Galatians 3:4

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

2This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain? 5So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 6Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

Galatians 3:4 word by word

τοσαῦτα ἐπάθετε εἰκῇ; εἴ γε καὶ εἰκῇ.¶Read the interlinear

• sufferπάσχωpaschō pathō penthō · to sufferG3958
• soτοσοῦτοςtosoutos · so greatG5118
• in vainεἰκῇeikē · in vainG1500
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• indeedγέge · indeedG1065
• indeedκαίkai · andG2532

Cross-references for Galatians 3:4

• Ezekiel 18:24“But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.
• Hebrews 6:4For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
• Hebrews 10:32But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings,
• 2 Peter 2:20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
• 2 John 1:8Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, 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

• Faith
• Salvation
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Conclude
• Curse
• Eye
• Flesh
• Foolish
• Redeem
• Schoolmaster
• Shut
• Accommodation
• Galatians, Epistle to the

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