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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Galatians 3 NIV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/galatians/3.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/galatians/3-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NIV</a> > Galatians 3</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../galatians/2.htm" title="Galatians 2">◄</a> Galatians 3 <a href="../galatians/4.htm" title="Galatians 4">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New International Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/niv/esv/galatians/3.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="sectionhead">Faith or Works of the Law</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.">a</a></sup></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>Have you experienced <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or suffered">b</a></sup></span> so much in vain—if it really was in vain? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Gen. 15:6">c</a></sup></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18">d</a></sup></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Deut. 27:26">e</a></sup></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hab. 2:4">f</a></sup></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Lev. 18:5">g</a></sup></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>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 pole.” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Deut. 21:23">h</a></sup></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.</p> <p class="sectionhead">The Law and the Promise</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Gen. 12:7; 13:15; 24:7">i</a></sup></span> meaning one person, who is Christ. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.</p> <p class="sectionhead">Children of God</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>Before the coming of this faith, <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or through the faithfulness of Jesus . . .. 23 Before faith came">j</a></sup></span> we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/galatians/3-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="footnotes"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">3</span> <span class="footnotebot">In contexts like this, the Greek word for <i>flesh</i> (<i>sarx</i>) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">b</span> <span class="fnverse">4</span> <span class="footnotebot">Or <i>suffered</i></span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">c</span> <span class="fnverse">6</span> <span class="footnotebot">Gen. 15:6</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">d</span> <span class="fnverse">8</span> <span class="footnotebot">Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">e</span> <span class="fnverse">10</span> <span class="footnotebot">Deut. 27:26</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">f</span> <span class="fnverse">11</span> <span class="footnotebot">Hab. 2:4</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">g</span> <span class="fnverse">12</span> <span class="footnotebot">Lev. 18:5</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">h</span> <span class="fnverse">13</span> <span class="footnotebot">Deut. 21:23</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">i</span> <span class="fnverse">16</span> <span class="footnotebot">Gen. 12:7; 13:15; 24:7</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">j</span> <span class="fnverse">23</span> <span class="footnotebot">Or <i>through the faithfulness of Jesus . . .. <span class="fnref">23</span>Before faith came</i></span><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><p class="ntext"><a href="http://niv.scripturetext.com/version.htm">New International Version</a> (NIV)</p><p class="ntext2">Holy Bible, New International Version&reg, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by <a href="http://biblica.com">Biblica, Inc.</a>® Used by permission. 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