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

10But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” 11So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.” 13But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy 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 wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.
• Romans 9:30What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place.
• Romans 10:5For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.
• Romans 11:6And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.
• Leviticus 18:5If you obey my decrees and my regulations, you will find life through them. I am the Lord.
• Nehemiah 9:29“You warned them to return to your Law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed your commands. They did not follow your regulations, by which people will find life if only they obey. They stubbornly turned their backs on you and refused to listen.
• Ezekiel 20:11There I gave them my decrees and regulations so they could find life by keeping them.
• Matthew 19:17“Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.”
• Luke 10:25One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should 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