Brethren, before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

At that time, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up and said to Him, 'Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.' He answered them, 'I also will ask you a question; now tell me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?' And they discussed it with one another, saying, 'If we say, 'From heaven, ' he will say, 'Why did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men, ' all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet.' So they answered that they did not know whence it was. And Jesus said to them, 'Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.'