Paul further narrows down his audience and now addresses those among the Galatians who have already accepted the principle of winning God’s approval by following the Law. This is made clear by those of you who try (New American Bible “any of you”). Other modern translations give the impression that Paul is still talking to all the Galatians, but the context does not support this interpretation.

To be put right with God by obeying the Law is literally “to be justified by the law” (compare the expressions used in Gal 2.16 and 3.11). In this context those of you who try to be put right with God may be rendered as “those of you who try to get right with God,” “… put yourselves right with God,” or “… become right with God.” On the other hand, some languages would require some such expression as “try to make yourself acceptable to God,” or “try to cause God to accept you.”

The expression of means in the phrase by obeying the Law may be rendered as cause in some languages, “because you do what the Law says.”

Those who put their trust in the Law as a means of winning God’s approval have cut themselves off from Christ. The verb here is used by Paul elsewhere in this letter (3.17) to mean “nullify” or “make ineffective” (compare also Paul’s use of this verb in Rom 7.2, where it relates to “being freed from a marriage bond”), and so here it would mean to be separated from Christ (New English Bible “your relation with Christ is completely severed”). That means that they are no longer in Christ, that is, in union and fellowship with him.

Have cut yourselves off from Christ may thus be rendered as “have completely separated yourselves from Christ.” This meaning may be expressed idiomatically in some languages as “have destroyed your bond with Christ,” or “have destroyed what ties you to Christ.”

Furthermore, they are outside God’s grace (literally, “you have fallen away from grace”). Grace here may refer either to God’s or Christ’s grace, but most translators prefer the former interpretation. For a discussion of grace, see under 1.6. So here also as in 1.6, grace includes the components of undeserved love and free gift. To obey the Law in order to win God’s approval is to turn one’s back on God’s gift of sonship. The expression “you have fallen away” should be understood, not in the sense that grace has been taken away from them, but in the sense that they have turned their backs on it (New English Bible “you have fallen out of the domain of God’s grace”; Phillips “you put yourself outside the range of his grace”). One may also say “you have put yourself in a place where God’s goodness cannot find you,” “… where God cannot be good to you,” or “… show you his goodness.”

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .