Galatians 3 · Verse 12

Galatians 3:12

And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Galatians 3:12, King James Version

Galatians 3:12 in other translations

BSBThe law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”
WEBThe law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live by them.”
ASVand the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them.
YLTand the law is not by faith, but--‘The man who did them shall live in them.'
DARBYbut the law is not on the principle of faith; but, He that shall have done these things shall live by them.
BBEAnd the law is not of faith; but, He who does them will have life by them.
WebsterAnd the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live by them.

What does Galatians 3:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. doeth--Many depended on the law although they did not keep it; but without doing, saith Paul, it is of no use to them (Ro 2:13, 17, 23; 10:5).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 12. And the law is not of faith. The law is not a matter of faith; it does not relate to faith; it does not require faith; it deals in other matters, and it pertains to another system than to faith.

But, The man, etc. This is the language of the law, and this is what the law teaches. It does not make provision for faith, but it requires unwavering and perpetual obedience, if man would obtain life by it. See this passage explained Rom 10:5

(b) "law is not of faith" Rom 10:5,6 (c) "The man that" Lev 18:5, Eze 20:11 (*) "live in them" "by"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 And the law is not of faith - It promises no forgiveness to believing, but requires obedience. It is not, What do you believe? but, What have you done? The man that doeth them perfectly, at all times, and in all places, he shall live in them; but if in any case he fails, he forfeits his life. See the notes on Rom 1:17, etc.

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 3:12 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.

ὁho<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
νόμοςnomosthe LawG3551
οὐκouknotG3756
ἔστινestinisG1510
ἐκekofG1537
πίστεωςpisteōsfaithG4102
ἀλλ᾽all᾽ratherG235
ὁhoThe [one]G3588
ποιήσαςpoiēsashaving doneG4160
αὐτὰautathese thingsG846
ἄνθρωποςanthrōposmanG444
ζήσεταιzēsetaiwill liveG2198
ἐνenbyG1722
αὐτοῖς.¶autoisthem.G846

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

Cross references for Galatians 3:12

  • Leviticus 18:5

    Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord.

  • Romans 10:5-6

    For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

  • Nehemiah 9:29

    And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

  • Romans 4:14

    For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

  • Luke 10:25-28

    And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

  • Romans 4:16

    Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

  • Ezekiel 20:11

    And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.

  • Romans 4:4-5

    Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

  • Romans 9:30-32

    What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

  • Romans 11:6

    And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

  • Matthew 19:17

    And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

  • Ezekiel 20:13

    But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the law.
Ro 4:4,5,14,16; 9:30-32; 10:5,6; 11:6
The man.
Le 18:5; Ne 9:29; Eze 20:11,13; Mt 19:17; Lu 10:25-28; Ro 10:5,6

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Galatians 3:13

    Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Read all of Galatians 3

Galatians 3:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
La ley también no es de la fe; sino, El hombre que los hiciere, vivirá en ellos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Mais la loi n’est pas sur le principe de la foi, mais: « Celui qui aura fait ces choses vivra par elles ».
German
Elberfelder 1871
Das Gesetz aber ist nicht aus Glauben, sondern: "Wer diese Dinge getan hat, wird durch sie leben".
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Lex autem non est ex fide, sed: Qui fecerit ea, vivet in illis.