The Meaning of Galatians 3:26 Explained

Galatians 3:26

KJV: For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

YLT: for ye are all sons of God through the faith in Christ Jesus,

Darby: for ye are all God's sons by faith in Christ Jesus.

ASV: For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  ye are  all  the children  of God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus. 

What does Galatians 3:26 Mean?

Study Notes

the children
(Greek - παιδαγωγός = sons).
predestinated
Predestination is that effective exercise of the will of God by which things before determined by Him are brought to pass. See Election,
(See Scofield " 1 Peter 1:2 ")
Foreknowledge, (See Scofield " 1 Peter 1:20 ")
adoption
Adoption (huiothesia, "placing as a son") is not so much a word of relationship as of position. The believer's relation to God as a child results from the new birth John 1:12 ; John 1:13 whereas adoption is the act of God whereby one already a child is, through redemption from the law, placed in the position of an adult son. Galatians 4:1-5 .
The indwelling Spirit gives the realization of this in the believer's present experience Galatians 4:6 but the full manifestation of the believer's sonship awaits the resurrection, change, and translation of saints, which is called "the redemption of the body"; Romans 8:23 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 ; Ephesians 1:14 ; 1 John 3:2 .
adoption
Adoption (huiothesia, "placing as a son") is not so much a word of relationship as of position. The believer's relation to God as a child results from the new birth John 1:12 ; John 1:13 whereas adoption is the act of God whereby one already a child is, through redemption from the law, placed in the position of an adult son. Galatians 4:1-5 .
The indwelling Spirit gives the realization of this in the believer's present experience Galatians 4:6 but the full manifestation of the believer's sonship awaits the resurrection, change, and translation of saints, which is called "the redemption of the body"; Romans 8:23 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 ; Ephesians 1:14 ; 1 John 3:2 .

Context Summary

Galatians 3:20-29 - The Law Leads To Christ
The Mosaic law was not designed to be the final code of the religious life, but to prepare the soil of the human heart to receive Jesus Christ in all the fullness of His salvation. It was the tutor of the Hebrew people, to enable them to become the religious teachers of mankind. It could not, therefore, take the place of the great covenant of grace, which had been initiated with Abraham before he had received the rite of circumcision, and when he thus stood for all who believe, whether Jew or Gentile. The mistake of those against whom Paul contended was that they treated as permanent a system which was temporary and parenthetic in its significance.
With many individuals now, as with the Hebrew race, there is often a period in which the conscience is confronted with the holy demands of God's law, which men cannot keep; but when they discover the full grace of God in Christ, they no longer suffer at the hand of the schoolmaster, but become as children in the Father's home. They put on Christ and stand accepted in the Beloved, and understand that they are in unity with all who believe. Theirs are all the promises that were made to Abraham, and as his spiritual children they claim their fulfillment. [source]

Chapter Summary: Galatians 3

1  He asks what moved them to leave the faith, and hold onto the law
6  Those who believe are justified,
9  and blessed with Abraham
10  And this he shows by many reasons
15  The purpose of the Law
26  You are sons of God

