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Purpose To persuade the gentile (or non-Jewish) Christians in Galatia that it is unnecessary to be circumcised or adopt other practices from Jewish law to be part of God’s people. Paul was opposed by certain Jewish Christians who argued that circumcision was necessary for non-Jewish Christians
Author Paul
Date Likely AD 48 or 49, just prior to the Jerusalem council
Setting Written after a group of Jewish Christians had infiltrated the Galatian church communities, teaching on the necessity of practicing circumcision (the removal of the foreskin of the male reproductive organ, which was a sign of Israel's special relationship with God)

Overview Article

Is a person saved by faith alone, or by a combination of faith plus works? Paul’s letter to the Galatians proclaims that salvation is through faith alone. It also emphasizes freedom in Christ to live by the power of the Spirit, knowing that our relationship with God is not based on our performance but on the finished work of Jesus Christ. So we are truly free, not to serve our sinful nature, but to love and serve our Lord and others.

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Key People, Places, and Terms

People 15

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Places 8

Key Terms 89

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Themes

Circumcision 7 Many ancient cultures practiced circumcision, the removal of the male foreskin (see Jeremiah 9:25–26 ). God chose circumcision as a sign of a covenant (special agreement) that focuses on descendants. God promised to m... Circumcision in the New Testament 7 Circumcision, which is the removal of the male foreskin, was common in the ancient Near East (see Jeremiah 9:25–26 ). For Jews, it held religious importance as a sign of the covenant (special agreement) God made with... The Law and the Spirit 6 A common question many Christians ask is whether Christians need to follow Old Testament laws to spiritually grow in their faith. Does obeying God's law help Christians become more holy? When the Christians in Galatia... God’s Covenant with Abraham 6 God started a relationship with Abraham before making a formal covenant (agreement) with him ( Genesis 12:1–9 ; 15 ). God started the relationship with Abraham by speaking to him in a vision. God promised that the eld... The Limitations of Law 5 The law was central to God's special agreement (the covenant) with the people of Israel. Many Jews in the apostle Paul's time, including Jewish Christians, still considered it as essential for living. Therefore, Paul... Righteousness by Faith 5 A key question in the early church was whether gentiles (non-Jewish people) who accepted the good news about Jesus needed to follow Jewish rules (including circumcision) to become part of God's family. For the apostle... Faith and Good Deeds 4 Jesus did not teach that we are saved by doing good things ("works"). Instead, he taught that we need to be changed on the inside. This change (or conversion) happens when God works in us through his grace. When God c... The Holy Spirit’s Work 4 Different New Testament writers emphasized various aspects of the Holy Spirit's work. The apostle John, for example, emphasized the Spirit's role as a teacher and revealer of God's thoughts and ways ( John 14:17 , 26...
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The Grace of God 3 Grace is an important word in the Bible. It shows God's kindness and favor. It is often related to how he saves those who do not deserve it. The New Testament emphasizes that grace came through Jesus Christ ( John 1:1... Holiness by Relationship 3 Holiness refers to God's transcendent nature and moral purity ( Leviticus 10:3 ). God is completely set apart from everything else. God is pure, perfect, and greater than all. But we are limited creatures who sin. So... Jews and Gentiles (Non-Jews) 3 A key theme of the New Testament is that God has included non-Jewish people (called gentiles) in his people while keeping his promises to Israel. In Romans 11:11–32 , the apostle Paul explains God's plan to save all n... The Old Life and the New Life 3 When people become Christians, they unite with Jesus and share in his death and resurrection. Their old life, marked by sin, ends with Jesus. They start a new life through his power within them (see Romans 6:3–14 ). G... Loving Others 3 Jesus said that loving your neighbor is the second most important commandment in the Old Testament ( Mark 12:31 ). The command to love sums up the entire Old Testament law ( Matthew 22:40 ; compare 7:12 ; 9:9–13 ; 12:... Angels 2 In the Bible, angels are God's messengers who carry out his plans and tell his will to humans ( Genesis 16:7–12 ; Numbers 22:22–34 ; Judges 13:3–21 ; 2 Kings 1:3 , 15 ; Zechariah 1:4–12 ). The Hebrew Old Testament and... Biblical Law 2 Biblical law is more than lists of rules. It is a system of what God expects about belief and behavior. If people follow it faithfully, they will receive God's greatest blessings. Keeping the law is essential for life... By Faith 2 Faith is a key theme in Scripture, but many misunderstand it. Some think faith means any kind of spirituality, like saying someone is a "person of faith." Others think it means a strong belief that good things will ha... God’s Covenants 2 The word "covenant" (from the Hebrew word berith ) means "bond." A covenant is a binding relationship based on a commitment that includes promises and duties. The covenant relationship requires faithfulness and enable... God’s Unified Plan of Salvation 2 God reveals his plan for salvation throughout Scripture. It is a key theme in the letter to the Romans. In Romans 3:21 , the apostle Paul emphasizes two important points about being "made right" with God through Jesus... Our Advocate 2 In the Gospel of John, the Greek word paraklētos refers to the Holy Spirit. This word literally means "called alongside" and describes him as "Advocate" ( John 14:16 , 26 ; 15:26 ; 16:7 ). This term appears in other G... Retribution 2 God gave humans the task of having children and taking care of the world ( Genesis 1:28 ). Yet, as the population increased, so did spiritual evil, violence, and murder ( 4:8 , 23 ; 6:5 , 11–13 ). This led to a corrup...

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Letter to the Galatians →
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Outline

Use of the Old Testament in Galatians

13 quotations from 6 Old Testament books

Total quotations 13
Connected books 6
Most-connected book Genesis 6

All References

Galatians OT Passage Compare
Galatians 2:16 Psalm 143:2
Compare
OT Text
  • Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You.
NT Text
  • no one will be justified
Galatians 3:6 Genesis 15:6
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OT Text
  • Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
NT Text
  • Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness
Galatians 3:8 Genesis 12:3
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OT Text
  • I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
NT Text
  • All nations will be blessed through you
Galatians 3:8 Genesis 18:18
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OT Text
  • Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
NT Text
  • All nations will be blessed through you
Galatians 3:8 Genesis 22:18
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OT Text
  • And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
NT Text
  • All nations will be blessed through you
Galatians 3:10 Deuteronomy 27:26
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OT Text
  • ‘Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
NT Text
  • under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law
Galatians 3:11 Habakkuk 2:4
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OT Text
  • Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright — but the righteous will live by faith —
NT Text
  • The righteous will live by faith
Galatians 3:12 Leviticus 18:5
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OT Text
  • Keep My statutes and My judgments, for the man who does these things will live by them. I am the LORD.
NT Text
  • The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them
Galatians 3:13 Deuteronomy 21:23
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OT Text
  • you must not leave the body on the tree overnight, but you must be sure to bury him that day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.
NT Text
  • by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree
Galatians 3:16 Genesis 12:7
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OT Text
  • Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
NT Text
  • and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning
Galatians 4:27 Isaiah 54:1
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OT Text
  • “Shout for joy, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth in song and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.
NT Text
  • Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband
Galatians 4:30 Genesis 21:10
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OT Text
  • and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!”
NT Text
  • Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son
Galatians 5:14 Leviticus 19:18
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OT Text
  • Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
NT Text
  • Love your neighbor as yourself