New Living Translation
Galatians 6:3
3If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
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
1Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. 4Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5For we are each responsible for our own conduct.
Read all of Galatians 6Galatians 6:3 word by word
εἰ γὰρ δοκεῖ τις εἶναί τι μηδὲν ὤν, φρεναπατᾷ ἑαυτόν·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Galatians 6:3
- Galatians 2:6And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.)
- Proverbs 25:14A person who promises a gift but doesn’t give it is like clouds and wind that bring no rain.
- Proverbs 26:12There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.
- Luke 18:11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!
- Romans 12:3Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.
- 1 Corinthians 8:2Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.
- 1 Corinthians 13:2If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.
- 2 Corinthians 3:5It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.
- 2 Corinthians 12:11You have made me act like a fool. You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these “super apostles,” even though I am nothing at all.
- 2 Timothy 3:13But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.
- James 1:22But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
- 1 John 1:8If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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