Galatians 3:12
And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Original Language Analysis
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
1 of 15
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
νόμος
the law
G3551
νόμος
the law
Strong's:
G3551
Word #:
3 of 15
law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), genitive case (regulation), specially, (of moses (including the volume); also of the gospel), or figurat
ἐκ
of
G1537
ἐκ
of
Strong's:
G1537
Word #:
6 of 15
a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause literal or figurative; direct
πίστεως
faith
G4102
πίστεως
faith
Strong's:
G4102
Word #:
7 of 15
persuasion, i.e., credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of god or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon christ
ἀλλ'
but
G235
ἀλλ'
but
Strong's:
G235
Word #:
8 of 15
properly, other things, i.e., (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations)
Ὁ
G3588
Ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
9 of 15
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ποιήσας
that doeth
G4160
ποιήσας
that doeth
Strong's:
G4160
Word #:
10 of 15
to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)
αὐτοῖς
them
G846
αὐτοῖς
them
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
11 of 15
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
Cross References
Leviticus 18:5Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.Nehemiah 9:29And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.Romans 4:14For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:Romans 4:16Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,Ezekiel 20:11And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.Romans 11:6And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.Matthew 19:17And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.Ezekiel 20:13But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.
Historical Context
Leviticus 18:5 stands within the holiness code (Leviticus 17-26), commanding Israel to live by God's statutes and judgments as the basis for life in the Promised Land. Jewish interpretation saw this as the path to covenant blessing; Paul sees it as an unattainable standard that highlights the need for faith-righteousness. Romans 10:5 quotes this same verse, contrasting Law-righteousness (do and live) with faith-righteousness (believe and live). Ezekiel 20:11, 13, 21 also quotes Leviticus 18:5, lamenting Israel's failure to do the statutes—thus proving Paul's point: the Law's promise remains unfulfilled by works.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the Law's principle ('do and live') differ fundamentally from the gospel's principle ('believe and live')? Why are they incompatible?
- What does it reveal about human nature that no one can fulfill Leviticus 18:5's promise of life through doing the Law?
- In what ways might you be subtly operating on the 'do and live' principle in your relationship with God rather than 'believe and live'?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. This verse states the fundamental incompatibility between Law and faith. 'The law is not of faith' (ho nomos ouk estin ek pisteōs, ὁ νόμος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ πίστεως)—the Law does not operate on the faith-principle; it operates on a different principle entirely. The quote from Leviticus 18:5—'The man that doeth them shall live in them' (ho poiēsas auta zēsetai en autois, ὁ ποιήσας αὐτὰ ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς)—reveals the Law's principle: *do* and live.
The participle 'doeth' (poiēsas, ποιήσας) is aorist, but the verb 'shall live' (zēsetai, ζήσεται) is future—the one who does the Law's commands will live. The Law promises life on condition of perfect obedience. This is the works-principle: life is earned by doing. Faith says 'believe and live' (v. 11); Law says 'do and live' (v. 12). These are mutually exclusive systems.
Paul's point: the Law cannot be fulfilled by faith because the Law demands works. The Law says nothing about believing; it says 'do.' Therefore, seeking justification through Law contradicts the faith-righteousness of verse 11. The tragedy: the Law's promise of life (Leviticus 18:5) is unattainable because no one perfectly 'does' the Law. Romans 10:5-13 develops this further—Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes.