Galatians 2:21

Galatians 2:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
• New International Version (NIV)I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
• New Living Translation (NLT)I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

Context of Galatians 2:21

19For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. 20I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Galatians 2:21 word by word

οὐκ ἀθετῶ τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ· εἰ γὰρ διὰ νόμου δικαιοσύνη, ἄρα Χριστὸς δωρεὰν ἀπέθανεν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I doἀθετέωatheteō · to rejectG114
• notοὐou · noG3756
• the graceὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the graceχάριςcharis · graceG5485
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• thenἄραara · thereforeG686
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• is deadἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
• in vainδωρεάνdōrean · freelyG1432

Cross-references for Galatians 2:21

• Galatians 2:18For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
• Psalms 33:10The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
• Mark 7:9He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
• Romans 8:31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
• Galatians 2:16knowing 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.
• Galatians 3:21Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
• Galatians 5:2Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.
• Romans 10:3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
• Romans 11:6And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
• Hebrews 7:11Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?
• Isaiah 49:4Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, And my work with my God.’ ”
• Jeremiah 8:8“How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the law of the Lord is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.
• 1 Corinthians 15:2by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

Commentaries on Galatians 2:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21I do not frustrate - · I do not contemn, despise, or render useless, the grace of God - the doctrine of Christ crucified; which I must do if I preach the necessity of observing the law. For if righteousness - If justification and salvation come by an observance of the law, then Christ is dead in vain; his death is useless if an observance of the law can save us; but no observance of the law can save us, and therefore there was an absolute necessity for…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God - The word rendered “frustrate” ( ̓͂ athetō) means properly to displace, abrogate, abolish; then to make void, to render null; Mark 7:9; Luke 7:30; 1 Corinthians 1:19. The phrase “the grace of God,” here refers to the favor of God manifested in the plan of salvation by the gospel, and is another name for the gospel. The sense is, that Paul would not take any measures or pursue any course that would render that vain or…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-21Verses 20-21 Here, in his own person, the apostle describes the spiritual or hidden life of a believer. The old man is crucified, Ro 6:6, but the new man is living; sin is mortified, and grace is quickened. He has the comforts and the triumphs of grace; yet that grace is not from himself, but from another. Believers see themselves living in a state of dependence on Christ. Hence it is, that though he lives in the flesh, yet he does not live after the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Paul's opponents in Galatia might have argued that his message made God's grace to Israel meaningless because it was connected to the law (see Romans 3:12, 31). However, it was actually Paul’s opponents who made God's grace meaningless by denying the need for Christ's death.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. I do not frustrate the grace of God--I do not make it void, as thou, Peter, art doing by Judaizing. for--justifying the strong expression "frustrate," or "make void." is dead in vain--Greek, "Christ died needlessly," or "without just cause." Christ's having died, shows that the law has no power to justify us; for if the law can justify or make us righteous, the death of Christ is superfluous [Chrysostom].Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 2:21

• Justification
• Suffering
• Works

In the dictionaries

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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