Galatians 6 · Verse 2

Galatians 6:2

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2, King James Version

Galatians 6:2 in other translations

BSBCarry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
WEBBear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
ASVBear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
YLTof one another the burdens bear ye, and so fill up the law of the Christ,
DARBYBear one another's burdens, and thus fulfil the law of the Christ.
BBETake on yourselves one another's troubles, and so keep the law of Christ.
WebsterBear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

What does Galatians 6:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. If ye, legalists, must "bear burdens," then instead of legal burdens (Mt 23:4), "bear one another's burdens," literally, "weights." Distinguished by Bengel from "burden," Ga 6:4 (a different Greek word, "load"): "weights" exceed the strength of those under them; "burden" is proportioned to the strength. so fulfil--or as other old manuscripts read, "so ye will fulfil," Greek, "fill up," "thoroughly fulfil." the law of Christ--namely, "love" (Ga 5:14). Since ye desire "the law," then fulfil the law of Christ, which is not made up of various minute observances, but whose sole "burden" is "love" (Joh 13:34; 15:12); Ro 15:3 gives Christ as the example in the particular duty here.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 2. Bear ye one another's burdens. Rom 15:1. Bear with each other; help each other in the Divine life. The sense is, that every man has peculiar temptations and easily besetting sins, which constitute a heavy burden. We should aid each other in regard to these, and help one another to overcome them.

And so fulfil the law of Christ. The peculiar law of Christ, requiring us to love one another. Jn 13:34. This was the distinguishing law of the Redeemer; and they could in no way better fulfil it than by aiding each other in the Divine life. The law of Christ would not allow us to reproach the offender, or to taunt him, or to rejoice in his fall. We should help him to take up his load of infirmities, and sustain him by our counsels, our exhortations, and our prayers. Christians, conscious of their infirmities, have a right to the sympathy and the prayers of their brethren. They should not be east off to a cold and heartless world; a world rejoicing over their fall, and ready to brand them as hypocrites. They should be pressed to the warm bosom of brotherly kindness; and prayer should be made to ascend without ceasing around an erring and a fallen brother. Is this the case in regard to all who bear the Christian name?

(a) "Bear ye" Rom 15:1

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 Bear ye one another's burdens - Have sympathy; feel for each other; and consider the case of a distressed brother as your own. And so fulfill the law of Christ - That law or commandment, Ye shall love one another; or that, Do unto all men as ye would they should do unto you. We should be as indulgent to the infirmities of others, as we can be consistently with truth and righteousness: our brother's infirmity may be his burden; and if we do not choose to help him to bear it, let us not reproach him because he is obliged to carry the load.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 6:1-5

We are to bear one another's burdens. So we shall fulfil the law of Christ. This obliges to mutual forbearance and compassion towards each other, agreeably to his example. It becomes us to bear one another's burdens, as fellow-travellers. It is very common for a man to look upon himself as wiser and better than other men, and as fit to dictate to them. Such a one deceives himself; by pretending to what he has not…

Read the full comment on Galatians 6:1-5 →

Galatians 6:2 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.

ἀλλήλωνallēlōnOne another’sG240
τὰta<the>G3588
βάρηbarēburdensG922
βαστάζετεbastazetedo bear youG941
καὶkaiandG2532
οὕτωςhoutōsthusG3779
ἀναπληρώσετεanaplērōseteyou will fulfillG378
τὸνtontheG3588
νόμονnomonlawG3551
τοῦtou<the>G3588
Χριστοῦ.Christouof Christ.G5547

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

Cross references for Galatians 6:2

  • Romans 15:1

    We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:14

    Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

  • John 13:34

    A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

  • 1 John 4:21

    And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

  • John 15:12

    This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

  • James 2:8

    If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

  • Galatians 5:13-14

    For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

  • John 13:14-15

    If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

  • Exodus 23:5

    If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.

  • 1 John 2:8-11

    Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

  • 1 Peter 2:24

    Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

  • Matthew 8:17

    That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Bear.
5; 5:13,14; Ex 23:5; Nu 11:11,12; De 1:12; Isa 58:6
Mt 8:17; 11:29,30; Lu 11:46; Ro 15:1; 1Th 5:14; 1Pe 2:24
the law.
Joh 13:14,15,34; 15:12; 1Co 9:21; Jas 2:8; 1Jo 2:8-11; 4:21

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

Context

  • Galatians 6:1

    Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

  • Galatians 6:2

    Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

  • Galatians 6:3

    For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

Read all of Galatians 6

Galatians 6:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Sobrellevad los unos las cargas de los otros; y cumplid así la ley de Cristo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Portez les charges les uns des autres, et ainsi accomplissez la loi du Christ;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Einer trage des anderen Lasten, und also erfüllet das Gesetz des Christus.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Alter alterius onera portate, et sic adimplebitis legem Christi.