Focused Passage

Galatians 6:11-18

Boasting Only in the Cross: Spirit-Shaped Community and New Creation

Paul moves from Spirit-shaped restoration and mutual burden-bearing, to sober sowing-and-reaping exhortation, to perseverance in doing good, and finally to a closing contrast between fleshly boasting in circumcision and Paul's boast only in the cross and new creation.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

11See what large letters I am using to write to you with my own hand!

12Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.

13For the circumcised do not even keep the law themselves, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.

14But as for me, may I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

15For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation.

16Peace and mercy to all who walk by this rule, even to the Israel of God.

17From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 11

Original words

SeeἼδετεG3708Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural[what] largeπηλίκοιςG4080Adjective - Dative Neuter PlurallettersγράμμασινG1121Noun - Dative Neuter PluralI am using to writeἔγραψαG1125Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singularto youὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person PluralwithτῇG3588Article - Dative Feminine Singularmy ownἐμῇG1699Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 1st Person SingularhandχειρίG5495Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Verse 12

Original words

Those whoὍσοιG3745Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine PluralwantθέλουσινG2309Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Pluralto make a good impressionεὐπροσωπῆσαιG2146Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActivevvvἐνG1722PrepositionoutwardlyσαρκίG4561Noun - Dative Feminine Singular-οὗτοιG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Pluralare trying to compelἀναγκάζουσινG315Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralyouὑμᾶςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Pluralto be circumcisedπεριτέμνεσθαιG4059Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive[They] only [ do this ]μόνονG3440AdverbtoἵναG2443ConjunctionavoidμὴG3361AdverbpersecutionδιώκωνταιG1377Verb - Present Subjunctive Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Pluralfor theτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularcrossσταυρῷG4716Noun - Dative Masculine Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singularof ChristΧριστοῦG5547Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 13

Original words

ForγὰρG1063ConjunctiontheοἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluralcircumcisedπεριτεμνόμενοιG4059Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural{do} not evenοὐδὲG3761AdverbkeepφυλάσσουσινG5442Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural[the] lawνόμονG3551Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularthemselvesαὐτοὶG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person PluralyetἀλλὰG235Conjunctionthey wantθέλουσινG2309Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralyouὑμᾶςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Pluralto be circumcisedπεριτέμνεσθαιG4059Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or PassivethatἵναG2443Conjunctionthey may boastκαυχήσωνταιG2744Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person PluralinἐνG1722PrepositionyourὑμετέρᾳG5212Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Feminine 2nd Person Plural-τῇG3588Article - Dative Feminine SingularfleshσαρκὶG4561Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Verse 14

Original words

ButδὲG1161Conjunctionas for meἘμοὶG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person SingularmayγένοιτοG1096Verb - Aorist Optative Middle - 3rd Person Singular{I} neverμὴG3361AdverbboastκαυχᾶσθαιG2744Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or PassiveexceptεἰG1487Conjunction. . .μὴG3361AdverbinἐνG1722PrepositiontheτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularcrossσταυρῷG4716Noun - Dative Masculine Singularof ourἡμῶνG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularLordΚυρίουG2962Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularJesusἸησοῦG2424Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularChristΧριστοῦG5547Noun - Genitive Masculine Singularthroughδι’G1223PrepositionwhichοὗG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular[the] worldκόσμοςG2889Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularhas been crucifiedἐσταύρωταιG4717Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singularto meἐμοὶG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singularand IκἀγὼG2504Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular[to the] worldκόσμῳG2889Noun - Dative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Or through whom
Verse 15

Original words

ForγὰρG1063ConjunctionneitherοὔτεG3777ConjunctioncircumcisionπεριτομήG4061Noun - Nominative Feminine SingularnorοὔτεG3777ConjunctionuncircumcisionἀκροβυστίαG203Noun - Nominative Feminine SingularmeansἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularanythingτίG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular[What counts is]ἀλλὰG235Conjunctiona newκαινὴG2537Adjective - Nominative Feminine SingularcreationκτίσιςG2937Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Verse 16

Original words

-ΚαὶG2532ConjunctionPeaceεἰρήνηG1515Noun - Nominative Feminine SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionmercyἔλεοςG1656Noun - Nominative Neuter Singulartoἐπ’G1909Preposition-αὐτοὺςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person PluralallὅσοιG3745Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine PluralwhoτῷG3588Article - Dative Masculine SingularwalkστοιχήσουσινG4748Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Pluralby thisτούτῳG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Masculine SingularruleκανόνιG2583Noun - Dative Masculine SingularevenκαὶG2532ConjunctiontoἐπὶG1909PrepositiontheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularIsraelἸσραὴλG2474Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singularof GodΘεοῦG2316Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 17

Original words

-ΤοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter SingularFrom now onλοιποῦG3064Adjective - Genitive Neuter Singular{let} no oneμηδεὶςG3367Adjective - Nominative Masculine SingularcauseπαρεχέτωG3930Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person SingularmeμοιG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person SingulartroubleκόπουςG2873Noun - Accusative Masculine PluralforγὰρG1063ConjunctionIἐγὼG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person SingularbearβαστάζωG941Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularonἐνG1722PrepositionmyμουG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular-τῷG3588Article - Dative Neuter SingularbodyσώματίG4983Noun - Dative Neuter SingulartheτὰG3588Article - Accusative Neuter PluralmarksστίγματαG4742Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine Singularof JesusἸησοῦG2424Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 18

Original words

TheG3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingulargraceχάριςG5485Noun - Nominative Feminine Singularof ourἡμῶνG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Masculine SingularLordΚυρίουG2962Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularJesusἸησοῦG2424Noun - Genitive Masculine SingularChristΧριστοῦG5547Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular[be] withμετὰG3326PrepositionyourὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural-τοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter SingularspiritπνεύματοςG4151Noun - Genitive Neuter SingularbrothersἀδελφοίG80Noun - Vocative Masculine PluralAmenἈμήνG281Hebrew Word

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.