Focused Passage

Galatians 3:1-14

Faith, Promise, and the Curse-Bearing Christ

Paul rebukes the Galatians for turning from Spirit-begun faith to law-centered completion, proves from Abraham and Scripture that blessing comes by faith, shows that Christ redeemed believers from the law's curse, and declares that all who belong to Christ are sons and heirs according to the promise.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.

2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?

3Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?

4Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing?

5Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?

6So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

7Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham.

8The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”

9So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

10All 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.”

11Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”

12The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man 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 hung on a tree.”

14He 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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

OG5599InterjectionfoolishἀνόητοιG453Adjective - Vocative Masculine PluralGalatiansΓαλάταιG1052Noun - Vocative Masculine PluralWhoτίςG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singularhas bewitchedἐβάσκανενG940Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularyouὑμᾶςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person PluralBeforeκατ’G2596Preposition[your very]οἷςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine PluraleyesὀφθαλμοὺςG3788Noun - Accusative Masculine PluralJesusἸησοῦςG2424Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularChristΧριστὸςG5547Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularwas clearly portrayedπροεγράφηG4270Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular[as] crucifiedἐσταυρωμένοςG4717Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 2

Original words

I would likeθέλωG2309Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singularto learnμαθεῖνG3129Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivejustμόνονG3440Adverb[one thing]τοῦτοG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singularfromἀφ’G575PrepositionyouὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person PluralDid you receiveἐλάβετεG2983Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluraltheτὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingularSpiritΠνεῦμαG4151Noun - Accusative Neuter SingularbyἐξG1537PrepositionworksἔργωνG2041Noun - Genitive Neuter Pluralof the lawνόμουG3551Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularorG2228ConjunctionbyἐξG1537PrepositionhearingἀκοῆςG189Noun - Genitive Feminine Singularwith faithπίστεωςG4102Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 3

Original words

Are youἐστεG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralsoΟὕτωςG3779AdverbfoolishἀνόητοίG453Adjective - Nominative Masculine PluralAfter startingἐναρξάμενοιG1728Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Pluralin [the] SpiritΠνεύματιG4151Noun - Dative Neuter SingularvvvνῦνG3568Adverbare you now finishingἐπιτελεῖσθεG2005Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Pluralin [the] fleshσαρκὶG4561Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Verse 4

Original words

Have you sufferedἐπάθετεG3958Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Pluralso muchτοσαῦταG5118Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Pluralfor nothingεἰκῇG1500AdverbifεἴG1487Conjunctionit really wasγεG1065Particle. . .καὶG2532Conjunctionfor nothingεἰκῇG1500Adverb
Verse 5

Original words

-οὖνG3767Conjunction{Does} [God]G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularlavishἐπιχορηγῶνG2023Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular[His]τὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingularSpiritΠνεῦμαG4151Noun - Accusative Neuter Singularon youὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctionworkἐνεργῶνG1754Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularmiraclesδυνάμειςG1411Noun - Accusative Feminine PluralamongἐνG1722PrepositionyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Pluralbecause [you]ἐξG1537PrepositionpracticeἔργωνG2041Noun - Genitive Neuter Pluralthe lawνόμουG3551Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularorG2228Conjunctionbecause [you]ἐξG1537PrepositionhearἀκοῆςG189Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular[and] believeπίστεωςG4102Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 6

Original words

So alsoΚαθὼςG2531AdverbAbrahamἈβραὰμG11Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularbelievedἐπίστευσενG4100Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular-τῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularGodΘεῷG2316Noun - Dative Masculine SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunctionit was creditedἐλογίσθηG3049Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singularto himαὐτῷG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person SingularasεἰςG1519PrepositionrighteousnessδικαιοσύνηνG1343Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • Genesis 15:6
Verse 7

Original words

UnderstandΓινώσκετεG1097Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralthenἄραG686ConjunctionthatὅτιG3754Conjunctionthose whoοἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralhaveἐκG1537PrepositionfaithπίστεωςG4102Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular-οὗτοιG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine PluralareεἰσινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralsonsυἱοίG5207Noun - Nominative Masculine Pluralof AbrahamἈβραάμG11Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 8

Original words

-δὲG1161ConjunctionTheG3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularScriptureγραφὴG1124Noun - Nominative Feminine SingularforesawπροϊδοῦσαG4308Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Feminine SingularthatὅτιG3754Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularGodΘεὸςG2316Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularwould justifyδικαιοῖG1344Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartheτὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralGentilesἔθνηG1484Noun - Accusative Neuter PluralbyἐκG1537PrepositionfaithπίστεωςG4102Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular[and] foretold the gospelπροευηγγελίσατοG4283Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular-τῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine Singularto AbrahamἈβραὰμG11Noun - Dative Masculine Singular-ὅτιG3754ConjunctionAllπάνταG3956Adjective - Nominative Neuter Plural-τὰG3588Article - Nominative Neuter PluralnationsἔθνηG1484Noun - Nominative Neuter Pluralwill be blessedἘνευλογηθήσονταιG1757Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person PluralthroughἐνG1722PrepositionyouσοὶG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular

