Galatians 3:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”

NIV: For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.'

NASB: For all who are of works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written: 'CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THE THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO DO THEM.'

CSB: For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, Everyone who does not do everything written in the book of the law is cursed.

NLT: But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, 'Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.'

KJV: For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

NKJV: For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”

For the false teachers known as the Judaizers, the truth seemed obvious. They were convinced nobody could be included in God's family unless he was circumcised and followed the law of Moses (Galatians 2:4). That, for them, was the clear teaching of the Old Testament. Paul has showed from the Old Testament Scriptures that, in fact, Abraham himself was counted as righteous before God—"justified"—when he believed the Lord (Galatians 3:6). Now Paul begins to show that the rules and rituals given in the Law cannot save anyone. They can only condemn those who try to follow them.

Again, Paul quotes Moses, this time from Deuteronomy 27:26. God says to the Israelites that everyone who does not "do" everything written in the Book of the Law will be cursed. In other words, everyone who tries to follow the law in order to be saved is always under the threat of being cursed by God. As Paul will go on to show, nobody is able to do everything the law says to do perfectly. Life under law, therefore, is life under God's curse.

Paul will continue exploring this idea, showing that salvation can be found only through faith and not through the law.

Galatians 3:10–14 describes Paul's argument that blessing does not come by following the law of Moses. In fact, the rules described in the law bring the threat of God's curse if anyone fails to keep them in any way. Since all fail to keep it perfectly, no one can be justified—made right before God—by the law. Paul quotes three Old Testament Scriptures to show this is true, and that Christ took this curse on Himself when He died for our sin on the cross. That's how the blessing of Abraham has come to the Gentiles who believe in Christ by faith.

Paul indicates the Galatian Christians are foolish for believing they need to follow the law of Moses to be right with God. He offers three specific arguments to support this. First, they received God's Spirit in a powerful way after believing in Jesus, but before doing any works of the law. Second, Scripture itself shows God's blessing coming by faith, and His curse coming by the law. Christ paid the price of that curse on the cross. Third, God's covenant with Abraham is like a legal document, and it cannot be revoked.

In Galatians chapter 2, Paul declared that we can only be justified—''made right with God''—by faith in Christ and not by following the law of Moses. In chapter 3, Paul offers three arguments for why that is true. He argues from the Galatians own experience, from the Scriptures themselves, and from the legal standpoint of a covenant contract. Finally, Paul answers what the law is for if it cannot save us from our sin. In part, it reveals our sinfulness and convinces us of our need to be saved by faith in Christ. The following chapter will expand on what it means to be an ''heir,'' spiritually.

Galatians is sometimes called “a short Romans” for its similar themes of justification and sanctification through faith. A group of Christians known as “Judaizers” were preaching a gospel of legalism, rather than grace. Paul’s main purpose in writing the letter to the Galatians was to reiterate the true nature of the gospel: we are justified (made righteous) and sanctified (made more Christlike) through our faith in Jesus Christ alone. This letter was probably written shortly before the church elders in Jerusalem issued their official refutation of the Judaizers, commonly called the Jerusalem Council.