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O senseless Galatians, who bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua was publicly shown forth as having been TALUI AL HAETZ (hanging on the tree, DEVARIM 21:23).

This one thing only I want to learn from you: did you receive the Ruach HaKodesh by means of chukim of the Torah (laws of Torah) or by means of the hearing of emunah?

You lack seichel; having begun in the Ruach HaKodesh, will you now be perfected in the basar?

Did you suffer so many things lashav (in vain)?‖if it really was lashav.

So then, Hashem who is supplying to you the Ruach HaKodesh and producing nifla’ot (miracles) among you, by what means does He do it, by chukim of the Torah or by the hearing of emunah?

Just as Avraham Avinu HE’EMIN BA’HASHEM VAYACHSHEVEHA LO TZDAKAH ("believed Hashem and it [his faith] was accounted to him for righteousness" BERESHIS 15:6),

Know then, that the Bnei HaEmunah, these ones are the Bnei Avraham Avinu!

And the Kitvei HaKodesh, having foreseen that Hashem would yatzdik (justify) the Goyim by emunah, preached the Besuras HaGeulah beforehand to Avraham Avinu, saying "VENIVRECHU VO KOL GOYEI HA’ARETZ ("All the families, peoples of the earth will be blessed in you" BERESHIS 18:18; 12:3).

For this reason, the ones of emunah receive the bracha (blessing) with Avraham Avinu hama’amin (the believer).

10 For as many as are (seeking "YITZDAK IM HASHEM") by chukim of the Torah are under a kelalah (curse); for it has been written, ARUR ASHER LO YAKIM ES DIVREI HATORAH HAZOT LA’ASOT OTAM ("Cursed is everyone who does not uphold, abide by all the words of this Torah to do them, to carry them out" DEVARIM 27:26; cf Ya 2:10).

11 Now it is clear that not one person is YITZDAK IM HASHEM ("justified with G-d") by the Torah, because V’TZADDIK BE’EMUNATO YICHEYEH ("the righteous by his faith will live" CHABAKUK 2:4).

12 But the Torah is not of emunah, but the man YA’ASEH OTAM VACHAI ("who does these things will live" by them VAYIKRA 18:5).

13 Moshiach redeemed us from the kelalah (curse) of the Torah, having become a kelalah (curse) on behalf of us, because it has been written, KILELAT HASHEM is on NIVLATO TALUI AL HAETZ ("Curse of G-d is on the NEVELAH (body, corpse) being hanged on the tree" DEVARIM 21:23),

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Faith or Works of the Law

You foolish(A) Galatians!(B) Who has bewitched you?(C) Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.(D) I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit(E) by the works of the law,(F) or by believing what you heard?(G) Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?[a] Have you experienced[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles(H) among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?(I) So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”[c](J)

Understand, then, that those who have faith(K) are children of Abraham.(L) Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”[d](M) So those who rely on faith(N) are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.(O)

10 For all who rely on the works of the law(P) are under a curse,(Q) as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”[e](R) 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God,(S) because “the righteous will live by faith.”[f](T) 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”[g](U) 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law(V) by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”[h](W)

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 3:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
  2. Galatians 3:4 Or suffered
  3. Galatians 3:6 Gen. 15:6
  4. Galatians 3:8 Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18
  5. Galatians 3:10 Deut. 27:26
  6. Galatians 3:11 Hab. 2:4
  7. Galatians 3:12 Lev. 18:5
  8. Galatians 3:13 Deut. 21:23