The Meaning of Galatians 3:12 Explained

Galatians 3:12

KJV: And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

YLT: and the law is not by faith, but -- 'The man who did them shall live in them.'

Darby: but the law is not on the principle of faith; but, He that shall have done these things shall live by them.

ASV: and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them.

Discover Galatians 3:12

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Galatians 3:12?

MEANING: What does Galatians 3:12 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Galatians 3:12 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Galatians 3:12?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the law  is  not  of  faith:  but,  The man  that doeth  them  shall live  in  them. 

What does Galatians 3:12 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Responding to the idea that perhaps both Law and faith are necessary for justification Paul quoted Leviticus 18:5. This verse shows that they are mutually exclusive. They are two entirely different approaches to God. The Law demanded perfect compliance. "Them" refers to the statutes and ordinances of the Mosaic Law.
Law and faith are as different as apples and elephants. The Law requires works, but the gospel calls for faith.

Context Summary

Galatians 3:11-19 - Inheritors Of The Promise
We are not under ceremonial law, as contained in the precepts of Leviticus. Our Savior has perfectly fulfilled them on the behalf of the Jewish people, whom He represented from His birth until His death. The law of ordinances is then abrogated on their behalf; and we Gentiles have never been placed under its thrall. As to the curse that is uttered against every one, whether Jew or Gentile, that offends against the moral code declared in the Ten Commandments at Sinai, our Savior has redeemed us from that by becoming accursed for us. There is nothing for us to do but to trust in His finished work, and to enter upon the same heritage of blessed service as was unfolded to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-13.
The Mosaic dispensation was a parenthesis in God's dealings with man. It was intended to produce conviction of sin. When God's ideal is held up before us, we become conscious of our deformities and our sins, and are driven to Christ. Let us see to it that we are truly united to Him who is the predicted seed of Abraham; for as we stand in Him, we become heirs to all the wealth of promise which is contained in the ancient covenant, made to the father of all who believe. [source]

Chapter Summary: Galatians 3

1  He asks what moved them to leave the faith, and hold onto the law
6  Those who believe are justified,
9  and blessed with Abraham
10  And this he shows by many reasons
15  The purpose of the Law
26  You are sons of God

Greek Commentary for Galatians 3:12

The law is not of faith [ο νομος ουκ εστιν εκ πιστεως]
Law demands complete obedience and rests not on mercy, faith, grace. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Galatians 3:12

Galatians 3:7 They which are of faith [οἱ ἐκ πίστεως]
Ἑκ πίστεως fromor out of faith, is found with the verb to justify (Romans 3:26, Romans 3:30; Romans 5:1): with other verbs, as live (Romans 1:17); eat (Romans 14:23): with the noun δικαιοσύνη righteousness(Romans 1:17; Romans 9:30; Romans 10:6): with other nouns, as promise (Galatians 3:22), law (Galatians 3:12). For parallels to the phrase οἱ ἐκ πίστεως , see Romans 3:26; Romans 4:16; Romans 14:23; Galatians 3:9. It denotes believers as sprung from, or receiving their spiritual condition from that which specially characterizes them. Comp. οἱ ἐξ ἐριθίας theywho are of faction, Romans 2:8; οἱ ἐκ νόμου theywho are of the law, Romans 4:14; ὁ ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας hewho is of the truth, John 18:37. [source]
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done [οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων τῶν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ἃ ἐποιήσαμεν]
Lit. not by works, those namely in righteousness, which we did. The thought is entirely Pauline. Ἑξ ἔργων strictly, out of, in consequence of works. Εν δικαιοσύνῃ inthe sphere of righteousness; as legally righteous men. Comp. Ephesians 2:9. We did emphatic. Comp. Romans 10:5; Galatians 3:10, Galatians 3:12; Galatians 5:3. [source]

What do the individual words in Galatians 3:12 mean?

- And the Law not is of faith rather The [one] having done these things will live by them
ὁ δὲ νόμος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ πίστεως ἀλλ’ Ὁ ποιήσας αὐτὰ ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς

ὁ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ὁ  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
νόμος  the  Law 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: νόμος  
Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command.
πίστεως  faith 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: πίστις  
Sense: conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it.
ἀλλ’  rather 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἀλλά  
Sense: but.
Ὁ  The  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ὁ  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ποιήσας  having  done 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
αὐτὰ  these  things 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Neuter 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ζήσεται  will  live 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ζάω  
Sense: to live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead).

What are the major concepts related to Galatians 3:12?

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Similar Scriptures for Galatians 3:12

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