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Galatians 3:19-29
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

19 [a]Why, then, the law? It was added for transgressions, until the descendant[b] came to whom the promise had been made; it was promulgated by angels at the hand of a mediator.(A) 20 Now there is no mediator when only one party is involved, and God is one.(B) 21 Is the law then opposed to the promises [of God]? Of course not! For if a law had been given that could bring life, then righteousness would in reality come from the law.(C) 22 But scripture confined all things under the power of sin, that through faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.(D)

What Faith Has Brought Us.[c] 23 Before faith came, we were held in custody under law, confined for the faith that was to be revealed.(E) 24 Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian[d] for Christ, that we might be justified by faith.(F) 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian.(G) 26 For through faith you are all children of God[e] in Christ Jesus.(H) 27 [f]For all of you who were baptized into Christ(I) have clothed yourselves with Christ.[g] 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.(J) 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the promise.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. 3:19–22 A digression: if the Mosaic law, then, does not save or bring life, why was it given? Elsewhere, Paul says the law served to show what sin is (Rom 3:20; 7:7–8). Here the further implication is that the law in effect served to produce transgressions. Moreover, it was received at second hand by angels, through a mediator, not directly from God (Gal 3:19). The law does not, however, oppose God’s purposes, for it carries out its function (Gal 3:22), so that righteousness comes by faith and promise, not by human works of the law.
  2. 3:19 The descendant: Christ (Gal 3:16). By angels: Dt 33:2–4 stressed their presence as enhancing the importance of the law; Paul uses their role to diminish its significance (cf. Acts 7:38, 53). A mediator: Moses. But in a covenant of promise, where all depends on the one God, no mediator is needed (Gal 3:20).
  3. 3:23–29 Paul adds a further argument in support of righteousness or justification by faith and through God’s promise rather than by works of the law (Gal 2:16; 3:22): as children of God, baptized into Christ, the Galatians are all Abraham’s descendant and heirs of the promise to Abraham (Gal 3:8, 14, 16–18, 29). The teaching in Gal 3:23–25, that since faith (Christianity) has come, we are no longer under the law, could be taken with the previous paragraph on the role of the Mosaic law, but it also fits here as a contrast between the situation before faith (Gal 3:23) and the results after faith has come (Gal 3:25–29).
  4. 3:24–25 Disciplinarian: the Greek paidagōgos referred to a slave who escorted a child to school but did not teach or tutor; hence, a guardian or monitor. Applying this to the law fits the role of the law described in Gal 3:19–25.
  5. 3:26 Children of God: literally “sons,” in contrast to the young child under the disciplinarian in Gal 3:24–25. The term includes males and females (Gal 3:28).
  6. 3:27–28 Likely a formula used at baptism that expresses racial, social-economic, and sexual equality in Christ (cf. Col 3:11).
  7. 3:27 Clothed yourselves with Christ: literally, “have put on Christ”; cf. Rom 13:14; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10. Baptismal imagery, traceable to the Old Testament (Jb 29:14; Is 59:17) but also found in pagan mystery cults.
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Galatians 2
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New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.