2:16
This verse contains many clauses. Some of the clauses at the end of the verse repeat information from the beginning. In some languages, it may be more natural to avoid repeating the information. One way to do this is:
a know that a man is not justified by works of the law, b but by faith in Jesus Christ. c So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus. d ?We did this? that we may be justified.
2:16a
In 2:16, Paul said something that people would not normally expect a Jew to say. The unexpected statement was that he and Peter (who were born Jews and had lived by the law) knew that a person was not justified by obeying the law. Paul introduced this unexpected statement with a Greek conjunction that is often translated as “but.” Some other ways to translate this conjunction are:
however
-or-
yet (English Standard Version)
-or-
nevertheless (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
in spite of that
The Berean Standard Bible has not translated this conjunction, and some other versions, such as the New International Version, also do not translate it. In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate this conjunction either. Connect 2:16a to 2:15 in a way that is natural in your language.
know that a man is not justified: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as justified means that God has made us acceptable to him. It means “acquitted,” “pronounced and treated as righteous,” or “accepted as righteous before God.” A person who is justified is found to be in perfect conformity to God’s law. He no longer has his sins counted against him. God forgives him and considers him to be a righteous person.
Some other ways to translate the word justified are:
accepted as righteous by God
-or-
considered straight before God
-or-
made right with God
-or-
a person’s sins are taken care of
See also justify in the Glossary.
This clause is passive. Some ways to translate it are:
• Use a passive clause. For example:
we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law (New Revised Standard Version)
• Use a clause that is not passive. For example:
we know that a person is made right with God not by following the law (New Century Version)
-or-
we know that ?God? does not considers a person as blameless because he follows the law
by works of the law: The phrase by works of the law refers to obeying the law of Moses. It indicates that a person is not justified by means of obeying/following the law.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
through keeping the law
-or-
if/when he obeys the law
-or-
because of his following the law
-or-
by following the law
the law: The word law refers to “the law of Moses” or “the law that God gave through Moses.” Since there are many individual laws within the law of Moses, some languages may have to use the plural form “laws.”
Some other ways to translate this word are:
the law ?of Moses?
-or-
the laws ?God gave through Moses?
-or-
the ?Jewish? law
-or-
the laws ?God gave?
2:16b
but: There is a contrast between 2:16a and 2:16b. The contrast is between the way that we are not justified (2:16a) and the way that we are justified (2:16b). The Berean Standard Bible indicates this contrast with the conjunction but.
Some other ways to indicate this contrast are:
but only
-or-
Instead,
Some words from the previous clause are implied but not repeated here. In some languages, it may be more natural to repeat some of those words from the previous clause. For example:
but ?that he is justified?
-or-
Instead, ?we know that? the only way ?to be justified? is
by: The preposition by introduces the way that a person is justified. Justification is by means of faith in Jesus Christ.
Some other ways to translate this preposition are:
through
-or-
if/when
-or-
because of
faith in Jesus Christ: The term faith, when applied to Jesus Christ, refers to “belief” or “trust” in Jesus Christ.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
believing/trusting in Jesus Christ
-or-
belief/trust in Jesus Christ
See faith, Meaning 1 in the Glossary.
General Comment on 2:16a–b
In some languages, it may be natural to change the order of 2:16a and 2:16b and put the way to be justified first. For example:
16a We know that a man 16b is only justified by faith in Jesus Christ. 16a ?He is? not ?justified? by observing the law.
2:16c
So: Verse 2:16c is the main clause in 2:16. It is the result of 2:16a–b. Some versions are like the Berean Standard Bible and add the conjunction So to show how the clauses are connected.
Some other ways to begin this clause are:
That is why
-or-
For that reason
we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus: The pronoun we refers to Peter, Paul, and all Christian Jews. The word too implies that these Jews had done like the Gentiles: they also had trusted in Christ Jesus for their salvation.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus (New Century Version)
-or-
we ?Jews? have also trusted in Christ Jesus
See faith, Meaning 1 in the Glossary.
Christ Jesus: Here in Greek, the word Christ comes before Jesus. In 2:16b, the order is “Jesus Christ.” The order of these two words makes no difference in the meaning.
In some languages, it may be possible to follow the Greek order. In other languages, it will be necessary to change the order. For example:
b but only by believing in Jesus Christ. c So we also believed in Jesus Christ (God’s Word)
2:16d–e
In 2:16d–e, Paul repeated what he said in 2:16a–b. He said that the way we are justified is by faith. It is not by obeying the law. He repeated it because it is very important.
See the example above under 2:16 for a way to avoid the repetition.
2:16d
that we may: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as that introduces the purpose of believing in Christ.
Some other ways to connect this clause are:
so that
-or-
in order that
be justified: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as be justified is the same word as in 2:16a. Translate it in the same way.
This verb is a passive verb. Some ways to translate this verb are:
• Use a passive clause. For example:
so that we may be made right ?with God?
• Use an active clause. For example:
so that ?God? might justify us
by faith in Christ: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as by faith in Christ means by/through “believing” or “trusting” in Jesus Christ. It is the same phrase that is used in 2:16b.
Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
by means of trusting/believing in Christ
-or-
if/when we believe in Christ
-or-
because of our belief/trust in Christ
2:16e
and not by works of the law: This phrase is the same phrase that is used in 2:16a. Translate it here as you did there.
2:16f
because: The conjunction because introduces the reason why Paul and Peter and others believed in Christ. They believed in Christ because they knew it was impossible to be justified by obeying the law.
Another way to introduce the reason is to begin a new sentence here:
?We trusted in Christ? because
by works of the law no one will be justified: This was the third time Paul made this point. This was important because the Galatians had added obeying the law to faith. Paul wanted them to understand clearly that it is impossible to be justified by works of the law.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
no one will be justified by ?means of? following the law
-or-
?we know that God? will not justify anyone because of his obeying the law
will be justified: This is the same word as in 2:16a and 2:16d. You should translate it in the same way.
In 2:16a, Paul used the present tense when he said that “man is not justified by works of the law.” Here he used the same verb in the future tense. Some ways to translate this verb in the future tense are:
will be considered as blameless in the sight of God
-or-
will be accepted as righteous by God
-or-
will be considered straight with God’s law
-or-
will be made right with God
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