New Living Translation
Galatians 6:4
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.
Galatians 6:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
- New International Version (NIV)Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,
- English Standard Version (ESV)But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Context of Galatians 6:4
2Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Pay 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. 6Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.
Read all of Galatians 6Galatians 6:4 word by word
τὸ δὲ ἔργον ἑαυτοῦ δοκιμαζέτω ἕκαστος, καὶ τότε εἰς ἑαυτὸν μόνον τὸ καύχημα ἕξει καὶ οὐκ εἰς τὸν ἕτερον·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- letδοκιμάζωdokimazō · to testG1381
- every manἕκαστοςhekastos · eachG1538
- his ownἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- workἔργονergon · workG2041
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- thenτότεtote · thenG5119
- shall he haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- rejoicingκαύχημαkauchēma · prideG2745
- inεἰςeis · towardG1519
- aloneμόνοςmonos · aloneG3441
- notοὐou · noG3756
- anotherἕτεροςheteros · otherG2087
Cross-references for Galatians 6:4
- Job 13:15God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am going to argue my case with him.
- Psalms 26:2Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.
- 1 Corinthians 11:28That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.
- 2 Corinthians 13:5Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.
- Proverbs 14:14Backsliders get what they deserve; good people receive their reward.
- 1 Corinthians 4:3As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.
- 1 John 3:19Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.
- Galatians 6:13And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.
- 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!
- 1 Corinthians 1:12Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:21So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you—
- 1 Corinthians 4:6Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I’ve been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another.
- 2 Corinthians 11:12But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours.
Commentaries on Galatians 6:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Prove his own work - Let him examine himself and his conduct by the words and example of Christ; and if he find that they bear this touchstone, then he shall have rejoicing in himself alone, feeling that he resembles his Lord and Master, and not in another - not derive his consolation from comparing himself with another who may be weaker, or less instructed than himself. The only rule for a Christian is the word of Christ; the only pattern for his…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4But let every man prove - That is, try or examine in a proper manner. Let him form a proper estimate of what is due to himself, according to his real character. Let him compare himself with the word of God, and the infallible rule which he has given, and by which we are to be judged in the last great day; compare the Romans 12:3 note; 1 Corinthians 11:28 note; 2 Corinthians 13:5 note. His own work - What he does. Let him form a fair and impartial estimate…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4We should not think we are better than others. Instead, we should focus on our own actions and make sure we follow Christ in everything (see 1 Corinthians 3:12–15).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. his own work--not merely his own opinion of himself. have rejoicing in himself alone--Translate, "Have his (matter for) glorying in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another (namely, not in regard to his neighbor, by comparing himself with whom, he has fancied he has matter for boasting as that neighbor's superior)." Not that really a man by looking to "himself alone" is likely to find cause for glorying in himself. Nay, in Ga 6:5, he…Read the comment
Topics related to Galatians 6:4
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries