Galatians 2 20

Galatians 2:20 kjv

I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 nkjv

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 niv

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 esv

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 nlt

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2 verses

Galatians 2 20 Meaning

Galatians 2:20 profoundly expresses the essence of Christian identity and living. It declares that through union with Christ, a believer's old self has been crucified with Him, leading to a new life where Christ Himself lives within them. The life now lived in the physical body is empowered and directed by faith in the Son of God, who personally loved the believer and gave Himself sacrificially for them. This verse highlights the radical transformation from self-centered living to a Christ-centered existence, emphasizing justification by faith alone and the indwelling Spirit of Christ as the source of true spiritual life.

Galatians 2 20 Context

Galatians 2:20 appears within Paul's fervent defense of the gospel of grace against those who advocated for justification by works of the Law. Chapter 2 describes Paul's visit to Jerusalem, his confrontation with Peter over Judaizing practices that compromised the truth of the gospel, and his robust affirmation that salvation comes through faith in Christ, not by adherence to Mosaic Law. Verses 15-21 serve as a crucial exposition on justification by faith. Paul explains that even Jewish believers (like himself and Peter) recognized their inability to be justified by law and instead believed in Christ. Verse 19 (which immediately precedes 2:20) states, "For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God." This sets the stage for the personal declaration in verse 20, demonstrating the profound transformative effect of this "death to the law"—it is a death with Christ, leading to Christ's indwelling life, powered by faith. The verse functions as a pinnacle of Paul's theological argument, describing the personal experience and identity shift that results from accepting justification by faith. It is a polemic against reliance on human effort or external adherence to law for righteousness.

Galatians 2 20 Word analysis

• I have been crucified:

  • Egō synestauromai (Greek: ἐγὼ συνεσταύρωμαι). The "I" (egō) emphasizes Paul's personal experience.
  • Synestauromai is a perfect passive indicative verb, meaning "I have been co-crucified" or "I have been crucified with."
  • Significance: The perfect tense indicates a completed past action with ongoing, permanent results. It is a decisive, irreversible event, not a continuous process. The passive voice implies that this crucifixion was something done to Paul, not something he accomplished on his own, pointing to Christ's work on the cross as the cause.
  • Context: This isn't literal physical crucifixion but spiritual identification with Christ's death. It signifies a radical break from the old self, the flesh, and the Law's demands as a means of righteousness.

• with Christ:

  • Union: This phrase emphasizes the believer's intimate union (en Christō) with Christ, meaning the crucifixion is not a solitary event but participation in Christ's historical death.
  • Significance: Our death to sin and the Law is actualized in Christ. This union is the basis for the new life.

• it is no longer I who live:

  • Negation: The Greek ouketi egō zō (οὐκέτι ἐγὼ ζῶ) highlights a complete cessation of the former self as the governing principle of life.
  • Significance: The self-centered life, driven by legalism, sin, or ego, is abolished. This is not self-annihilation but the dethroning of the ego. It underscores the concept of "death to self."

• but Christ lives in me:

  • Indwelling: Christos de zē en emoi (Χριστὸς δὲ ζῇ ἐν ἐμοί) signifies the active presence and empowering life of Christ within the believer.
  • Significance: This is the heart of the new life. The vacancy created by the "crucified I" is filled by Christ. It is a mystical union where Christ's very life becomes the believer's life source, enabling righteousness and obedience from within. It points to the indwelling Holy Spirit as the means by which Christ resides in the believer.

• And the life which I now live in the flesh:

  • Present reality: Ho de nyn zō en sarki (ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί) refers to the current, temporal, physical existence in the human body and the world.
  • Significance: This acknowledges the paradox: while the "old I" is crucified, the believer still physically exists in this world, enduring temptations and physical limitations. The spiritual reality of Christ's indwelling interacts with daily human existence.

• I live by faith:

  • Means of life: en pistei (ἐν πίστει). This genitive case implies "by means of faith" or "in the sphere of faith."
  • Significance: Faith is not just a belief system but the operative principle for the Christian life. It's a continuous reliance and dependence on Christ, not a one-time event. This contrasts sharply with living "by works of the law" (Gal 2:16). It signifies that the empowered life comes not from inherent strength but from unwavering trust in Christ.

• in the Son of God:

  • Object of faith: This specifies the exclusive focus of the faith. It's not generic belief but faith directed specifically at Jesus, recognized in His divine person.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the supreme identity and divine nature of Jesus, reinforcing that salvation and empowered life come solely through Him as God's divine revelation and sacrifice.

