Galatians 3:14 kjv
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:14 nkjv
that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:14 niv
He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
Galatians 3:14 esv
so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:14 nlt
Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Galatians 3:8 | "...the gospel was preached beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”" | Blessing promised to Abraham |
| Galatians 3:16 | "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." | Christ as the Seed |
| Romans 4:13 | "For the law in the sense of covenant provision was not given to Abraham or to his offspring, so that he might be the heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith." | Righteousness by Faith |
| Ephesians 3:6 | "that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel" | Gentiles as co-heirs |
| Genesis 12:3 | "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse the one who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”" | Abrahamic Covenant |
| Genesis 22:18 | "and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”" | Nations blessed through Abraham's obedience |
| Acts 3:25 | "You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’" | Fulfillment of promise |
| Galatians 3:14 | "that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." | Key verse echo |
| Galatians 2:20 | "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." | Life by faith in Christ |
| Philippians 3:3 | "For we are the true circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh" | Spirit-led worship |
| John 7:39 | "Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive. There was as yet no Spirit given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." | Spirit received after glorification |
| Galatians 4:6 | "And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”" | Spirit as evidence of sonship |
| Romans 15:8-9 | "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name." | Gentiles glorifying God |
| 2 Corinthians 1:20 | "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." | God's promises in Christ |
| Hebrews 11:6 | "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." | Necessity of faith |
| Galatians 5:22 | "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith," | Fruit of the Spirit |
| Romans 8:4 | "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." | Righteousness by the Spirit |
| Colossians 1:27 | "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" | Christ in the Gentiles |
| 1 Peter 4:6 | "For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." | Gospel to the dead |
Galatians 3 verses
Galatians 3 14 Meaning
The blessing of Abraham, through Christ Jesus, has come to the Gentiles. This is so that the Gentiles might receive the promised Spirit by faith.
Galatians 3 14 Context
Galatians 3:14 is part of a larger argument in the letter concerning justification by faith. Paul is refuting the idea that Gentile believers must adhere to the Mosaic Law to be saved. He previously established that Abraham was justified by faith before the Law or circumcision existed (Galatians 3:6-9). He then demonstrated that those who rely on the works of the Law are under a curse, as no one can perfectly keep the Law (Galatians 3:10-12). Christ redeemed believers from this curse by becoming a curse for them (Galatians 3:13).
This verse, Galatians 3:14, explains the purpose of Christ’s redemption: to make the blessing promised to Abraham accessible to the Gentiles. This blessing is spiritual in nature and received through faith, culminating in the reception of the promised Holy Spirit. The immediate context is a polemic against Judaizers who insisted on circumcision and adherence to the Law for Gentile believers, effectively seeking salvation through works rather than grace through faith.
Galatians 3 14 Word Analysis
- ἵνα (hina): "so that," "in order that." Indicates purpose or result.
- ἡ εὐλογία (hē eulogia): "the blessing." Refers specifically to the covenant blessing promised to Abraham.
- τοῦ Ἀβραάμ (tou Abraam): "of Abraham." Denotes possession or origin, connecting the blessing to Abraham.
- εἰς τὰ ἔθνη (eis ta ethnē): "unto the Gentiles," "upon the nations." Indicates the direction or recipients of the blessing. "Ethnē" refers to non-Jews.
- ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ (en Christō Iēsou): "in Christ Jesus." This is a crucial phrase. The blessing is not attained by human effort but is conveyed through or in union with Christ. It highlights Christ as the channel and embodiment of God's covenant promises.
- ἵνα (hina): Another "so that," indicating a further purpose or the means by which the preceding purpose is realized.
- τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν (tēn epangelian): "the promise." Specifically, the promise of the Spirit that was part of the Abrahamic blessing, or the full inheritance secured by faith.
- τοῦ Πνεύματος (tou Pneumatos): "of the Spirit." Denotes the Holy Spirit, the seal and empowerment of believers, the "guarantee" of the inheritance.
- διὰ τῆς πίστεως (dia tēs pisteōs): "through faith." This specifies the means of reception for both the blessing and the promised Spirit. Faith in Christ is the sole condition.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "the blessing of Abraham... upon the Gentiles": This links the ancient, patriarchally-established promise to Abraham directly to the inclusion of non-Jews, fulfilling Genesis 12:3 and 22:18. The blessing was always meant for the nations, but Christ is the mechanism by which this inclusivity becomes a reality.
- "in Christ Jesus": This prepositional phrase is vital. It shows that access to the Abrahamic blessing for Gentiles is entirely dependent on their relationship with Christ. It’s not an external bestowal but something received by being "in Christ."
- "so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith": This clarifies the nature of the Abrahamic blessing for believers in Christ. It’s an imputation of righteousness and the indwelling presence and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, all apprehended by faith. The reception of the Spirit is itself the ultimate promise realized through faith in Christ.
Galatians 3 14 Bonus Section
The concept of "blessing" here encompasses more than material prosperity; it signifies inclusion in God's covenant, righteousness, forgiveness, and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Paul emphasizes that Christ Himself is the focal point of the Abrahamic promise (Galatians 3:16), making the blessing ultimately Christocentric. The opposition Paul faces, the Judaizers, likely argued for the necessity of legal observance for true sonship and the blessings of the covenant, a position Paul directly counters by pointing to Abraham’s prior justification by faith and the Spirit's role for all believers, Gentile and Jew alike. The repetition of "so that" (hina) structures the verse to show a clear cause-and-effect: Christ’s sacrifice leads to the Gentile inclusion, which in turn enables the reception of the Spirit by faith. This echoes the early inclusion of Gentiles in Acts (Acts 10:44-48) as a testament to this fulfillment.
Galatians 3 14 Commentary
Paul affirms that Christ’s redemptive work enables the blessings promised to Abraham to extend to the Gentiles. This inclusion is not by observing the Law but by embracing faith in Jesus Christ. Through faith, Gentiles become participants in the Abrahamic covenant, receiving the ultimate promise: the Holy Spirit. The Spirit serves as tangible proof and empowerment of this new covenant relationship, confirming their sonship and inheritance in Christ. This doctrine was revolutionary against the backdrop of exclusivity, asserting that salvation's scope transcends ethnic and religious boundaries, united in Christ through faith. The Spirit's indwelling is the guarantee of this spiritual inheritance, directly received by faith.