1You foolish people of Galatia! Who has put you under an evil spell? When I preached, I clearly showed you that Jesus Christ had been nailed to the cross.2I would like to learn just one thing from you. Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law? Or did you receive the Spirit by believing what you heard?3Are you so foolish? You began by the Holy Spirit. Are you now trying to finish God’s work in you by your own strength?4Have you experienced so much for nothing? And was it really for nothing?5So I ask you again, how does God give you his Spirit? How does he work miracles among you? Is it by doing what the law says? Or is it by believing what you have heard?6In the same way, Abraham ‘believed God. God was pleased with Abraham because he believed. So his faith made him right with God.’ (Ge 15:6)7So you see, those who have faith are children of Abraham.8Long ago, Scripture knew that God would make the Gentiles right with himself. He would do this by their faith in him. He announced the good news in advance to Abraham. God said, ‘All nations will be blessed because of you.’ (Ge 12:3; Ge 18:18; Ge 22:18)9So those who depend on faith are blessed along with Abraham. He was the man of faith.10All who depend on obeying the law are under a curse. It is written, ‘May everyone who doesn’t continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law be under God’s curse.’ (De 27:26)11We know that no one who depends on the law is made right with God. This is because ‘the one who is right with God will live by faith.’ (Hab 2:4)12The law is not based on faith. In fact, it is just the opposite. It teaches that ‘the person who does these things will live by them.’ (Le 18:5)13Christ set us free from the curse of the law. He did it by becoming a curse for us. It is written, ‘Everyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse.’ (De 21:23)14Christ Jesus set us free so that the blessing given to Abraham would come to the Gentiles through Christ. He did it so that we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. The promised Spirit comes by believing in Christ.
The law and the promise
15Brothers and sisters, let me give you an example from everyday life. No one can get rid of an official agreement between people. No one can add to it. It can’t be changed after it has been made. It is the same with God’s covenant agreement.16The promises were given to Abraham. They were also given to his seed. Scripture does not say, ‘and to seeds.’ That means many people. It says, ‘and to your seed.’ That means one person. And that one person is Christ. (Ge 12:7; Ge 13:15; Ge 24:7)17Here is what I mean. The law came 430 years after the promise. But the law does not get rid of God’s covenant and promise. The covenant had already been made by God. So the law does not do away with the promise.18The great gift that God has for us does not depend on the law. If it did, it would no longer depend on the promise. But God gave it to Abraham as a free gift through a promise.19Then why was the law given at all? It was added because of human sin. And it was supposed to control us until the promised Seed had come. The law was given through angels, and a go-between was put in charge of it.20A go-between means that there is more than one side to an agreement. But God didn’t use a go-between when he made his promise to Abraham.21So is the law opposed to God’s promises? Certainly not! What if a law had been given that could give life? Then people could become right with God by obeying the law.22But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin. It does so in order that what was promised might be given to those who believe. The promise comes through faith in Jesus Christ.
Children of God
23Before faith in Christ came, we were guarded by the law. We were locked up until this faith was made known.24So the law was put in charge of us until Christ came. He came so that we might be made right with God by believing in Christ.25But now faith in Christ has come. So the law is no longer in charge of us.26So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God by believing in Christ.27This is because all of you who were baptised into Christ have put on Christ. You have put him on as if he were your clothes.28There is no Jew or Gentile. There is no slave or free person. There is no male or female. That’s because you are all one in Christ Jesus.29You who belong to Christ are Abraham’s seed. So you will receive what God has promised.
