1
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O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. |
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2
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I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? |
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3
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Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh? |
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4
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Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing? |
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5
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Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe? |
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6
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So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” |
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7
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Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham. |
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8
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The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” |
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9
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So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. |
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10
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All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” |
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11
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Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” |
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12
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The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.” |
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13
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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 tree.” |
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14
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He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. |
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15
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Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended. |
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16
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The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ. |
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17
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What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise. |
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18
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For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise. |
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19
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Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator. |
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20
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A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one. |
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21
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Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law. |
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22
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But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe. |
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23
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Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. |
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24
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So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. |
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25
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Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. |
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26
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You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. |
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27
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For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. |
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28
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There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. |
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29
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And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. |
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