Galatians 3:24

Galatians 3:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
• New International Version (NIV)So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Context of Galatians 3:24

22But the Scripture has imprisoned everyone [everything—the entire world] under sin, so that [the inheritance, the blessing of salvation] which was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe [in Him and acknowledge Him as God’s precious Son]. 23Now before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, [perpetually] imprisoned [in preparation] for the faith that was destined to be revealed, with the result that the Law has become our tutor and our disciplinarian to guide us to Christ, so that we may be justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under [the control and authority of] a tutor and disciplinarian. 26For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:24 word by word

ὥστε ὁ νόμος παιδαγωγὸς ἡμῶν γέγονεν εἰς Χριστόν, ἵνα ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθῶμεν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whereforeὥστεhōste · soG5620
• the lawὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• wasγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• schoolmasterπαιδαγωγόςpaidagōgos · guardianG3807
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• we might be justifiedδικαιόωdikaioō · to justifyG1344
• byἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102

Cross-references for Galatians 3:24

• Galatians 3:25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under [the control and authority of] a tutor and disciplinarian.
• Galatians 2:19For through the Law I died to the Law and its demands on me [because salvation is provided through the death and resurrection of Christ], so that I might [from now on] live to God.
• Galatians 4:2but he is under [the authority of] guardians and household administrators or managers until the date set by his father [when he is of legal age].
• Matthew 5:17“Do not think that I came to do away with or undo the Law [of Moses] or the [writings of the] Prophets; I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
• Acts 13:38So let it be clearly known by you, brothers, that through Him forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you;
• Romans 3:20For no person will be justified [freed of guilt and declared righteous] in His sight by [trying to do] the works of the Law. For through the Law we become conscious of sin [and the recognition of sin directs us toward repentance, but provides no remedy for sin].
• Romans 7:7What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, if it had not been for the Law, I would not have recognized sin. For I would not have known [for example] about coveting [what belongs to another, and would have had no sense of guilt] if the Law had not [repeatedly] said, “You shall not covet.”
• Romans 10:4For Christ is the end of the law [it leads to Him and its purpose is fulfilled in Him], for [granting] righteousness to everyone who believes [in Him as Savior].
• Colossians 2:17Such things are only a shadow of what is to come and they have only symbolic value; but the substance [the reality of what is foreshadowed] belongs to Christ.
• Hebrews 7:18For, on the one hand, a former commandment is cancelled because of its weakness and uselessness [because of its inability to justify the sinner before God]
• Hebrews 9:8By this the Holy Spirit signifies that the way into the Holy Place [the true Holy of Holies and the presence of God] has not yet been disclosed as long as the first or outer tabernacle is still standing [that is, as long as the Levitical system of worship remains a recognized institution],
• Hebrews 10:1For since the Law has only a shadow [just a pale representation] of the good things to come—not the very image of those things—it can never, by offering the same sacrifices continually year after year, make perfect those who approach [its altars].
• Galatians 2:16yet we know that a man is not justified [and placed in right standing with God] by works of the Law, but [only] through faith in [God’s beloved Son,] Christ Jesus. And even we [as Jews] have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law. By observing the Law no one will ever be justified [declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty].
• Acts 13:39and through Him everyone who believes [who acknowledges Jesus as Lord and Savior and follows Him] is justified and declared free of guilt from all things, from which you could not be justified and freed of guilt through the Law of Moses.

Commentaries on Galatians 3:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24The law was our schoolmaster - ̔ ̔ · The law was our pedagogue unto Christ. The , pedagogue, is not the schoolmaster, but the servant who had the care of the children to lead them to and bring them back from school, and had the care of them out of school hours. Thus the law did not teach us the living, saving knowledge; but, by its rites and ceremonies, and especially by its sacrifices, it directed us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. This…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster - The word rendered schoolmaster ( ̀ paidagōgoswhence the word “pedagogue”), referred originally to a slave or freedman, to whose care boys were committed, and who accompanied them to the public schools. The idea here is not that of instructor, but there is reference to the office and duty of the “paedagogus” among the ancients. The office was usually intrusted to slaves or freedmen. It is true, that when the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-25Verses 23-25 The law did not teach a living, saving knowledge; but, by its rites and ceremonies, especially by its sacrifices, it pointed to Christ, that they might be justified by faith. And thus it was, as the word properly signifies, a servant, to lead to Christ, as children are led to school by servants who have the care of them, that they might be more fully taught by Him the true way of justification and salvation, which is only by faith in Christ…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24The law is like a child's guardian. (The Greek word is paidagōgos, meaning "tutor.") In Greco-Roman culture, a guardian was a loyal servant who trained and protected the heir until adulthood.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. "So that the law hath been (that is, hath turned out to be) our schoolmaster (or "tutor," literally, "pedagogue": this term, among the Greeks, meant a faithful servant entrusted with the care of the boy from childhood to puberty, to keep him from evil, physical and moral, and accompany him to his amusements and studies) to guide us unto Christ," with whom we are no longer "shut up" in bondage, but are freemen. "Children" (literally, infants) need such…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 3:24

• Children
• Faith
• Instruction
• Justification
• Salvation
• School
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Conclude
• Curse
• Eye
• Flesh
• Foolish
• Redeem
• Schoolmaster
• Shut

Commentaries on Galatians 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings