Galatians 5:4
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Galatians 5:4 in other translations
| BSB | You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. |
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| WEB | You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace. |
| ASV | Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace. |
| YLT | ye were freed from the Christ, ye who in law are declared righteous; from the grace ye fell away; |
| DARBY | Ye are deprived of all profit from the Christ as separated from him, as many as are justified by law; ye have fallen from grace. |
| BBE | You are cut off from Christ, you who would have righteousness by the law; you are turned away from grace. |
| Webster | Christ is become of no effect to you, whoever of you are justified by the law; ye have fallen from grace. |
What does Galatians 5:4 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
Whosoever of you are justified by the law. On the supposition that any of you are justified by the law; or if, as you seem to suppose, any are justified by the law. The apostle does not say that this had in fact ever occurred; but he merely makes a supposition. If such a thing should or could occur, it would follow that you had fallen from grace.
Ye are fallen from grace. That is, this would mount to apostasy from the religion of the Redeemer, and would be in fact a rejection of the grace of the gospel. That this had ever in fact occurred among true Christians the apostle does not affirm, unless he affirmed that men can in fact be justified by the law, since he makes the falling from grace a consequence of that. But did Paul mean to teach that? Did he mean to affirm that any man in fact had been, or could be, justified by his own obedience to the law? Let his own writings answer. See especially Rom 3:20. But unless he held that, then this passage does not prove that any one who has ever been a true Christian has fallen away. The fair interpretation of the passage does not demand that. Its simple and obvious meaning is, that if a man who had been a professed Christian should be justified by his own conformity to the law, and adopt that mode of justification, then that would amount to a rejection of the mode of salvation by Christ, and would be a renouncing of the plan of justification by grace. The two systems cannot be united. The adoption of the one is, in fact, a rejection of the other. Christ will be "a whole Saviour," or none. This passage, therefore, cannot be adduced to prove that any true Christian has in fact fallen away from grace, unless it proves also that man may be justified by the deeds of the law, contrary to the repeated declarations of Paul himself. The word "grace," here, does not mean grace in the sense of personal religion; it means the system of salvation by grace, in contradistinction from that by merit or by works--the system of the gospel.
(a) "no effect" Rom 9:31,32 (b) "fallen from grace" Heb 12:15
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 5:1-6
And to walk in the Spirit, and not to fulfil the lusts of the flesh: the works of both are described. (16-26) Verses 1-6 Christ will not be the Saviour of any who will not own and rely upon him as their only Saviour. Let us take heed to the warnings and persuasions of the apostle to stedfastness in the doctrine and liberty of the gospel. All true Christians, being taught by the Holy Spirit, wait for eternal life…
Galatians 5:4 in the original Greek
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Cross references for Galatians 5:4
- 2 Peter 2:20-22
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
- Romans 9:31-32
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.
- Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
- Hebrews 12:15
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
- Romans 3:20
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
- 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.
- Galatians 5:2
Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
- Revelation 2:5
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
- Hebrews 6:4-6
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
- Galatians 1:6-9
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
- Romans 10:3-5
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Galatians 5:3
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
- Galatians 5:4
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
- Galatians 5:5
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Galatians 5:4 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Vacíos sois de Cristo los que por la ley os justificáis; de la gracia habéis caído. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Vous vous êtes séparés de tout le bénéfice qu’il y a dans le Christ, vous tous qui vous justifiez par la loi; vous êtes déchus de la grâce. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Ihr seid abgetrennt von dem Christus, so viele ihr im Gesetz gerechtfertigt werdet; ihr seid aus der Gnade gefallen. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Evacuati estis a Christo, qui in lege justificamini: a gratia excidistis. |