Galatians 3:12

Galatians 3:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
• New International Version (NIV)The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But the law is not of faith, rather "The one who does them shall live by them."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”

Context of Galatians 3:12

10Certainly, there is a curse on all who rely on their own efforts because Scripture says, “Whoever doesn’t obey everything that is written in Moses’ Teachings is cursed.” 11No one receives God’s approval by obeying the laws in Moses’ Teachings since, “The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.” These laws have nothing to do with faith, but, “Whoever obeys laws will live because he obeys them.” 13Christ paid the price to free us from the curse that the laws in Moses’ Teachings bring by becoming cursed instead of us. Scripture says, “Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed.” 14⌞Christ paid the price⌟ so that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to all the people of the world through Jesus Christ and we would receive the promised Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:12 word by word

ὁ δὲ νόμος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ πίστεως ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ποιήσας αὐτὰ ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• The manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• that doethποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• shall liveζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588

Cross-references for Galatians 3:12

• Romans 4:4When people work, their pay is not regarded as a gift but something they have earned.
• Romans 9:30So what can we say? We can say that non-Jewish people who were not trying to gain God’s approval won his approval, an approval based on faith.
• Romans 10:5Moses writes about receiving God’s approval by following his laws. He says, “The person who obeys these laws will live because he obeys them.”
• Romans 11:6If they were chosen by God’s kindness, they weren’t chosen because of anything they did. Otherwise, God’s kindness wouldn’t be kindness.
• Leviticus 18:5Live by my standards, and obey my rules. You will have life through them. I am the Lord.
• Nehemiah 9:29You warned them in order to bring them back to your teachings, but they became arrogant and would not obey your commandments. They sinned by not following your regulations. If anyone follows them, he will find life in them. But they gave you the cold shoulder, became impossible to deal with, and wouldn’t listen.
• Ezekiel 20:11I gave them my laws and made my rules known to them. If people obey them they will live.
• Matthew 19:17Jesus said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you want to enter into life, obey the commandments.”
• Luke 10:25Then an expert in Moses’ Teachings stood up to test Jesus. He asked, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Commentaries on Galatians 3:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12And the law is not of faith - It promises no forgiveness to believing, but requires obedience. It is not, What do you believe? but, What have you done? The man that doeth them perfectly, at all times, and in all places, he shall live in them; but if in any case he fails, he forfeits his life. See the notes on Romans 1:17, etc.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12And the law is not of faith - The Law is not a matter of faith; it does not relate to faith; it does not require faith; it deals in other matters, and it pertains to another system than to faith. But, The man … - This is the language of the Law, and this is what the Law teaches. It does not make provision for faith, but it requires unwavering and perpetual obedience, if man would obtain life by it; see this passage explained in the notes at Romans 10:5.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-14Verses 6-14 The apostle proves the doctrine he had blamed the Galatians for rejecting; namely, that of justification by faith without the works of the law. This he does from the example of Abraham, whose faith fastened upon the word and promise of God, and upon his believing he was owned and accepted of God as a righteous man. The Scripture is said to foresee, because the Holy Spirit that indited the Scripture did foresee. Through faith in the promise of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12The law itself is not opposed to faith (see 3:19–25; Romans 7:7–13), but trying to be righteous by following the law opposes righteousness by faith in Christ. Paul quotes Leviticus 18:5 to show that life under the law of Moses requires obedience rather than belief. It is impossible to be accepted by God by trying to obey the law of Moses perfectly (Galatians 3:10–11).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. doeth--Many depended on the law although they did not keep it; but without doing, saith Paul, it is of no use to them (Ro 2:13, 17, 23; 10:5).Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 3:12

• Abraham
• Faith
• Obedience
• Quotations and Allusions
• Salvation
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Conclude
• Covenant
• Curse
• Eye
• Ezekiel, Book of
• Flesh
• Foolish
• Habakkuk, Prophecies of
• Redeem
• Schoolmaster

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