Galatians 2 21

Galatians 2:21 kjv

I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Galatians 2:21 nkjv

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

Galatians 2:21 niv

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

Galatians 2:21 esv

I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Galatians 2:21 nlt

I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

Galatians 2 verses

Galatians 2 21 Meaning

Galatians 2:21 is a powerful assertion of the central doctrine of justification by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, contrasting it sharply with the idea of obtaining righteousness through adherence to the Mosaic Law. Paul states his firm refusal to invalidate God's unmerited favor. He then presents a logical and profound theological consequence: if it were possible for humanity to achieve a righteous standing before God by keeping the Law, then the atoning death of Christ would have been rendered unnecessary, effectively making His sacrifice purposeless and futile. This verse underscores the absolute necessity and singular sufficiency of Christ's work for salvation and righteous standing.

Galatians 2 21 Context

Galatians 2:21 concludes a significant section in Paul’s letter, immediately following his account of confronting Peter in Antioch (Gal 2:11-20). The entire letter to the Galatians serves as Paul's passionate and vigorous defense of the true gospel – justification by faith in Christ alone, apart from works of the Mosaic Law, including circumcision. This specific verse summarizes his argument that merging Christ's salvific work with adherence to the Law compromises the core message of Christianity. Paul's challenge to Peter concerned Peter's inconsistent behavior, where he separated himself from Gentile believers after Jewish Christians arrived, indicating a perceived superiority of law-keeping. Paul declared that by living like Gentiles, Peter implicitly acknowledged the Law’s inability to justify. Thus, the argument in Galatians 2:21 is a climactic statement against legalism, highlighting the grave implication for Christ's sacrifice if righteousness could be gained otherwise. The polemic is direct: relying on the Law negates Christ's saving act.

Galatians 2 21 Word analysis

• I do not set aside (ἀθετῶ - athetō): This Greek verb means "to nullify," "to make void," "to reject," or "to disannul." It conveys a strong sense of rendering something without force or validity. Paul emphasizes his firm rejection of any teaching that would undermine or invalidate the divine plan of salvation through grace. It reflects his conviction that doing so would be an act of spiritual negligence or even rebellion against God's wisdom.
• the grace of God (τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ - tēn charin tou Theou): "Grace" (χάρις - charis) denotes God's unmerited favor, undeserved kindness, and divine benevolence shown to humanity, particularly in salvation. It is God’s free, loving initiative, not contingent on human worth or effort. Paul argues fiercely that this grace, as the sole source of righteousness, must not be treated as something deficient or discardable.
• for if righteousness (εἰ γὰρ δικαιοσύνη - ei gar dikaiosynē): "For if" introduces a logical premise. "Righteousness" (δικαιοσύνη - dikaiosynē) refers to the state of being declared or accounted as righteous, in right standing with God. It’s the forensic declaration of acquittal and acceptance before a holy God. This is the crucial aspect of salvation being debated: how one achieves it.
• comes through the law (διὰ νόμου - dia nomou): "Through" (διά - dia) indicates the means or channel. "Law" (νόμος - nomos) here specifically refers to the Mosaic Law given to Israel, encompassing its commandments, statutes, and ordinances. The phrase points to the idea of gaining right standing with God by performing works commanded by the Law.
• then Christ died (ἄρα Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν - ara Christos apethanen): "Then" (ἄρα - ara) signifies a logical consequence, "therefore," "in that case." It draws the inescapable conclusion. "Christ died" (ἀπέθανεν - apethanen, aorist active indicative of ἀποθνήσκω - apothnēskō) refers to Jesus Christ's literal, substitutionary death on the cross, the historical and central event of the Christian faith.
• in vain (δωρεάν - dōrean): This adverb means "for nothing," "without cause," "gratuitously," "to no purpose," "for naught." It highlights the ultimate futility. If human effort through the Law could achieve righteousness, Christ's supreme sacrifice, intended to bridge the chasm between God and humanity by atoning for sin, would be entirely redundant and purposeless.

Words-Group analysis:

• "I do not set aside the grace of God": This phrase asserts Paul's resolute stand against any compromise on the doctrine of grace. It means he refuses to nullify or diminish the unmerited favor of God, which he understands as the exclusive means of salvation. To "set aside" grace would be to declare it insufficient or irrelevant, implying that humanity needs something more or other than grace for salvation.
• "for if righteousness comes through the law": This forms the crucial hypothetical premise. Paul is tackling the proposition that one can achieve a right standing with God through obedience to the Mosaic Law. This was the teaching of the "Judaizers," who insisted that Gentile believers needed to follow Jewish customs (like circumcision) to be truly saved or accepted by God. Paul contends that this fundamentally misunderstands God's path to righteousness.
• "then Christ died in vain": This is the devastating logical conclusion drawn from the hypothetical premise. If law-keeping could make someone righteous, then Christ's death was not essential; His supreme act of self-sacrifice would be rendered pointless, redundant, and without any ultimate meaning for salvation. This strong statement underlines the mutual exclusivity: either salvation is by grace through Christ's death, or it's by the Law, but it cannot be both, and the former makes the latter nullify Christ's work.

Galatians 2 21 Bonus section

• This verse stands as a key theological axiom within Pauline theology, establishing the absolute supremacy and exclusivity of God's grace in Christ for justification. It's not merely a practical recommendation but a foundational truth.
• The phrase "Christ died in vain" (δωρεάν) is not a light statement. It imputes worthlessness or absence of necessity to the most pivotal event in redemptive history, which underscores the extreme gravity Paul attached to distorting the gospel of grace.
• Paul consistently combats any form of salvation that is per works (earning by merit) as opposed to of works (the fruit or evidence of a transformed life by grace). Galatians 2:21 clearly targets the per works mindset.
• The argument flows directly from the Old Testament failures of the Law to give life (cf. Ps 143:2) and points forward to the new covenant wherein righteousness is imputed through faith.

Galatians 2 21 Commentary

Galatians 2:21 functions as a stark and unyielding summary of Paul's argument throughout Galatians. It unequivocally states that there are only two paths to righteousness, and they are mutually exclusive. To embrace one is to deny the other. If human works or adherence to a legal code could secure righteousness, then the unique and singular purpose of Christ’s atoning death is completely undermined. His suffering and crucifixion, which fulfilled divine justice and provided reconciliation, would be stripped of their supreme necessity.

The verse is a forceful warning against any admixture of grace and law for salvation. Adding works of the Law, or any human effort, to Christ’s completed work implies His sacrifice was somehow deficient or incomplete. It fundamentally misunderstands the nature of grace (unearned favor) and righteousness (God’s gracious declaration) and cheapens the cost of Christ's atonement. Paul vehemently rejected this hybrid approach because it effectively renders Christ’s death a useless tragedy instead of the triumph of God’s redemptive love. The implication for practical Christian living is that we must continually trust in Christ's work alone for our standing with God, not our performance, piety, or achievements. For instance, believers seeking assurance not from Christ's completed work but from their own adherence to a list of spiritual disciplines or rules fall into the error of effectively "dying Christ in vain" within their own walk. True faith rests wholly on the finished work of the cross.