• who loved me:

  • Personal love: ho agapēsas me (ὁ ἀγαπήσας με). The aorist participle emphasizes a decisive act of love. Agapao (ἀγαπάω) denotes divine, unconditional, self-sacrificial love. The me is deeply personal.
  • Significance: The foundation of the entire transformation is Christ's personal, electing, and redeeming love for this individual (Paul, and by extension, every believer). It highlights that the relationship with Christ is rooted in His initiative of love.

• and gave Himself for me:

  • Sacrifice: kai paradous heauton hyper emou (καὶ παραδοὺς ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ). "Gave himself up" speaks of voluntary, substitutionary atonement. Hyper (ὑπέρ) means "on behalf of," or "in the place of."
  • Significance: This phrase underscores the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. His self-giving sacrifice is the ultimate demonstration of His love and the ground for justification and the new life. It connects the "crucifixion with Christ" to the historical event of the cross and its personal application.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me."

  • This phrase articulates the profound exchange and spiritual identification. The crucifixion with Christ (indicative) means the end of the "old I" (negative assertion) and the beginning of Christ's life as the driving force (positive assertion). It represents the definitive shift from self-governance to Christ-governance. It highlights a substitutionary identity: the individual's sinful, fallen self dies, and the divine, resurrected life of Christ takes its place as the living principle.

• "And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God."

  • This group addresses the practical reality of living out the "Christ lives in me" principle. It acknowledges the ongoing human experience ("in the flesh") but asserts that this earthly existence is now radically redefined and empowered "by faith." The source and object of this faith is "the Son of God," signifying divine power and focus. This shows that the Christian life is not passive surrender but active reliance on Christ for every step, merging the spiritual truth with daily physical reality.

• "who loved me and gave Himself for me."

  • This final clause provides the motivation and foundation for the entire transformation. It anchors the spiritual realities described in the previous phrases (crucifixion, Christ's indwelling, life by faith) in the historical, redemptive acts of Christ. The emphasis on "loved me" and "gave Himself for me" makes the profound theological truths intimately personal and highlights the atoning, substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as the ultimate expression of divine love. It means the Christian's identity is found not in personal achievement but in being the object of Christ's infinite love and sacrifice.

Galatians 2 20 Bonus section

The "I" that is crucified is not the essence of the human person created in God's image, but the self-reliant, self-willed, sinful "flesh" (Gal 5:24) or "old man" (Rom 6:6) that operates independently of God. This old self is dead to the Law as a means of justification, no longer attempting to earn righteousness but having already received it through Christ's death. The perfect tense of "have been crucified" (synestauromai) signifies that this event is not a goal to be attained but a finished work, a decisive act that has already occurred at the point of conversion. This indicates an ontological change—a change in being or identity—at the heart of the believer. The Christian life, therefore, is not about "trying harder" to live for God, but rather about allowing Christ, who already lives within, to express His life and will through the yielded vessel. This theological concept is often called "mystical union" or "union with Christ," stressing that salvation is not merely forensic (justification) but also transformative (sanctification). It highlights the unity between Christ and the believer in death, resurrection, and ongoing life.

Galatians 2 20 Commentary

Galatians 2:20 stands as a foundational statement regarding Christian identity, transformation, and daily living. It succinctly summarizes the core evangelical truth that a believer's old, fallen nature dies with Christ on the cross, making way for Christ's resurrection life to be lived through them. This is not merely a change in behavior, but a change in the source of life itself. The active power of the believer ceases, and the indwelling Christ becomes the animating principle. This new life, though lived "in the flesh" (in the physical world with its limitations and struggles), is maintained and energized "by faith" – a continuous, active reliance on Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The profound and personal love of Christ, demonstrated by His willing sacrifice, is the ultimate wellspring for this radical new existence. Therefore, Christian living is not about striving to imitate Christ, but allowing Christ to live through us, fueled by gratitude for His perfect, atoning love and empowered by unwavering trust in Him. This truth sets the Christian free from legalism and self-effort, compelling a life of joyful surrender to the indwelling Savior.

• Examples:
  • A former legalist understands that genuine good works now flow not from striving to earn favor, but as an outflow of Christ's life within, enabling spontaneous obedience out of love.
  • When faced with temptation, a believer understands it's not their own willpower but Christ in them who empowers resistance and pursues holiness.
  • Facing suffering, they rest not in their own strength, but in Christ's sustaining presence, knowing their life is "hidden with Christ in God."