Paragraph 3:10–14

In this paragraph, Paul stated that people who want to be justified through obedience to the law are under a curse. But Christ freed us from the curse of the law by his death on the cross. People who have faith in Christ receive a blessing instead of a curse. It was God’s purpose that by faith the Gentiles would share in the blessing of Abraham and receive the Spirit.

3:10a

In 3:8–9, Paul said that God will bless people who have faith. In 3:10, he gave the reason why it is necessary to rely on faith: a person who tries to rely on the law must keep the entire law or else be cursed. To show that he was giving a reason, Paul introduced this verse with a Greek conjunction that is often translated as “for.” Most English versions translate it that way.

However, it is also possible to focus on the contrast between 3:8–9 and 3:10. There is a contrast between a blessing and a curse. There is also a contrast between people who have faith and people who follow the law.

Some ways to introduce the contrast are:

But (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
However
-or-
On the other hand

The Berean Standard Bible has not translated this conjunction, and some other versions, such as the Contemporary English Version and Good News Translation, also do not translate it. In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate this conjunction either. Connect 3:10a to 3:9b in a way that is natural in your language.

All who rely on works of the law: The phrase works of the law refers to obeying the law (to be justified). (This same phrase occurs in 2:16a.) People who rely on works of the law are those who rely/depend on their obedience to the law for their justification. In other words, they think that when they obey the law, they will be put right with God.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

those who depend on following the law to make them right (New Century Version)
-or-
Anyone who tries to please God by obeying the Law (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Everyone who thinks that God will consider him right because he obeys the law ?of Moses?

are under a curse: This phrase means “are condemned,” “will be judged,” or “will be punished.” God is the one who will judge and punish. A curse is the opposite of the blessing that God gives to the people who have faith.

In this context, a curse may be different than a curse in animistic societies. In many societies, a person puts a curse on someone when he does sorcery or witchcraft against another person. Often this is done even when the person has not done anything wrong. Here, it is God, not witchcraft or sorcery, who will judge and punish a person for the wrong that he actually has done.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

are condemned
-or-
are under ?God’s? anger
-or-
will be punished ?by God?
-or-

?God? will judge ?that person?

3:10b

For: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For introduces Paul’s basis/support for saying that the people in 3:10a are under a curse. They are under a curse (3:10a) because the Bible says that they are under a curse (3:10b).

Some other ways to introduce the reason are:

?They are under a curse? because
-or-

?We know this? because

In some languages, it will be more natural to put the reason first. For example:

10b It is written, 10c “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 10a ?So? all who rely on works of the law are under a curse.

it is written: This phrase introduces a quotation from the Old Testament. The quotation is from Deuteronomy 27:26.

Some other ways to introduce this quotation are:

here is what the Scripture says
-or-
in God’s Holy Book it is written
-or-
we read in the Scriptures that

Paul quoted this verse in order to prove that God will judge everyone who tries to be justified by keeping the law. God, through Moses, had warned his people that the result of not completely obeying the law is condemnation.

3:10c

Cursed is: This phrase is the verb form of the noun “curse” in 3:10a. It has the same meaning of “judge” or “punish.” It is God who will judge and punish.

In some languages, it is natural to put this phrase at the end of the sentence. For example:

Whoever does not always obey everything that is written in the book of the Law is under God’s curse! (Good News Translation)

everything written in the Book of the Law: The phrase the Law refers to the laws/commandments that God gave to Moses. Moses wrote these laws in the first five books of the Old Testament.

Some other ways to translate these phrases are:

all the laws in the books that Moses wrote
-or-
all the commands written in the law ?of God?

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