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.
1 Jūs, neprātīgie galatieši, kas jūs apmājis, jūs, kam acu priekšā ir tēlots Jēzus Kristus, krustā sistais? 2 To vien vēlos no jums dabūt zināt: vai jūs Garu esat saņēmuši ar bauslības darbiem vai ar ticības sludināšanu? 3 Vai jūs esat tik neprātīgi? Garā iesākuši, jūs tagad miesā gribat pabeigt? 4 Vai tik lielas lietas jūs velti esat piedzīvojuši? Taču ne velti! 5 Vai tad nu Tas, kas jums sniedz Garu un jūsos dara brīnumus, to dara ar bauslības darbiem vai ar ticības sludināšanu? 6 Jau Ābrahāms "ticēja Dievam, un to viņam pielīdzināja par taisnību". 7 Tātad atzīstiet, ka tie, kas tic, ir Ābrahāma bērni. 8 Bet raksti, paredzēdami, ka Dievs pēc ticības taisno pagānus, ir Ābrahāmam iepriekš pasludinājuši prieka vēsti: tevī taps svētītas visas tautas. - 9 Tātad tie, kas tic, tiek svētīti līdz ar ticīgo Ābrahāmu. 10 Proti, visi, kas dzīvo bauslības darbos, ir zem lāsta; jo ir rakstīts: nolādēts ir ikkatrs, kas netur un nedara visu to, kas ir rakstīts bauslības grāmatā. - 11 Bet ir skaidrs, ka ar bauslību neviens netop taisnots Dieva priekšā, jo "ticībā taisnais dzīvos". 12 Bauslībai nav daļas ar ticību, bet "kas to ir turējis, tam tā dod dzīvību". 13 Kristus ir mūs atpircis no bauslības lāsta, mūsu labā kļūdams par lāstu, jo ir rakstīts: nolādēts ir ikkatrs, kas karājas pie koka, - 14 lai Ābrahāma svētība nāktu pār pagāniem Kristū Jēzū, tā ka ticībā mēs saņemam Gara apsolījumu. 15 Brāļi, es runāju cilvēcīgi, arī cilvēka pēdējo gribu, kas stājusies spēkā, neviens neatceļ, nedz pieliek tai ko klāt. 16 Ābrahāmam un viņa dzimumam ir doti apsolījumi. Nav rakstīts "un dzimumiem", tas ir par daudziem, bet par vienu: "un tavam dzimumam", proti, Kristum. 17 Bet es saku to: Dieva jau sen spēkā nākušo gribas izpausmi neatceļ bauslība, kas dota četri simti trīsdesmit gadus vēlāk. Tā nevar iznīcināt apsolījumu. 18 Jo, ja ar bauslību nāk mantojums, tad vairs ne ar apsolījumu, bet Ābrahāmam to Dievs ar Savu apsolījumu ir dāvinājis. 19 Kāpēc tad ir dota bauslība? Pārkāpumu dēļ tā ir klāt pielikta - līdz nāktu dzimums, kam ir dots apsolījums, - eņģeļu dota tā, ar starpnieka roku uzrakstīta. 20 Kur viens, tur nav starpnieka, bet Dievs ir viens vienīgs. 21 Vai tad nu bauslība ir pret Dieva apsolījumiem? Nekādā ziņā ne. Jo, ja būtu dota bauslība, kas spēj dzīvu darīt, tad patiesi taisnība nāktu ar bauslību. 22 Bet raksti ir it visu saslēguši grēkā, lai apsolījums taptu dots ticīgiem ticībā uz Jēzu Kristu. 23 Bet, pirms nāca ticība, mēs bijām turēti ieslēgti bauslības važās, līdz parādītos ticība, kurai bija jānāk. 24 Tātad bauslība līdz Kristum ir bijusi mūsu audzinātāja, lai mēs ticībā kļūtu taisnoti. 25 Bet, kad ticība ir nākusi, tad audzinātājai nav vairs varas pār mums. 26 Jūs jau visi ticēdami uz Jēzu Kristu esat Dieva bērni. 27 Jo jūs visi, kas esat kristīti Kristus Vārdā, esat tērpušies Kristū. 28 Tur nav ne jūda, ne grieķa, nav ne kalpa, nedz svabadā, tur nav ne vīra, nedz sievas, jo jūs visi esat viens Kristū Jēzū. 29 Bet, kad jūs piederat Kristum, tad jūs esat Ābrahāma dzimums, mantinieki pēc apsolījuma.
