripture saw ahead of time that God would justify the gentiles by faith, it announced the gospel to Abraham beforehand when it said, "Through you all nations will be blessed."

8And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”

9Therefore, those who believe are blessed together with Abraham, the one who believed.

9So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

10Certainly 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!"

10For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”

11Now it is obvious that no one is justified in the sight of God by the Law, because "The righteous will live by faith."

11Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”

12But the Law has nothing to do with faith. Instead, "The person who keeps the commandments will have life in them."

12But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.”

13The Messiah 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!"

13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—

14This happened in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the gentiles through the Messiah Jesus, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

14so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

15Brothers, let me use an example from everyday life. Once a person's will has been ratified, no one can cancel it or add conditions to it.

15To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.

16Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. It doesn't say "descendants," referring to many, but "your descendant," referring to one person, who is the Messiah.

16Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.

17This 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.

17This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.

18For 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.

18For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

19Why, then, was the Law added? Because of transgressions, until the descendant came about whom the promise pertained. It was put into effect through angels by means of a mediator.

19Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.

20Now a mediator involves more than one party, but God is one.

20Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

21So 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.

21Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.

22But the Scripture has captured everything by means of sin's net, so that what was promised by the faithfulness of the Messiah might be granted to those who believe.

22But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23Now before faith came about, we were held in custody and confined under the Law in preparation for the faith that was to be revealed.

23Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.

24And so the Law was our guardian until the Messiah came, so that we might be justified by faith.

24So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

25But now that faith has come about, we are no longer under a guardian.

25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,

26For all of you are God's children through faith in the Messiah Jesus.

26for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

27Indeed, all of you who were baptized into the Messiah have clothed yourselves with the Messiah.

27For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28Because all of you are one in the Messiah Jesus, a person is no longer a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a male or a female.

28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29And if you belong to the Messiah, then you are Abraham's descendants indeed, and heirs according to the promise.

29And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.