Galatians 2:17

2:17 But if while seeking to be justified in Christ we ourselves have also been found to be sinners, is Christ then one who encourages ¹  sin? Absolutely not!

Galatians 2:21--3:1

2:21 I do not set aside ²  God’s grace, because if righteousness ³  could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing! ⁴ 

Justification by Law or by Faith?

3:1 You ⁵  foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell ⁶  on you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed ⁷  as crucified!

Galatians 5:1-2

Freedom of the Believer

5:1 For freedom ⁸  Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke ⁹  of slavery. 5:2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all!

[2:17]  ¹ tn Or “does Christ serve the interests of sin?”; or “is Christ an agent for sin?” See BDAG 230-31 s.v. διάκονος 2.

[2:21]  ² tn Or “I do not declare invalid,” “I do not nullify.”

[2:21]  ³ tn Or “justification.”

[2:21]  ⁴ tn Or “without cause,” “for no purpose.”

[3:1]  ³ tn Grk “O” (an interjection used both in address and emotion). In context the following section is highly charged emotionally.

[3:1]  ⁴ tn Or “deceived”; the verb βασκαίνω (baskainw) can be understood literally here in the sense of bewitching by black magic, but could also be understood figuratively to refer to an act of deception (see L&N 53.98 and 88.159).

[3:1]  ⁵ tn Or “publicly placarded,” “set forth in a public proclamation” (BDAG 867 s.v. προγράφω 2).

[5:1]  ⁴ tn Translating the dative as “For freedom” shows the purpose for Christ setting us free; however, it is also possible to take the phrase in the sense of means or instrument (“with [or by] freedom”), referring to the freedom mentioned in 4:31 and implied throughout the letter.

[5:1]  ⁵ sn Here the yoke figuratively represents the burdensome nature of slavery.