Christian Standard Bible
Galatians 3:4
4Did you experience so much for nothing — if in fact it was for nothing?
Galatians 3:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
- New International Version (NIV)Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain?
- English Standard Version (ESV)Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
Context of Galatians 3:4
2I only want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? After beginning by the Spirit, are you now finishing by the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing — if in fact it was for nothing? 5So then, does God give you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law? Or is it by believing what you heard — 6just like Abraham who believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness?
Read all of Galatians 3Galatians 3:4 word by word
τοσαῦτα ἐπάθετε εἰκῇ; εἴ γε καὶ εἰκῇ.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Galatians 3:4
- Ezekiel 18:24But when a righteous person turns from his righteousness and acts unjustly, committing the same detestable acts that the wicked do, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. He will die because of the treachery he has engaged in and the sin he has committed.
- Hebrews 6:4For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit,
- Hebrews 10:32Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings.
- 2 Peter 2:20For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first.
- 2 John 1:8Watch yourselves so that you don’t lose what we have worked for, but that you may receive a full reward.
Commentaries on Galatians 3:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Have ye suffered so many things in vain? - Have ye received and lost so much good? The verb , as compounded with , well, or , ill, and often without either, signifies to suffer pain or loss, or to possess and enjoy. In such a case the man is considered as the patient, and the good or ill acts upon him. Though it is possible that the Galatians had suffered some persecution for the truth of Christ, yet it is as likely that the apostle refers to the benefits…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Have ye suffered so many things in vain? - Paul reminds them of what they had endured on account of their attachment to Christianity. He assures them, that if the opinions on account of which they had suffered were false, then their sufferings had been in vain. They were of no use to them - for what advantage was it to suffer for a false opinion? The opinions for which they had suffered had not been these which they now embraced. They were not those…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Have you suffered so much for nothing? This might mean suffering, but the Galatian church's history does not suggest that. Paul likely referred to the spiritual experiences the Galatians had through the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:3, 5). Depending on the law of Moses for a right relationship with God makes the Spirit's work seem meaningless.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Have ye suffered so many things--namely, persecution from Jews and from unbelieving fellow countrymen, incited by the Jews, at the time of your conversion. in vain--fruitlessly, needlessly, since ye might have avoided them by professing Judaism [Grotius]. Or, shall ye, by falling from grace, lose the reward promised for all your sufferings, so that they shall be "in vain" (Ga 4:11; 1Co 15:2, 17-19, 29-32; 2Th 1:5-7; 2Jo 8)? yet--rather, "If it be…Read the comment
Topics related to Galatians 3:4
In the dictionaries
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
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