Faith Is the Only Way
1 You stupid Galatians! I told you exactly how Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross. Has someone now put an evil spell on you? 2 I want to know only one thing. How were you given God's Spirit? Was it by obeying the Law of Moses or by hearing about Christ and having faith in him? 3 How can you be so stupid? Do you think that by yourself you can complete what God's Spirit started in you? 4 Have you gone through all of this for nothing? Is it all really for nothing? 5 God gives you his Spirit and works miracles in you. But does he do this because you obey the Law of Moses or because you have heard about Christ and have faith in him?
6 The Scriptures say that God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith. 7 And so, you should understand that everyone who has faith is a child of Abraham. 8 Long ago the Scriptures said God would accept the Gentiles because of their faith. This is why God told Abraham the good news that all nations would be blessed because of him. 9 This means everyone who has faith will share in the blessings given to Abraham because of his faith.
10 Anyone who tries to please God by obeying the Law is under a curse. The Scriptures say, “Everyone who doesn't obey everything in the Law is under a curse.” 11 No one can please God by obeying the Law. The Scriptures also say, “The people God accepts because of their faith will live.”
12 The Law isn't based on faith. It promises life only to people who obey its commands. 13 But Christ rescued us from the Law's curse, when he became a curse in our place. This is because the Scriptures say that anyone who is nailed to a tree is under a curse. 14 And because of what Jesus Christ has done, the blessing promised to Abraham was taken to the Gentiles. This happened so that by faith we would be given the promised Holy Spirit.
The Law and the Promise
15 My friends, I will use an everyday example to explain what I mean. Once someone agrees to something, no one else can change or cancel the agreement. 16 That is how it is with the promises God made to Abraham and his descendant. The promises were not made to many descendants, but only to one, and that one is Christ. 17 What I am saying is that the Law cannot change or cancel God's promise made 430 years before the Law was given. 18 If we have to obey the Law in order to receive God's blessings, those blessings don't really come to us because of God's promise. But God was kind to Abraham and made him a promise.
19 What is the use of the Law? It was given later to show that we sin. But it was only supposed to last until the coming of that descendant who was given the promise. In fact, angels gave the Law to Moses, and he gave it to the people. 20 There is only one God, and the Law did not come directly from him.
Slaves and Children
21 Does the Law disagree with God's promises? No, it doesn't! If any law could give life to us, we could become acceptable to God by obeying that law. 22 But the Scriptures say that sin controls everyone, so that God's promises will be for anyone who has faith in Jesus Christ.
23 The Law controlled us and kept us under its power until the time came when we would have faith. 24 In fact, the Law was to be our teacher until Christ came. Then we could have faith and be acceptable to God. 25 But once a person has learned to have faith, there is no more need to have the Law as a teacher.
26 All of you are God's children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes. 28 Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman. 29 So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham's family, and you will be given what God has promised.
Bauslība vai ticība
1 Ak jūs, bezprātīgie galatieši, kas jūs ir nobūris? Jūs, kam acu priekšā Kristus attēlots, krustā sists! 2 Tikai vienu gan es gribētu no jums uzzināt: vai jūs Garu esat saņēmuši no bauslības darbiem vai no ticības vēsts, ko esat dzirdējuši? 3 Vai esat tādi nejēgas – reiz sākuši Garā, nu gribat tapt pilnīgi caur miesu? 4 Vai tik daudz jūs esat velti izcietuši? Un ja vien veltīgi! 5 Vai tad tas, kas dāvā jums Garu un darbina jūsos brīnišķus spēkus, dara to jūsu bauslības darbu dēļ vai caur ticības vēsti, ko esat dzirdējuši? 6 Atzīstiet to – Ābrahāms ticēja Dievam, un tas viņam tika pieskaitīts par taisnību, 7 tāpat arī tie, kas tic, ir Ābrahāma dēli. 8 Bet Raksti, paredzēdami, ka Dievs ticībā attaisno pagānus, jau iepriekš pasludināja Ābrahāmam: tevī tiks svētītas visas tautas. 9 Tātad tie, kas tic, saņem svētību līdz ar ticīgo Ābrahāmu, 10 bet tie, kas balstās uz bauslības darbiem, atrodas zem lāsta; jo ir rakstīts: nolādēts ikviens, kas nepilda to visu, kas rakstīts šajā bauslības grāmatā. 11 Ir skaidrs, ka neviens, kas balstās uz bauslību, nekļūst attaisnots Dieva priekšā, jo taisnais dzīvos no ticības. 12 Tātad bauslība nebalstās ticībā, bet, kas pilda bauslību, tas tajā gūs dzīvību. 13 Kristus mūs ir izpircis no bauslības lāsta, pats mūsu vietā kļūdams par lāstu, – jo ir rakstīts: nolādēts ikviens, kas pakārts pie koka, – 14 lai Ābrahāmam dotā svētība varētu nākt pār pagāniem Kristū Jēzū un mēs caur ticību saņemtu Gara apsolījumu.
Bauslība un apsolījums
15 Brāļi, es runāju pēc cilvēku saprašanas: arī testamentu, ko cilvēki slēguši un kas stājies spēkā, visi ievēro un neko tajā nemaina. 16 Apsolījumi bija doti Ābrahāmam un viņa dzimumam; nav sacīts: un dzimumiem – it kā par daudziem, bet sacīts ir par vienu: un tavam dzimumam – tas ir, Kristum. 17 Ar to es gribu sacīt, ka bauslība, nākusi četri simti trīsdesmit gadus vēlāk, neatceļ Dieva derību, kas jau iepriekš stājusies spēkā, nav tā, ka apsolījums būtu padarīts nederīgs. 18 Ja jau mantojums nāktu no bauslības, tad tas vairs nav no apsolījuma, bet Ābrahāmam Dievs to ir dāvājis caur apsolījumu.
Bauslības nolūks
19 Bet kādēļ tad vajadzīga bauslība? Tā pārkāpumu dēļ bija pielikta klāt līdz brīdim, kad nāca dzimums, kam bija dots apsolījums; tā bija eņģeļu iedibināta un ar vidutāja roku iedota. 20 Bet, kur ir viens, tur vidutāja nav, un Dievs ir viens. 21 Vai bauslība ir pret Dieva apsolījumiem? Nē, taču! Ja bauslībai būtu dots spēks darīt dzīvu, tad patiešām taisnība nāktu no bauslības. 22 Bet Raksti visu ir ieslēguši grēka varā, lai apsolījums tiktu dots ticīgajiem ticībā uz Jēzu Kristu. 23 Bet, pirms nāca ticība, mēs bijām ieslēgti bauslības važās līdz brīdim, kad bija jāatklājas ticībai, 24 un tātad bauslība ir bijusi mūsu audzinātāja līdz Kristum, lai ticībā mēs tiktu attaisnoti. 25 Bet, kad ticība atnākusi, mēs audzinātājai vairs neesam pakļauti.
Dieva bērni
26 Ticībā uz Jēzu Kristu jūs visi esat Dieva bērni, 27 jo jūs visi, kas esat uz Kristu kristīti, esat ietērpti Kristū. 28 Tur nav ne jūda, ne grieķa, tur nav ne verga, ne brīvā, tur nav ne vīrieša, ne sievietes – jūs visi esat viens Jēzū Kristū. 29 Un, ja jūs piederat Kristum, jūs esat Ābrahāma pēcnācēji, mantinieki pēc apsolījuma.