1О, неразумни галатяни, кой ви омая – вас, пред чиито очи Исус Христос е бил ясно обрисуван като разпънат? (Ga 2:14; Ga 5:7)2Само това желая да науча от вас: Чрез дела, изисквани от закона, ли получихте Духа, или чрез вяра в евангелското послание? (Ac 2:38; Ac 8:15; Ac 10:43; Ac 10:47; Ac 15:8; Ro 10:16; Ro 10:17; Ga 3:14; Eph 1:13; Heb 6:4)3Толкова ли сте неразумни, че като започнахте в Духа, сега се усъвършенствате в плътта? (Ga 4:9; Heb 7:16; Heb 9:10)4Напразно ли толкова страдахте? Ако наистина е напразно! (Heb 10:35; Heb 10:36; 2Jo 1:8)5Тогава Този, Който ви дава Духа и върши велики дела между вас, чрез дела, изисквани от закона ли върши това, или чрез вяра в посланието, (2Co 3:8)6както Авраам, който повярва в Бога и му се вмени за правда? (Ge 15:6; Ro 4:3; Ro 4:9; Ro 4:21; Ro 4:22; Jas 2:23)7Тогава знайте, че тези, които живеят с вяра, те са Авраамови чеда; (Joh 8:39; Ro 4:11; Ro 4:12; Ro 4:16)8и Писанието, като предвиждаше, че Бог чрез вяра ще оправдае езичниците, изяви предварително благовестието на Авраам с думите: „В тебе ще се благославят всички народи.“ (Ge 12:3; Ge 18:18; Ge 22:18; Ac 3:25; Ro 9:17; Ga 3:22)9Така че тези, които имат вяра, се благославят заедно с вярващия Авраам.10Защото всички, които се облягат на дела, изисквани от закона, са под клетва, понеже е писано: „Проклет всеки, който не постоянства да изпълнява всичко, писано в книгата на закона.“ (De 27:26; Jer 11:3)11А че никой не се оправдава пред Бога чрез закона, е явно от това, че „праведният чрез вяра ще живее“; (Hab 2:4; Ro 1:17; Ga 2:16; Heb 10:38)12а законът не действа чрез вяра, но казва: „Който върши това, което заповядва законът, ще живее чрез него.“ (Le 18:5; Ne 9:29; Eze 20:11; Ro 4:4; Ro 4:5; Ro 10:5; Ro 10:6)13Христос ни изкупи от проклятието на закона, като стана проклет за нас; защото е писано: „Проклет всеки, който виси на дърво“; (De 21:23; Ro 8:3; 2Co 5:21; Ga 4:5; 1Pe 2:24)14така че благословението, дадено на Авраам, да дойде чрез Христос Исус върху езичниците, за да приемем обещания Дух чрез вяра. (Isa 32:15; Isa 44:3; Jer 31:33; Jer 32:40; Eze 11:19; Eze 36:27; Joe 2:28; Joe 2:29; Zec 12:10; Joh 7:39; Ac 2:33; Ac 3:25; Ro 4:9; Ro 4:16)
Законът и Божието обещание
15Братя (по човешки говоря), едно завещание, даже ако е само човешко, веднъж потвърди ли се, не се разваля, нито някой прибавя нещо към него. (Heb 9:17)16А обещанията се дадоха на Авраам и на неговия потомък. Не казва: „и на потомците“, като на мнозина, но като за един: „и на твоя потомък“, Който е Христос. (Ge 12:3; Ge 12:7; Ge 15:5; Ge 17:7; 1Co 12:12; Ga 3:8)17И това казвам, че завет, предварително потвърден от Бога, не може да бъде развален от закона, станал четиристотин и тридесет години по-късно, така че да се унищожи обещанието. (Ex 12:40; Ex 12:41; Ac 7:6; Ro 4:13; Ro 4:14; Ga 3:21)18Защото, ако наследството е по закон, то вече не е по обещание; а на Авраам Бог го дарява по обещание. (Ro 4:14; Ro 8:17; Ga 2:21)19Тогава защо бе даден законът? Прибави се с цел да се изявят престъпленията, докато дойде Потомъкът, на Когото беше дадено обещанието; и беше прогласен от ангели чрез един ходатай. (Ex 19:3; Ex 20:19; Ex 20:21; Ex 20:22; De 5:5; De 5:22; De 5:23; De 5:27; De 5:31; Joh 1:17; Joh 15:22; Ac 7:38; Ro 4:15; Ro 5:20; Ro 7:8; Ro 7:13; Ga 3:16; 1Ti 1:9; 1Ti 2:5; Heb 2:2)20Но ходатаят неходатайства за един; а Бог, Който дава обещание, е един. (Ro 3:29; Ro 3:30)21Тогава законът противен ли е на Божиите обещания? Да не бъде! Защото ако беше даден закон, който да може да оживотвори, то наистина правдата щеше да бъде от закона. (Ga 2:21)22Но Писанието затвори всички под грях, така че обещанието, изпълнено чрез вяра в Исус Христос, да се даде на тези, които вярват. (Ro 3:9; Ro 3:19; Ro 3:23; Ro 4:11; Ro 4:12; Ro 4:16; Ro 11:32; Ga 3:8)23А преди да дойде вярата, ние бяхме под стражата на закона, затворени до времето на вярата, която имаше да се открие.24Така законът стана за нас детеводител, да ни доведе при Христос, за да се оправдаем чрез вяра. (Mt 5:17; Ac 13:39; Ro 10:4; Ga 2:16; Col 2:17; Heb 9:9; Heb 9:10)25Но след идването на вярата не сме вече под ръководството на детеводител.26Защото всички сте Божии синове чрез вяра в Исус Христос. (Joh 1:12; Ro 8:14; Ga 4:5; 1Jo 3:1; 1Jo 3:2)27Понеже всички вие, които сте се кръстили в Христос, с Христос сте се облекли. (Ro 6:3; Ro 13:14)28Няма вече юдеин, нито грък, няма роб, нито свободен, няма мъжки пол, нито женски; защото вие всички сте едно в Христос Исус. (Joh 10:16; Joh 17:20; Joh 17:21; Ro 10:12; 1Co 12:13; Ga 5:6; Eph 2:14; Eph 4:4; Eph 4:15; Col 3:11)29И ако сте Христови, то сте Авраамово потомство, наследници по обещание. (Ge 21:10; Ge 21:12; Ro 8:17; Ro 9:7; Ga 4:7; Ga 4:28; Eph 3:6; Heb 11:18)