Galatians 3:19 – 4:7

Galatians 3

The Law as Chaperone

¹⁹ Then what about the law? It was added for the purpose of revealing transgressions, until the Seed ^[1] to whom the promise referred had come. It was transmitted through angels by the hand of a mediator. ²⁰ Now a mediator is not needed for one party, but God is one.

²¹ Then is the law against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given that could give life, certainly righteousness would have been derived from the law. ²² But Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ would be given to those who believe. ²³ But before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. ²⁴ So the law was our chaperone ^[2] until Christ, so that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a chaperone. ^[3]

Sons of God Through Faith

²⁶ In fact, you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ Indeed, as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. ²⁸ There is not Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, for you are all one and the same in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants ^[4] and heirs according to the promise.

God Sent His Son

Galatians 4

¹ What I am saying is this: As long as the heir is a young child, he is no different from a slave. Although he is owner of everything, ² he is still under guardians and managers until the day set by his father. ³ So also, when we were younger children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world. ⁴ But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son to be born of a woman, so that he would be born under the law, ⁵ in order to redeem those under the law, so that we would be adopted as sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to shout, “Abba, Father!” ⁷ So you are no longer a slave, but a son. And if you are a son, then you are also an heir of God through Christ. ^[5]