Galatians 6:3

Galatians 6:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
• New International Version (NIV)If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Context of Galatians 6:3

1My friends, if you see that someone among you is doing a wrong thing, you must warn that person. Those of you who have help from God's Spirit should tell that person how to live in a good way. But you must be patient and respect him. Be very careful yourselves, so that you do not also want to do wrong things. 2When anyone among you has troubles, you must help each other. If you do that, you will be obeying Christ's rule. You must not think that you are too important to help other people. If you are not really so important, you are thinking a false thought. 4Everyone should think carefully about the things that they themselves do. If those things are good, that is a reason to be proud. A person like that does not need to think about whether he is better than anyone else. 5Each person must live in a way that they know is right for them.

Galatians 6:3 word by word

εἰ γὰρ δοκεῖ τις εἶναί τι μηδὲν ὤν, φρεναπατᾷ ἑαυτόν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• a manτιςtis · oneG5100
• thinkδοκέωdokeō · to thinkG1380
• himself to beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• nothingμηδείςmēdeis mēdemia mēden · nothingG3367
• he deceivethφρεναπατάωphrenapataō · to deceiveG5422
• himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438

Cross-references for Galatians 6:3

• Galatians 2:6The church leaders in Jerusalem did not argue with me. (They were the people who seemed to be the leaders. It does not matter to me whether they were really important people or not. God does not respect some people more than others.) Those leaders did not tell me to change the message that I teach.
• Proverbs 25:14Some people promise things, but they never do anything. Those people are like clouds and wind that do not bring any rain.
• Proverbs 26:12Some men think that they are already wise. A fool is more likely to learn something than they are.
• Luke 18:11The Pharisee stood there by himself. He prayed like this: “Thank you, God, that I am different from all these other people. They are bad people. They rob other people. They have sex with women who are not their wife. Thank you, God, that I am not like this man who takes taxes on behalf of the government.
• Romans 12:3God has been kind to me so that I can serve him. Because of that, I say this to every one of you: Do not think that you are better than you really are. Instead, think about yourself carefully. Decide how much God has helped you to trust him. Then you will know how to serve him well.
• 1 Corinthians 3:18Be careful! Do not think that you are better than you really are. Maybe you think that you are wise, like people today want to be wise. But if you want to become truly wise, be ready for other people to think that you are a fool.
• 1 Corinthians 8:2Some people may think that they know everything. People like that do not know as much as they ought to know.
• 1 Corinthians 13:2I may be able to speak messages from God. I may understand all God's secret things, and know all the facts. I may have great faith so that I trust God enough to move mountains. But I am nothing if I do not love others.
• 2 Corinthians 3:5We know that we cannot do this work by ourselves. We never think that. But God makes us able to do it.
• 2 Corinthians 12:11I am speaking like a proud fool, but you have made me do it. You yourselves should be saying good things about me. I may not be important. But I am as good as those very special apostles.
• 2 Timothy 3:13Bad people like that will become even worse. Some of them will teach a false message and people will believe their lies. Those false teachers even believe their own lies!
• James 1:22But be careful to do what God says in his message. Do not only listen to it. Do not make that mistake!
• 1 John 1:8If we say that we never do any wrong thing, we are deceiving ourselves. Even though we may think it is true, it is a lie.

Commentaries on Galatians 6:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3If a man think himself to be something - i.e. To be a proper Christian man; when he is nothing; being destitute of that charity which beareth, hopeth, and endureth all things. See 1 Corinthians 13:1, etc. Those who suppose themselves to excel all others in piety, understanding, etc., while they are harsh, censorious, and overbearing, prove that they have not the charity that thinketh no evil; and in the sight of God are only as sounding brass and a…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3For if a man think himself to be something … - see Galatians 5:26. This is designed, evidently, to be another reason why we should be kind and tender to those who have erred. It is, that even those who are most confident may fall. They who feel secure, and think it impossible that they should sin, are not safe. They may be wholly deceived, and may be nothing, when they have the highest estimate of themselves. They may themselves fall into sin, and have…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3People with a proud attitude wrongly think they are too important to help those who are weak (see study note on 6:1).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Self-conceit, the chief hindrance to forbearance and sympathy towards our fellow men, must be laid aside. something--possessed of some spiritual pre-eminence, so as to be exempt from the frailty of other men. when he is nothing--The Greek is subjective: "Being, if he would come to himself, and look on the real fact, nothing" [Alford] (Ga 6:2, 6; Ro 12:3; 1Co 8:2). deceiveth himself--literally, "he mentally deceives himself." Compare Jas 1:26…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 6:3

• Hypocrisy
• Pride
• Self-Exaltation
• Self-Examination
• Self-Righteousness

In the dictionaries

• Communicate
• Crucify
• Cutting
• Fault
• Overtake
• Reap
• Rejoicing
• Restore
• Galatians, Epistle to the

Commentaries on Galatians 6

• 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