Galatians 3 · Verse 11

Galatians 3:11

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Galatians 3:11, King James Version

Galatians 3:11 in other translations

BSB	Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
WEB	Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.”
ASV	Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith;
YLT	and that in law no one is declared righteous with God, is evident, because ‘The righteous by faith shall live;'
DARBY	but that by law no one is justified with God is evident, because The just shall live on the principle of faith;
BBE	Now that no man gets righteousness by the law in the eyes of God, is clear; because, The upright will be living by faith.
Webster	But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

What does Galatians 3:11 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

11. by the law--Greek, "IN the law." Both in and by are included. The syllogism in this verse and Ga 3:12, is, according to Scripture, "The just shall live by faith." But the law is not of faith, but of doing, or works (that is, does not make faith, but works, the conditional ground of justifying). Therefore "in," or "by the law, no man is justified before God" (whatever the case may be before men, Ro 4:2)--not even if he could, which he cannot, keep the law, because the Scripture element and conditional mean of justification is faith. The just shall live by faith--(Ro 1:17; Ha 2:4). Not as Bengel and Alford, "He who is just by faith shall live." The Greek supports English Version. Also the contrast is between "live by faith" (namely, as the ground and source of his justification), and "live in them," namely, in his doings or works (Ga 3:12), as the conditional element wherein he is justified.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 11. But that no man is justified, etc. The argument which Paul has been pursuing he proceeds to confirm by an express declaration of the Bible. The argument is this: "It is impossible that a man should be justified by the law, because God has appointed another way of justification." But there cannot be two ways of obtaining life; and as he has appointed faith as the condition on which men shall live, he has precluded from them the possibility of obtaining salvation in any other mode.

For, The just shall live by faith. This is quoted from Hab 2:4. This passage is also quoted by Paul in Rom 1:17. Rom 1:17. The sense here is, that life is promised to man only in connexion with faith. It is not by the works of the law that it is done. The condition of life is faith; and he lives who believes. The meaning is not, I apprehend, that the man who is justified by faith shall live; but that life is promised and exists only in connexion with faith, and that the just or righteous man obtains it only in this way. Of course it cannot be obtained by the observance of the law, but must be by some other scheme.

(a) "just shall live" Hab 2:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 11 But that no man is justified by the law - By the observance of the law, suppose he had even continued in all things that are written in it to do them, is evident; for the Prophet Habakkuk, Hab 2:4, has declared, under the direct influence of the Spirit of God, The just shall live by faith; or, he who is just by faith shall live: therefore this justification comes not by works, or the observance of the law, but by faith.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 3:6-14

The apostle proves the doctrine he had blamed the Galatians for rejecting; namely, that of justification by faith without the works of the law. This he does from the example of Abraham, whose faith fastened upon the word and promise of God, and upon his believing he was owned and accepted of God as a righteous man. The Scripture is said to foresee, because the Holy Spirit that indited the Scripture did foresee…

Read the full comment on Galatians 3:6-14 →

Galatians 3:11 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὅτιhotiforG3754

δὲdenowG1161

ἐνenbyG1722

νόμῳnomō[the] lawG3551

οὐδεὶςoudeisno [one]G3762

δικαιοῦταιdikaioutaiis justifiedG1344

παρὰparabeforeG3844

τῷtō<the>G3588

θεῷtheōGodG2316

δῆλον,dēlon[is] evident,G1212

ὅτιhotibecauseG3754

ὁhoTheG3588

δίκαιοςdikaiosrighteousG1342

ἐκekbyG1537

πίστεωςpisteōsfaithG4102

ζήσεται·zēsetaiwill live;G2198

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Galatians 3:11

Habakkuk 2:4
Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
Romans 1:17
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Hebrews 10:38
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Ecclesiastes 7:20
For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Psalms 130:3-4
If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Revelation 5:9
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Job 42:6
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
1 John 1:8-10
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Psalms 19:12
Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

that.
2:16; 1Ki 8:46; Job 9:3; 40:4; 42:6; Ps 19:12; 130:3,4; 143:2; Ec 7:20
Isa 6:5; 53:6; 64:6; Jas 3:2; 1Jo 1:8-10; Re 5:9; 7:14,15
The just.
Hab 2:4; Ro 1:17; Heb 10:38

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Galatians 3:10
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Galatians 3:11
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Galatians 3:12
And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

Read all of Galatians 3

Galatians 3:11 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas por cuanto por la ley ninguno se justifica para con Dios, queda manifiesto: Que el justo por la fe vivirá.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Or que par la loi personne ne soit justifié devant Dieu, cela est évident, parce que: « Le juste vivra de foi ».
German Elberfelder 1871	Daß aber durch Gesetz niemand vor Gott gerechtfertigt wird, ist offenbar, denn "der Gerechte wird aus Glauben leben".
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quoniam autem in lege nemo justificatur apud Deum, manifestum est: quia justus ex fide vivit.