Faith and Belief
(James 2:14–26)

1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you⁺,† before whose eyes Jesus Christ was previously written† as having been crucified? 2I want only to learn this from you⁺: Did you⁺ receive the Spirit out of works of the law or out of hearing of faith?

3Are you⁺ so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you⁺ now finishing in the flesh? 4Did you⁺ suffer so much in vain, if indeed even in vain? 5Therefore, the One supplying to you⁺ the Spirit and working miracles among you⁺, is it out of works of the law, or out of hearing of faith— 6just as, “Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him for righteousness”†? 7Know, then, that those of faith, these are sons of Abraham. 8Now the Scripture, having foreseen that God justifies the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel beforehand to Abraham: “All the nations will be blessed in you.”† 9So then, those of faith are blessed along with the faithful Abraham.

Christ Has Redeemed Us

10For as many as are of works of the law, they are under a curse, for it has been written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things having been written in the Book of the Law, to do them.”† 11Now it is evident that no one is justified before God in the law, because, “The righteous will live out of faith.”† 12But the law is not out of faith; rather, “The one† having done these things will live in them.”†

13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us—for it has been written: “Cursed is everyone hanging on a tree,”† 14so that the blessing of Abraham† might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Purpose of the Law
(Romans 7:1–6)

15Brothers, I am speaking according to man. Even a covenant of man having been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds thereto. 16Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It does not say “and to seeds,” as of many, but as of One, “and to your seed,”† who is Christ.

17Now I say this: The law, having come four hundred and thirty years afterward, does not repeal the covenant having been ratified beforehand by God,† so as to nullify the promise. 18For if the inheritance is by the law, it is no longer by a promise. But God has granted it to Abraham through a promise.

19Why then the law? It was added on account of transgressions, until the seed to whom promise has been made shall have come, having been ordained through angels in the hand of a mediator. 20Now the mediator is not of one; but God is one.

21Is the law, therefore, contrary to the promises of God? Never may it be! For if a law were given being able to make alive, then righteousness indeed would have been from out of the law. 22But the Scripture shut in all things under sin, so that by faith from Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those believing.

23Now before the faith came, we were being held in custody under the law, having been shut in until the faith being about to be revealed, 24so that the law has become our tutor unto Christ, so that we might be justified by faith. 25And faith having come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Sons through Faith in Christ

26For you⁺ are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27For as many of you⁺ as were baptized into Christ, you⁺ put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male and female; for you⁺ are all one in Christ Jesus. 29Now if you⁺ are of Christ, then you⁺ are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.

Footnotes:

1 BYZ and TR include not to obey the truth.
1 BYZ and TR include among you.
6 Genesis 15:6
8 See Genesis 12:3, Genesis 18:18, and Genesis 22:18.
10 Deuteronomy 27:26 (see also LXX)
11 Habakkuk 2:4
12 BYZ and TR The man who
12 Leviticus 18:5; see also Ezekiel 20:11, 13, and 21.
13 Deuteronomy 21:23 (see also LXX)
14 Or the blessing promised to Abraham
16 Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15
17 BYZ and TR include in Christ.