We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
Connect these verses, and read, with most of the oldest manuscripts, "But," Galatians 2:16: 'We (I and thou, Peter) by birth (not by proselytism), Jews, and therefore not sinners (as Jewish language termed the Gentiles) from among the Gentiles, YET' (B C Delta G 'Aleph (') read BUT, which A omits,)
Knowing that ... - even we (resuming the "we" of Galatians 2:15, 'we also,' as well as the Gentile sinners; casting away trust in the law) "have believed," etc.
Not justified by [ ek (G1537 ), 'from'] the works of the law (required by the law) - as the GROUND (cause: source) of justification.
But by, х ean (G1437) me (G3165) dia (G1223)] - 'but only (in, no other way except) through faith in Jesus Christ,' as the instrumental MEAN (Hooker) which putteth on Christ to justification. We also - though being by birth Jews, and subject to the law.
Believed in - so as to be joined into х eis (G1519) Christon (G5547)].
Jesus Christ. In the second case, read with the oldest manuscripts, 'Christ Jesus,' the Messiahship coming into prominence before Jewish believers, as "Jesus" does in the first case, the general proposition.
Justified by the faith of Christ - i:e., by Christ, the object of faith, as the ground of justification.
For [ dioti (G1360 ): 'because that'] by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified - Greek, 'non-justification is predicated of all flesh' (Ellicott). He rests his argument on this axiom in theology (cf. Psalms 143:2). 'Moses and Jesus Christ; The law and the promise; Doing and believing; Works and faith; Wages and the gift; The curse and the blessing-are diametrically opposed' (Bengel). The moral law is, in respect to justification, more legal than the ceremonial, which was an elementary gospel. So "Sinai" (Galatians 4:24), more famed for the Decalogue than for the ceremonial law, is pro-eminently the type of legal bondage. Thus justification by the law, whether moral or ceremonial, is excluded (Romans 3:20).