Greek Commentary for Galatians 3:26

For ye are all sons of God [παντες γαρ υιοι τεου εστε]
Both Jews and Gentiles (Galatians 3:14) and in the same way “through faith in Christ Jesus” There is no other way to become “sons of God” in the full ethical and spiritual sense that Paul means, not mere physical descendants of Abraham, but “sons of Abraham,” “those by faith” (Galatians 3:7). The Jews are called by Jesus “the sons of the Kingdom” (Matthew 8:12) in privilege, but not in fact. God is the Father of all men as Creator, but the spiritual Father only of those who by faith in Christ Jesus receive “adoption” Those led by the Spirit are sons of God (Romans 8:14). [source]
For ye are all the children of God [πάντες γὰρ υἱοὶ θεοῦ ἐστὲ]
Better, ye are all sons of God. Note 1. The change of person, ye are. Comp. we, our, us, Galatians 3:23, Galatians 3:24, Galatians 3:25. He now addresses the Galatians, who were mostly Gentiles, and includes all Christians, Jewish and Gentile. 2. The emphasis is on sons of God rather than on all; for his object is to show that, after the coming of faith, they are no more under the care of a guardian. Ὑιοὶ signifies sons of full age (comp. Galatians 4:1) who have outgrown the surveillance of the guardian; so that sons is emphasized as against children. Paul describes Christians both as τέκνα θεοῦ childrenof God (Romans 8:16, Romans 8:21; Romans 9:8; Philemon 2:15), and υἱοὶ θεοῦ sonsof God (Romans 8:14, Romans 8:19; Romans 9:26). Both τέκνον and υἱός signify a relation based on parentage. The common distinction between τέκνον as emphasizing natural relationship, and υἱός as marking legal or ethical status, should not be pressed. In lxx both words are applied ethically to Israel as God's beloved people. See Isaiah 30:1; Wisd. 16:21; Joel 2:23; Zechariah 9:13; and Isaiah 63:6; Deuteronomy 14:1; Wisd. 9:7; 12:19. John never uses υἱός to describe the relation of Christians to God; but he attaches both the ethical relation and that of conferred privilege, as well as that of birth, to τέκνον . See John 1:12; 1 John 3:1, 1 John 3:10; John 1:13; John 3:3, John 3:7; 1 John 3:9; 1 John 4:7; 1 John 5:1, 1 John 5:4, 1 John 5:18. Paul often regards the Christian relation from a legal point of view as υἱοθεσία adoptiona word used only by him. See Romans 8:14, Romans 8:17, we have both υἱοὶ and τέκνα , and both in the ethical sense. In Romans 9:8; Ephesians 5:1, the ethical sense. 3. In Christ Jesus. Const. with faith. The article before πίστεως faithmay point back to the faith previously mentioned, or may have, as so often, a possessive force, your faith. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Galatians 3:26

Matthew 1:1 The Son [υἱός]
The word τέκνον (child ) is often used interchangeably with υἱός (son )but is never applied to Christ. (For τέκνον , see on 1 John 3:1.) While in τέκνον there is commonly implied the passive or dependent relation of the children to the parents, υἱός fixes the thought on the person himself rather than on the dependence upon his parents. It suggests individuality rather than descent; or, if descent, mainly to bring out the fact that the son was worthy of his parent. Hence the word marks the filial relation as carrying with it privilege, dignity, and freedom, and is, therefore, the only appropriate term to express Christ's sonship. (See John 1:18; John 3:16; Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:13, Colossians 1:15.) Through Christ the dignity of sons is bestowed on believers, so that the same word is appropriate to Christians, sons of God. (See Romans 8:14; Romans 9:26; Galatians 3:26; Galatians 4:5, Galatians 4:6, Galatians 4:7.) [source]
Matthew 1:1 Jesus Christ []
. Both words are used. The first is the name It was used often in the Septuagint as an adjective like “the anointed priest” (1 Kings 2:10) and then as a substantive to translate the Hebrew word “Messiah” So Andrew said to Simon: “We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, Christ” (John 1:41). In the Gospels it is sometimes “the Anointed One,” “the Messiah,” but finally just a proper name as here, Jesus Christ. Paul in his later Epistles usually has it “Christ Jesus.”The Son of David, the son of Abraham (υιου Δαυειδ υιου Αβρααμ — huiou Daueid huiou Abraam). Matthew proposes to show that Jesus Christ is on the human side the son of David, as the Messiah was to be, and the son of Abraham, not merely a real Jew and the heir of the promises, but the promise made to Abraham. So Matthew begins his line with Abraham while Luke traces his line back to Adam. The Hebrew and Aramaic often used the word son (βην — bēn) for the quality or character, but here the idea is descent. Christians are called sons of God because Christ has bestowed this dignity upon us (Romans 8:14; Romans 9:26; Galatians 3:26; Galatians 4:5-7). Matthew 1:1 is the description of the list in verses 2-17. The names are given in three groups, Abraham to David (Matthew 1:2-6), David to Babylon Removal (Matthew 1:6-11), Jechoniah to Jesus (Matthew 1:12-16). The removal to Babylon (μετοικεσιας αβυλωνος — metoikesias Babulōnos) occurs at the end of Matthew 1:11, the beginning of Matthew 1:12, and twice in the resume in Matthew 1:17. This great event is used to mark off the two last divisions from each other. It is a good illustration of the genitive as the case of genus or kind. The Babylon removal could mean either to Babylon or from Babylon or, indeed, the removal of Babylon. But the readers would know the facts from the Old Testament, the removal of the Jews to Babylon. Then Matthew 1:17 makes a summary of the three lists, fourteen in each by counting David twice and omitting several, a sort of mnemonic device that is common enough. Matthew does not mean to say that there were only fourteen in actual genealogy. The names of the women (Thamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba the wife of Uriah) are likewise not counted. But it is a most interesting list. [source]
Mark 11:22 Have faith in God [εχετε πιστιν τεου]
Objective genitive τεου — theou as in Galatians 3:26; Romans 3:22, Romans 3:26. That was the lesson for the disciples from the curse on the fig tree so promptly fulfilled. See this point explained by Jesus in Matthew 21:21 which see for “this mountain” also. [source]
John 1:12 As many as received him [οσοι ελαβον αυτον]
Effective aorist active indicative of λαμβανω — lambanō “as many as did receive him,” in contrast with οι ιδιοι — hoi idioi just before, exceptional action on the part of the disciples and other believers. To them Dative case explanatory of the relative clause preceding, an anacoluthon common in John 27 times as against 21 in the Synoptists. This is a common Aramaic idiom and is urged by Burney (Aramaic Origin, etc., p. 64) for his theory of an Aramaic original of the Fourth Gospel. The right In John 5:27 εδωκεν — edōken (first aorist active indicative of διδωμι — didōmi) εχουσιαν — exousian means authority but includes power Here it is more the notion of privilege or right. To become Second aorist middle of γινομαι — ginomai to become what they were not before. Children of God In the full spiritual sense, not as mere offspring of God true of all men (Acts 17:28). Paul‘s phrase υιοι τεου — huioi theou (Galatians 3:26) for believers, used also by Jesus of the pure in heart (Matthew 5:9), does not occur in John‘s Gospel (but in Revelation 21:7). It is possible that John prefers τα τεκνα του τεου — ta tekna tou theou for the spiritual children of God whether Jew or Gentile (John 11:52) because of the community of nature But one cannot follow Westcott in insisting on “adoption” as Paul‘s reason for the use of υιοι — huioi since Jesus uses υιοι τεου — huioi theou in Matthew 5:9. Clearly the idea of regeneration is involved here as in John 3:3. Even to them that believe No “even” in the Greek, merely explanatory apposition with αυτοις — autois dative case of the articular present active participle of πιστευω — pisteuō On his name Bernard notes πιστευω εις — pisteuō eis 35 times in John, to put trust in or on. See also John 2:23 and John 3:36 for πιστευω εις το ονομα αυτου — pisteuō eis to onoma autou This common use of ονομα — onoma for the person is an Aramaism, but it occurs also in the vernacular papyri and εις το ονομα — eis to onoma is particularly common in the payment of debts (Moulton and Milligan‘s Vocabulary). See Acts 1:15 for ονοματα — onomata for persons. [source]
Romans 4:5 Believeth on Him [πιστεύοντι ἐπὶ τὸν]
The verb πιστεύω tobelieve is used in the New Testament as follows: 1. Transitively, with the accusative and dative: to entrust something to one, Luke 16:11; John 2:24. In the passive, to be entrusted with something, Romans 3:2; 1 Corinthians 9:17; Galatians 2:7. With the simple accusative, to believe a thing, John 11:26; 1 John 4:16. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
2. With the infinitive, Acts 15:11. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
3. With ὅτι that Matthew 9:28; Mark 11:24; James 2:19. Especially frequent in John: John 4:21; John 11:27, John 11:42; John 13:19; John 14:10, John 14:11; John 16:27, John 16:30, etc. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
4. With the simple dative, meaning to believe a person or thing, that they are true or speak the truth, John 2:22; John 4:21; John 5:46. See on John 1:12; see on John 2:22, John 2:23; see on John 8:31; see on John 10:37. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
5. With the preposition ἐν inNot frequent, and questioned in some of the passages cited for illustration. In John 3:15, ἐν αὐτῷ inHim, is probably to be construed with have eternal life. The formula occurs nowhere else in John. In Mark 1:15we find πιστεύετε ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ believein the gospel. The kindred noun πίστις faithoccurs in this combination. Thus Galatians 3:26, though some join in Christ Jesus with sons. See also Ephesians 1:15; Colossians 1:4; 1 Timothy 3:13; 2 Timothy 3:15; Romans 3:25. This preposition indicates the sphere in which faith moves, rather than the object to which it is directed, though instances occur in the Septuagint where it plainly indicates the direction of faith, Psalm 78:22; Jeremiah 12:6. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
6. With the preposition ἐπί uponon to, unto. a. With the accusative, Romans 4:5; Acts 9:42; Acts 11:17; Acts 16:31; Acts 22:19. The preposition carries the idea of mental direction with a view to resting upon, which latter idea is conveyed by the same preposition. b. With the dative, 1 Timothy 1:16; Luke 24:25; compare Romans 9:33; Romans 10:11; 1 Peter 2:6. The dative expresses absolute superposition. Christ as the object of faith, is the basis on which faith rests. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
7. With the preposition εἰς into Matthew 18:6; John 2:11; Acts 19:4; Romans 10:14; Galatians 2:16; Philemon 1:29, etc. The preposition conveys the idea of the absolute transference of trust from one's self to another. Literally the phrase means to believe into. See on John 1:12; see on John 2:23; see on John 9:35; see on John 12:44.Is counted for righteousness ( λογίζεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην )Rev., is reckoned. See on Romans 4:3. The preposition εἰς has the force of as, not the telic meaning with a view to, or in order that he may be (righteous); nor strictly, in the place of righteousness. Faith is not a substitute for righteousness, since righteousness is involved in faith. When a man is reckoned righteous through faith, it is not a legal fiction. He is not indeed a perfect man, but God does not reckon something which has no real existence. Faith is the germ of righteousness, of life in God. God recognizes no true life apart from holiness, and “he that believeth on the Son hath life.” He is not merely regarded in the law's eye as living. God accepts the germ, not in place of the fruit, but as containing the fruit. “Abraham believed God … . No soul comes into such a relation of trust without having God's investment upon it; and whatever there may be in God's righteousness - love, truth, sacrifice - will be rightfully imputed or counted to be in it, because, being united to Him, it will have them coming over derivatively from Him” (Bushnell). The idea of logical sequence is inherent in λογίζεται isreckoned - the sequence of character upon faith. Where there is faith there is, logically, righteousness, and the righteousness is from faith unto faith (Romans 1:17). Nevertheless, in the highest development of the righteousness of faith, it will remain true that the man is justified, not by the works of righteousness, which are the fruit of faith, but by the faith which, in making him a partaker of the life and righteousness of God, generates and inspires the works. Observe that the believer's own faith is reckoned as righteousness. “In no passage in Paul's writings or in other parts of the New Testament, where the phrase to reckon for or the verb to reckon alone is used, is there a declaration that anything belonging to one person is imputed, accounted, or reckoned to another, or a formal statement that Christ's righteousness is imputed to believers” (President Dwight, “Notes on Meyer”). -DIVIDER-
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[source]