BSB notes

  • See Genesis 12:3, Genesis 18:18, and Genesis 22:18.
Verse 9

Original words

SoὥστεG5620Conjunctionthose whoοἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralhaveἐκG1537PrepositionfaithπίστεωςG4102Noun - Genitive Feminine Singularare blessedεὐλογοῦνταιG2127Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Pluralalong withσὺνG4862PrepositionAbrahamἈβραάμG11Noun - Dative Masculine Singularthe [man]τῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine Singularof faithπιστῷG4103Adjective - Dative Masculine Singular
Verse 10

Original words

-γὰρG1063ConjunctionAll whoὍσοιG3745Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Pluralrely onεἰσὶνG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural. . .ἐξG1537PrepositionworksἔργωνG2041Noun - Genitive Neuter Pluralof the lawνόμουG3551Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularareεἰσίνG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralunderὑπὸG5259Prepositiona curseκατάρανG2671Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularForγὰρG1063Conjunctionit is writtenγέγραπταιG1125Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular-ὅτιG3754ConjunctionCursed isἘπικατάρατοςG1944Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingulareveryoneπᾶςG3956Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularwhoὃςG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularvvvοὐκG3756Adverbdoes not continueἐμμένειG1696Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter Singularto doποιῆσαιG4160Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivevvvαὐτάG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 3rd Person PluraleverythingπᾶσινG3956Adjective - Dative Neuter Plural-τοῖςG3588Article - Dative Neuter PluralwrittenγεγραμμένοιςG1125Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Neuter PluralinἐνG1722PrepositiontheτῷG3588Article - Dative Neuter SingularBookβιβλίῳG975Noun - Dative Neuter Singularof theτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularLawνόμουG3551Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Deuteronomy 27:26 (see also LXX)
Verse 11

Original words

NowδὲG1161Conjunctionit is clearδῆλονG1212Adjective - Nominative Neuter SingularthatὅτιG3754Conjunctionno oneοὐδεὶςG3762Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singularis justifiedδικαιοῦταιG1344Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularbeforeπαρὰG3844Preposition-τῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularGodΘεῷG2316Noun - Dative Masculine SingularbyἐνG1722Preposition[the] lawνόμῳG3551Noun - Dative Masculine SingularbecauseὅτιG3754ConjunctionTheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularrighteousδίκαιοςG1342Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singularwill liveζήσεταιG2198Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person SingularbyἐκG1537PrepositionfaithπίστεωςG4102Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • Habakkuk 2:4
Verse 12

Original words

TheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularlawνόμοςG3551Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularhoweverδὲG1161ConjunctionisἔστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularnotοὐκG3756AdverbbasedἐκG1537Prepositionon faithπίστεωςG4102Noun - Genitive Feminine Singularon the contraryἀλλ’G235ConjunctionThe [man who]G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingulardoesποιήσαςG4160Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singularthese thingsαὐτὰG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Pluralwill liveζήσεταιG2198Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person SingularbyἐνG1722PrepositionthemαὐτοῖςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Neuter 3rd Person Plural

BSB notes

  • Leviticus 18:5; see also Ezekiel 20:11, 13, and 21.
Verse 13

Original words

ChristΧριστὸςG5547Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularredeemedἐξηγόρασενG1805Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularusἡμᾶςG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person PluralfromἐκG1537PrepositiontheτῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularcurseκατάραςG2671Noun - Genitive Feminine Singularof theτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularlawνόμουG3551Noun - Genitive Masculine Singularby becomingγενόμενοςG1096Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singulara curseκατάραG2671Noun - Nominative Feminine SingularforὑπὲρG5228PrepositionusἡμῶνG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person PluralForὅτιG3754Conjunctionit is writtenγέγραπταιG1125Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularCursed isἘπικατάρατοςG1944Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingulareveryoneπᾶςG3956Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularwhoG3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singularis hungκρεμάμενοςG2910Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine SingularonἐπὶG1909Prepositiona treeξύλουG3586Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular

BSB notes

  • Deuteronomy 21:23 (see also LXX)
Verse 14

Original words

[He redeemed us] in order thatἵναG2443ConjunctiontheG3588Article - Nominative Feminine Singularblessing promisedεὐλογίαG2129Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singularto AbrahamἈβραὰμG11Noun - Genitive Masculine Singularwould comeγένηταιG1096Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person SingulartoεἰςG1519PrepositiontheτὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralGentilesἔθνηG1484Noun - Accusative Neuter PluralinἐνG1722PrepositionChristΧριστῷG5547Noun - Dative Masculine SingularJesusἸησοῦG2424Noun - Dative Masculine Singularso thatἵναG2443ConjunctionbyδιὰG1223Preposition-τῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularfaithπίστεωςG4102Noun - Genitive Feminine Singularwe might receiveλάβωμενG2983Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person PluraltheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularpromiseἐπαγγελίανG1860Noun - Accusative Feminine Singularof theτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter SingularSpiritΠνεύματοςG4151Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular

BSB notes

  • Literally the blessing of Abraham

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.