2:19–20
In these verses, Paul explained that the law had no place in his life because he was fully justified in Christ. Christ fulfilled the law and by his death he destroyed the power of the law. Christ’s death resulted in Paul’s death to the law and his justification in Christ. Paul no longer lived by obeying the law. He lived by faith.
In these verses, the pronoun “I” refers to Paul. He related his personal experiences to make his point.
2:19a
For: In this verse, Paul further explained his statement in 2:18. This statement was that a person sins when he rebuilds the law. A person does not sin when he abandons the law. Paul has a new relationship with the law.
The Greek introduces this explanation with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For. Another way to translate this conjunction is:
For you see that
Some English versions do not translate this conjunction. In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate this conjunction either.
through the law: There are at least two ways to interpret the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as through the law :
(1) It refers to Christ paying for the requirements of the law. The law requires death for those who do not keep the entire law. Christ fulfilled those requirements by dying in Paul’s (and our) place to pay the penalty for the failure to keep the law. Paul was crucified with Christ (2:20a), and he died with him. So because of the requirements of the law, Paul considered himself dead (with Christ), and, therefore, dead to the law. For example:
It was the Law itself that killed me (Contemporary English Version)
(Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version)
(2) It refers to Paul realizing that he could not keep the requirements of the law. Paul tried to keep the law, but eventually he realized that he failed. In other words, it was through/in trying to keep the law that he realized that the law could not justify him. For example:
when I tried to keep the law, I realized I could never earn God’s approval (New Living Translation (1996))
(New Living Translation (1996), God’s Word)
Many English versions translate this phrase literally, and it is not possible to tell which interpretation they follow. If possible, you should also translate this phrase in a way that both interpretations can be understood. The end result of both interpretations is the same: Paul died to the law. If you must make a choice, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This interpretation fits well with the context of 2:20a, “I have been crucified with Christ.”
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
because ?of the requirements? of the law
-or-
because ?Christ died to pay the penalty? of the law ?and because I died with him?
-or-
the law caused me (to die to it)
I died to the law: This clause is a metaphor. In this metaphor, Paul compared being released/freed from obeying the law to dying to the law. They are similar in that the law no longer had any control over Paul when he became a believer. Paul did not have to obey the law to be right with God.
Paul used similar metaphors in phrases such as dying to sin, the world, and self. In each case, he meant that these things no longer had control/power over him.
Some other ways to translate this metaphor are:
• Keep the metaphor and also explain the meaning. For example:
I “died”, and now I am dead to the Law’s demands (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
I died and now the law no longer has control of me.
• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
it is as if I died to the law
-or-
I became like a dead person regarding the law
• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
I was released/freed from obeying the law
-or-
the law’s power over me came to an end
In your translation, do not imply that Paul died physically or that the law actually killed him.
I: Paul used an emphatic pronoun in this verse. He wrote about his personal experience of justification by faith apart from the law. He used his personal experience to reinforce that justification is by faith and not by works of the law.
Some ways to show this emphasis are:
Me, I
-or-
As for me
General Comment on 2:19a
In some languages, it might be more natural to change the order of the two clauses in 2:19a (and begin a new sentence at 2:19b). For example:
I died to the law because of ?the requirements of? the law.
-or-
I am ?like? a dead person, and the law no longer has power over me. The law itself required that I die.
-or-
I am no longer under the law. It was the law itself that did this to me.
2:19b
so that I might live to God: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that indicates that this clause gives the purpose for dying to the law. Paul died to the law so that he might live for God.
Living to/for God means to live a life under the control of God. Paul meant that because he believed in Christ, he was justified and had a new relationship with God.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
so that I might live for God (New International Version)
-or-
in order to live to serve God
-or-
that I can now live to follow God
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