Chapter with Audio
3 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?
7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And 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.” 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 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.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall 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 hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
The Law and the Promise
15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now 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. 17 This 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. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.
19 Why 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. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.
21 Is 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. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in 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 you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There 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. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
Chapter Analysis
Galatians 3: The Promise Comes Through Faith In Christ
Received The Spirit By Faith
📖 Galatians 3:1–5
¹ O foolish Galatians, who has deceived you? Jesus Christ was clearly presented before you as crucified. ² Paul asks them this: did they receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing with faith? ³ Having begun by the Spirit, were they now trying to be made complete by the flesh? ⁴ Had they suffered so many things for nothing, if indeed it was for nothing? ⁵ The One who supplies the Spirit to them and works miracles among them does so by hearing with faith, not by the works of the law.
🔹 The Truth
The Galatians began the Christian life by the Spirit, not by the law.
The Spirit was received by hearing with faith.
Believers are not made complete by the flesh after beginning by the Spirit.
The crucified Christ must remain central.
🔹 The Promise
God supplies the Spirit to those who hear the gospel with faith.
✅ Conclusion
Paul confronts the Galatians because they were drifting from grace back toward teaching the law. The Christian life begins by faith in Christ and continues by the Spirit.
Abraham Believed God
📖 Galatians 3:6–9
⁶ Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. ⁷ Therefore, those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. ⁸ Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” ⁹ So then, those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
🔹 The Truth
Abraham was counted righteous by faith.
Those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.
God’s promise to Abraham included blessing for all nations.
Gentiles are justified by faith, according to God’s promise.
🔹 The Promise
Those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
✅ Conclusion
Paul shows that justification by faith was not a new idea. Abraham was counted righteous by faith before the law was given, and the promise of blessing reached forward to the Gentiles through Christ.
Redeemed From The Curse Of The Law
📖 Galatians 3:10–14
¹⁰ All who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because Scripture says that everyone who does not continue in all things written in the law is cursed. ¹¹ It is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous shall live by faith. ¹² The law is not of faith, but the one who does them shall live by them. ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written that everyone who hangs on a tree is cursed. ¹⁴ He did this so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, and so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
🔹 The Truth
Those who rely on the works of the law are under a curse.
No one is justified before God by the law.
The righteous live by faith.
Christ redeemed His people from the curse of the law.
Christ became a curse for us through His death on the cross.
🔹 The Promise
In Christ Jesus, believers receive the blessing of Abraham and the promise of the Spirit through faith.
✅ Conclusion
The law cannot justify because it demands complete obedience. Christ redeemed us by bearing the curse in our place, so that the promised blessing and the Spirit would come through faith.
The Promise Came Before The Law
📖 Galatians 3:15–18
¹⁵ Paul gives a human example: even a man-made covenant, once confirmed, cannot be annulled or added to. ¹⁶ The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his Seed. Scripture does not say “seeds,” as of many, but “Seed,” meaning Christ. ¹⁷ The law, which came 430 years later, does not cancel the covenant God confirmed beforehand in Christ, so as to make the promise of no effect. ¹⁸ If the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
🔹 The Truth
God’s promise to Abraham came before the law.
The law did not cancel God’s promise.
The promised Seed is Christ.
The inheritance comes by promise, not by the law.
🔹 The Promise
God gives the inheritance according to His promise fulfilled in Christ.
✅ Conclusion
God’s promise stands firm. The law came later and did not replace, cancel, or improve the promise. The inheritance is received through Christ, the promised Seed.
The Purpose Of The Law
📖 Galatians 3:19–25
¹⁹ Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed should come to whom the promise was made. The law was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. ²⁰ Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. ²¹ Is the law against the promises of God? Certainly not. If a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would have come by the law. ²² But Scripture confined all under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. ²³ Before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith that would afterward be revealed. ²⁴ Therefore the law was our tutor until Christ, so that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But after faith has come, we are no longer under the tutor.
🔹 The Truth
The law was added because of transgressions until Christ came.
The law is not against God’s promises.
The law could not give life or produce righteousness.
Scripture confined all under sin.
The law served as a tutor until Christ.
Now that faith has come, believers are no longer under the tutor.
🔹 The Promise
The promise by faith in Jesus Christ is given to those who believe.
✅ Conclusion
The law had a purpose, but it was not given to justify sinners or give life. It exposed sin and pointed forward to Christ. Now that Christ has come, believers are justified by faith and are no longer under the law as tutor.
Sons Of God Through Faith In Christ
📖 Galatians 3:26–29
²⁶ In Christ Jesus, believers are all sons of God through faith. ²⁷ As many as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for believers are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ If believers belong to Christ, then they are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
🔹 The Truth
Believers are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Those who belong to Christ have put on Christ.
Believers are one in Christ Jesus.
Those who belong to Christ are Abraham’s seed.
Believers are heirs according to the promise.
🔹 The Promise
All who belong to Christ are heirs according to God’s promise.
✅ Conclusion
Galatians 3 ends by showing the believer’s identity in Christ. We are sons of God through faith, one in Christ, Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Overall Conclusion
Galatians 3 shows that the promise of God comes through faith in Christ, not through the works of the law.
Abraham was counted righteous by faith. The law came later and could not cancel the promise. The law exposed sin and served as a tutor until Christ, but now that Christ has come, believers are justified by faith.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law so that the blessing of Abraham and the promise of the Spirit would come through faith.
Final Questions For You
- Why is it important to understand that Abraham was counted righteous by faith before the law was given?
- What does it mean that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law?
- How does knowing you are a son of God and an heir according to the promise strengthen your faith?