Bible Strands
Galatians 2:21
I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Galatian congregations to defend his gospel message against advocates who insisted on Mosaic law observance for salvation.
The words — ἀθετῶ (athetō) translates literally as "I set aside" or "reject," and χάριν (charin) means "grace."
The thread — This argument runs alongside Romans 11:6 on grace excluding works, Galatians 3:21 on the law versus righteousness, and Hebrews 7:11 on the insufficiency of the Levitical priesthood.
Why it lands — The text states that deriving righteousness from the law renders Christ's death pointless and nullifies God's grace. This requires a reader to reject legal self-justification and accept the gospel as a finished work.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Cross-references
- Romans 11:6 And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.
- Galatians 3:21 Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law.
- Hebrews 7:11 Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear—one in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron?
- 1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith.
- Galatians 2:16 know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
- Galatians 5:2 Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all.
- Isaiah 49:4 But I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent My strength in futility and vanity; yet My vindication is with the LORD, and My reward is with My God.”
- Romans 10:3 Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
- 1 Corinthians 15:2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
- Mark 7:9 He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition.