| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. | 1You foolish Galatians! Who has hypnotized you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified? |
| 2Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? | 2I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? |
| 3Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? | 3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now going to be made complete by the flesh? |
| 4Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? | 4Did you suffer so much for nothing--if in fact it was for nothing? |
| 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— | 5So then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law or by hearing with faith? |
| 6just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? | 6Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, |
| 7Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. | 7then understand that those who have faith are Abraham's sons. |
| 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.” | 8Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and told the good news ahead of time to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed through you. |
| 9So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. | 9So those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith. |
| 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.” | 10For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written: Everyone who does not continue doing everything written in the book of the law is cursed. |
| 11Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” | 11Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live by faith. |
| 12But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” | 12But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them. |
| 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”— | 13Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written: Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed. |
| 14so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. | 14The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles by Christ Jesus, so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith. |
| 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. | 15Brothers, I'm using a human illustration. No one sets aside or makes additions to even a human covenant that has been ratified. |
| 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. | 16Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say "and to seeds," as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ. |
| 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. | 17And I say this: The law, which came 430 years later, does not revoke a covenant that was previously ratified by God and cancel the promise. |
| 18For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. | 18For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise. |
| 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. | 19Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. The law was put into effect through angels by means of a mediator. |
| 20Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. | 20Now a mediator is not for just one person, but God is one. |
| 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. | 21Is the law therefore contrary to God's promises? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly be by the law. |
| 22But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. | 22But the Scripture has imprisoned everything under sin's power, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. |
| 23Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. | 23Before this faith came, we were confined under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. |
| 24So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. | 24The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. |
| 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, | 25But since that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, |
| 26for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. | 26for you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. |
| 27For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. | 27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment. |
| 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. | 28There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. |
| 29And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. | 29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to the promise. |
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