Galatians 2:21

2:21 I do not set aside ¹  God’s grace, because if righteousness ²  could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing! ³ 

Galatians 3:18

3:18 For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise, but God graciously gave ⁴  it to Abraham through the promise.

Galatians 4:7

4:7 So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are ⁵  a son, then you are also an heir through God. ⁶ 

Galatians 4:23

4:23 But one, the son by the slave woman, was born by natural descent, ⁷  while the other, the son by the free woman, was born through the promise.

Galatians 5:6

5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love. ⁸ 

Galatians 5:13

Practice Love

5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; ⁹  only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, ¹⁰  but through love serve one another. ¹¹ 

Galatians 6:14

6:14 But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which ¹²  the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

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¹ tn Or “I do not declare invalid,” “I do not nullify.”

² tn Or “justification.”

³ tn Or “without cause,” “for no purpose.”

⁴ tn On the translation “graciously gave” for χαρίζομαι (carizomai) see L&N 57.102.

⁵ tn Grk “and if a son, then also an heir.” The words “you are” have been supplied twice to clarify the statement.

⁶ tc The unusual expression διὰ θεοῦ (dia qeou, “through God”) certainly prompted scribes to alter it to more customary or theologically acceptable ones such as διὰ θεόν (dia qeon, “because of God”; F G 1881 pc), διὰ Χριστοῦ (dia Cristou, “through Christ”; 81 630 pc sa), διὰ ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (dia Ihsou Cristou, “through Jesus Christ”; 1739^c), θεοῦ διὰ Χριστοῦ (“[an heir] of God through Christ”; א² C³ D [P] 0278 [6 326 1505] Ï ar sy), or κληρονόμος μὲν θεοῦ, συγκληρονόμος δὲ Χριστοῦ (klhronomo" men qeou, sugklhronomo" de Cristou, “an heir of God, and fellow-heir with Christ”; Ψ pc [cf. Rom 8:17]). Although it is unusual for Paul to speak of God as an intermediate agent, it is not unprecedented (cf. Gal 1:1; 1 Cor 1:9). Nevertheless, Gal 4:7 is the most direct statement to this effect. Further testimony on behalf of διὰ θεοῦ is to be found in external evidence: The witnesses with this phrase are among the most important in the NT (Ì⁴⁶ א* A B C* 33 1739*^vid lat bo Cl).

⁷ tn Grk “born according to the flesh”; BDAG 916 s.v. σάρξ 4 has “Of natural descent τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκός children by natural descent Ro 9:8 (opp. τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας). ὁ μὲν ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης κατὰ σάρκα γεγέννηται Gal 4:23; cp. vs. 29.”

⁸ tn Grk “but faith working through love.”

⁹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.

¹⁰ tn Grk “as an opportunity for the flesh”; BDAG 915 s.v. σάρξ 2.c.α states: “In Paul’s thought esp., all parts of the body constitute a totality known as σ. or flesh, which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh is, all forms of sin are likew. present, and no good thing can live in the σάρξ…Gal 5:13, 24;…Opp. τὸ πνεῦμα…Gal 3:3; 5:16, 17ab; 6:8ab.”

¹¹ tn It is possible that the verb δουλεύετε (douleuete) should be translated “serve one another in a humble manner” here, referring to the way in which slaves serve their masters (see L&N 35.27).

¹² tn Or perhaps, “through whom,” referring to the Lord Jesus Christ rather than the cross.