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Galatians 2:17-21
New Living Translation
Galatians 2:17-21
New Living Translation
17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ.[a] It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.
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- 2:20 Some English translations put this sentence in verse 19.
Galatians 2:17-21
New King James Version
Galatians 2:17-21
New King James Version
17 “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found (A)sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I (B)through the law (C)died to the law that I might (D)live to God. 20 I have been (E)crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh (F)I live by faith in the Son of God, (G)who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for (H)if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died [a]in vain.”
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- Galatians 2:21 for nothing
Galatians 2:17-21
Christian Standard Bible
Galatians 2:17-21
Christian Standard Bible
17 But if we ourselves are also found to be “sinners” while seeking to be justified by Christ,(A) is Christ then a promoter[a](B) of sin? Absolutely not!(C) 18 If I rebuild(D) those things that I tore down, I show myself to be a lawbreaker.(E) 19 For through the law I died to the law,(F) so that I might live for God.(G) 20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.(H) The life I now live in the body,[b] I live by faith in the Son of God,(I) who loved(J) me(K) and gave himself(L) for me.(M) 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law,(N) then Christ died(O) for nothing.
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Galatians 2:17-21
New International Version
Galatians 2:17-21
New International Version
17 “But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners,(A) doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!(B) 18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.
19 “For through the law I died to the law(C) so that I might live for God.(D) 20 I have been crucified with Christ(E) and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.(F) The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,(G) who loved me(H) and gave himself for me.(I) 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law,(J) Christ died for nothing!”[a]
Footnotes
- Galatians 2:21 Some interpreters end the quotation after verse 14.
Galatians 2:17-21
The Voice
Galatians 2:17-21
The Voice
17 Even though we are seeking a right relationship with God through the Anointed, the fact is we have been found out. We are sinners. But does that mean the Anointed is the one responsible for our sins? Absolutely not! 18 If I reconstruct something I have worked so hard to destroy, then I prove myself a sinner.
So why all this personal history? Paul thinks it is useful because the people preaching the false gospel in Galatia claim to be operating under the authority of some of the followers of Jesus from Jerusalem, the mother church. Paul doesn’t have their pedigree and, according to them, doesn’t deserve the rank he claims as the emissary to the nations. They say that not only is Paul deficient, but his message is, too, because it doesn’t bring outsiders to follow the law. So Paul goes toe-to-toe with them, defending not only his call but also his message. The good news he preaches comes directly from the risen Jesus and is confirmed by the Jerusalem leaders.
19 The law has provided the means to end my dependence on it for righteousness, and so I died to the law. Now I have found the freedom to truly live for God. 20 I have been crucified with the Anointed One—I am no longer alive—but the Anointed is living in me; and whatever life I have left in this failing body I live by the faithfulness of God’s Son, the One who loves me and gave His body on the cross for me. 21 I can’t dismiss God’s grace, and I won’t. If being right with God depends on how we measure up to the law, then the Anointed’s sacrifice on the cross was the most tragic waste in all of history!
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New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Voice (VOICE)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.