American Standard Version
Galatians 2:16
16yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Galatians 2:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
- New International Version (NIV)know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
- English Standard Version (ESV)yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
- New King James Version (NKJV)knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Context of Galatians 2:16
14But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15We being Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law: because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? God forbid. 18For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a transgressor.
Read all of Galatians 2Galatians 2:16 word by word
εἰδότες δὲ ὅτι οὐ δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ἔργων νόμου ἐὰν μὴ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιστεύσαμεν, ἵνα δικαιωθῶμεν ἐκ πίστεως Χριστοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου· ὅτι ἐξ ἔργων νόμου οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σάρξ.Read the interlinear
- manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- justifiedδικαιόωdikaioō · to justifyG1344
- worksἔργονergon · workG2041
- lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- evenκαίkai · andG2532
- believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
- fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
Cross-references for Galatians 2:16
- Galatians 2:19For I through the law died unto the law, that I might live unto God.
- Galatians 3:10For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.
- Galatians 5:4Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace.
- Job 9:2Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with God?
- Job 25:4How then can man be just with God? Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
- Psalms 130:3If thou, Jehovah, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
- Luke 10:25And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
- Acts 13:38Be it known unto you therefore, brethren, that through this man is proclaimed unto you remission of sins:
- Romans 3:19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God:
- Romans 4:2For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not toward God.
- Philippians 3:9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith:
- Galatians 3:13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
- Galatians 4:5that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
- Romans 1:17For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.
- Romans 3:21But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
- Romans 4:5But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness.
Commentaries on Galatians 2:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Knowing that a man is not justified - See the notes on Romans 1:17; Romans 3:24; (note), Romans 3:27; (note); Romans 8:3; (note). And see on Acts 13:38; (note) and Acts 13:39; (note), in which places the subject of this verse is largely discussed. Neither the works of the Jewish law, nor of any other law, could justify any man; and if justification or pardon could not have been attained in some other way, the world must have perished. Justification by…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Knowing - We who are Jews by nature, or by birth. This cannot mean that all the Jews knew this, or that he who was a Jew knew it as a matter of course, for many Jews were ignorant of it, and many opposed it. But it means that the persons here referred to, those who had been born Jews, and who had been converted to Christianity, had had an opportunity to learn and understand this, which the Gentiles had not. This gospel had been preached to them, and they…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-19Verses 15-19 Paul, having thus shown he was not inferior to any apostle, not to Peter himself, speaks of the great foundation doctrine of the gospel. For what did we believe in Christ? Was it not that we might be justified by the faith of Christ? If so, is it not foolish to go back to the law, and to expect to be justified by the merit of moral works, or sacrifices, or ceremonies? The occasion of this declaration doubtless arose from the ceremonial law…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Both Jews and non-Jews are sinners. The good news requires everyone to admit their sins (see Romans 2:1–5; 3:1–20) and seek God's grace (Romans 3:21–26). Peter later showed he agreed with this message (Acts 15:7–11).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1615-16. Connect these verses together, and read with most of the oldest manuscripts "But" in the beginning of Ga 2:16: "We (I and thou, Peter) by nature (not by proselytism), Jews, and not sinners as (Jewish language termed the Gentiles) from among the Gentiles, YET (literally, 'BUT') knowing that ... even we (resuming the 'we' of Ga 2:15, 'we also,' as well as the Gentile sinners; casting away trust in the law), have believed," &c.Read the comment
Topics related to Galatians 2:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Galatians 2
- 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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries