Galatians 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 

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

"I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."

I am not one of those who treats the grace of God as meaningless. For if we could be saved by keeping the law, then there was no need for Christ to die.

I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.

I do not make the grace of God of no effect: because if righteousness is through the law, then Christ was put to death for nothing.

I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

"I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."

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

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

² tn Or “justification.”

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