Galatians 4:19 My little children [τεκνία μου]
Only here in Paul, but often in John. See John 13:33; 1 John 2:1, 1 John 2:12, 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:7, 1 John 3:18, etc. See on Galatians 3:26. [source]
1 Timothy 1:14 Abounded exceedingly [υπερεπλεονασεν]
Aorist active indicative of the late and rare (So 1 Timothy 5:19 and in Herond.) compound υπερπλεοναζω — huperpleonazō (here alone in N.T.), in later ecclesiastical writers. The simplex πλεοναζω — pleonazō Paul used in Romans 5:20; Romans 6:1 and the kindred υπερεπερισσευσεν — hupereperisseusen used also with η χαρις — hē charis Paul is fond of compounds with υπερ — huper For “faith in Christ Jesus” see note on Galatians 3:26, for “faith and love in Christ Jesus” as here, see 2 Timothy 1:13. [source]
1 Timothy 3:13 A good standing [βατμον καλον]
Late word from βαινω — bainō in lxx for steps at a door (1 Samuel 5:5). In plural the steps of a stair. In the inscriptions it means a good foothold or standing. The ecclesiastical writers (Theodoret) take it to be a higher grade or rank, but it is doubtful if Paul means that here. Much boldness (πολλην παρρησιαν — pollēn parrēsian). A Pauline phrase (2 Corinthians 3:12; 2 Corinthians 7:4; Philemon 1:20). In the faith which is in Christ Jesus Pauline phrase again (Acts 26:18; Galatians 3:26; Colossians 1:4; Ephesians 1:15; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Timothy 3:15). [source]
1 Timothy 3:13 In the faith which is in Christ Jesus [εν πιστει τηι εν Χριστωι Ιησου]
Pauline phrase again (Acts 26:18; Galatians 3:26; Colossians 1:4; Ephesians 1:15; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Timothy 3:15). [source]

What do the individual words in Galatians 3:26 mean?

All for sons of God you are through - faith in Christ Jesus
Πάντες γὰρ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ ἐστε διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ

υἱοὶ  sons 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ἐστε  you  are 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
διὰ  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
τῆς  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πίστεως  faith 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: πίστις  
Sense: conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it.
Χριστῷ  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
Ἰησοῦ  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.