Galatians 3 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The rebuke — Spirit received by hearing, not by works 3:1–5

vv. 1–2 — the bewitched Galatians: how did you receive the Spirit?

O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you,independent — the double address — ἀνόητοι: out of their wits; βασκαίνω, the evil eye

before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?relative — on ὑμᾶς — the placarding: προεγράφη, Christ crucified posted before the very eyes now bewitched

This only I want to learn from you:independent — the single decisive question announced — τοῦτο μόνον: one point settles everything

did you receive the Spirit by works of the law,content — the first alternative — the aorist ἐλάβετε points back to their conversion

or by the hearing of faith?content — elliptical — supply ἐλάβετε; ἀκοῆς πίστεως: the message heard and believed

vv. 3–5 — begun by Spirit, ending in flesh? the Supplier himself answers

Are you so foolish?independent — the rebuke doubled — ἀνόητοι again (v. 1)

Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?independent — ἐναρξάμενοι concessive, kept in line — πνεύματι against σαρκί; the middle ἐπιτελεῖσθε bites: 'finishing' by flesh

Did you suffer so many things in vain —independent — τοσαῦτα ἐπάθετε — so much experienced (or suffered), all for nothing?

if indeed it was in vain?conditional — εἴ γε — backward conditional on εἰκῇ: the door left ajar, if it really is in vain

So then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you —independent — suspended subject — present participles: the Supplier still supplying, still working; the verb never comes

is it by works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?phrase modifier — the verbless alternatives return — the question of v. 2 asked now of God's own practice

Abraham believed — the sons of faith blessed with him 3:6–9

vv. 6–7 — Abraham's faith reckoned; faith's sons known

Just as Abraham believed God,comparative — Gen 15:6 — the comparison answers v. 5: the Spirit comes ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως, just as Abraham believed

and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.comparative — Gen 15:6 continued — ἐλογίσθη εἰς δικαιοσύνην: righteousness credited to faith

Know thenindependent — the inference drawn — γινώσκετε read as imperative: know then

that those of faith — these are sons of Abraham.content — the thesis — οἱ ἐκ πίστεως resumed by emphatic οὗτοι: these, and no others, are Abraham's sons

vv. 8–9 — the Scripture preached beforehand: all the nations blessed

And the Scripture, foreseeingindependent — the personification — ἡ γραφή foresees; suspended toward προευηγγελίσατο below

that God would justify the nations by faith,content — what Scripture foresaw — present δικαιοῖ: the justifying of the nations, by faith

preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham:independent — the main verb lands — προευηγγελίσατο: the gospel itself, preached in advance to Abraham

'In you all the nations will be blessed.'content — Gen 12:3 (with 18:18) — ἐν σοί: in Abraham all the nations blessed

So then, those of faith are blessed together with the believing Abraham.purpose — result (ὥστε + indicative) — the blessing shared σὺν τῷ πιστῷ Ἀβραάμ: with Abraham the believer

The curse of the law and the redemption of Christ 3:10–14

vv. 10–12 — the curse pronounced: law and faith are different principles

For as many as are of works of the law —relative — fronted headless relative — leans on the verdict below: the law-works party defined

they are under a curse;independent — the verdict — ὑπὸ κατάραν: under a curse, not merely short of blessing

for it is written:cause — the warrant announced

'Cursed is everyonecontent — Deut 27:26 — the curse formula, verbless

who does not abide in all the things written in the book of the law,relative — the curse's scope — πᾶσιν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις: everything written, remained in

to do them.'purpose — τοῦ + infinitive, epexegetic — to do them; hearing the book is not enough

And that no one is justified before God by the lawcontent — the ὅτι-clause fronted as subject — leans on δῆλον below

is clear,independent — one word carries the verdict — δῆλον: evident

because 'the righteous shall live by faith';cause — Hab 2:4 — the proof; ἐκ πίστεως read with ζήσεται, though 'the one righteous by faith' is defensible

But the law is not of faith;independent — the middle premise — law and faith are different principles

rather, 'the one who does them shall live by them.'independent — Lev 18:5 — the law's own voice: doing, not believing, is its principle

vv. 13–14 — the redemption: Christ became the curse, the blessing runs free

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law,independent — the redemption — ἐξηγόρασεν: bought out from under the curse; Χριστός fronted without connective

having become a curse for us —participial — the means — γενόμενος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα: the abstract for the concrete, he became the curse itself

because it is written:cause — the warrant — a second γέγραπται

'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree' —content — Deut 21:23 — the hanged man cursed; verbless formula, ἐπὶ ξύλου pointing to the cross

so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the nations in Christ Jesus,purpose — first coordinate purpose — Abraham's blessing (v. 8) reaching the nations, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ

so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.purpose — second coordinate purpose — both ἵνα hang from ἐξηγόρασεν: the Spirit of vv. 2–5, received by faith

The covenant and the seed — promise before law 3:15–18

vv. 15–16 — the human analogy; the singular seed

Brothers, I speak according to human practice:independent — the analogy announced — κατὰ ἄνθρωπον: an argument from everyday legal life

even with a man's covenant, once it has been ratified, no one annuls it or adds to it.independent — the analogy — ὅμως: even a human διαθήκη, ratified, admits no annulment and no codicil (ἐπιδιατάσσεται)

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.independent — the promises recalled — plural ἐπαγγελίαι, spoken to Abraham καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ

It does not say:independent — the quotation-grammar argument opens — what the text does not say

'and to seeds,'content — the rejected reading — the plural

as of many,comparative — the plural would distribute the promise over many

but as of one:comparative — the accepted sense — ὡς ἐφ' ἑνός: as of one

'and to your seed,'content — Gen 13:15; 17:8 — the singular quoted verbatim

who is Christ.relative — the identification — the one seed is Christ; the collective sense returns at v. 29

vv. 17–18 — the 430 years: the law cannot annul the promise

This is what I mean:independent — the application announced — τοῦτο δὲ λέγω

the law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God,content — the point — 430 years (Exod 12:40) cannot un-ratify what God ratified first: προκεκυρωμένην against ἀκυροῖ

so as to nullify the promise.purpose — εἰς τό + infinitive — the forbidden result: the promise emptied (καταργῆσαι)

For if the inheritance is by the law,conditional — protasis — verbless; leans on the apodosis below: law and promise as exclusive sources

it is no longer by promise;independent — apodosis — verbless: οὐκέτι, the one source excludes the other

but God has graciously given it to Abraham through a promise.independent — the fact — perfect κεχάρισται: given by grace, and the gift still stands

Why then the law? The custodian until faith 3:19–25

vv. 19–20 — why the law was added; the mediator riddle

Why then the law?independent — the diatribe — verbless: if promise is everything, why the law at all?

It was added because of transgressions,independent — the answer — τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν: to expose (or provoke) them; προσετέθη, a supplement, not the estate

until the seed should comeconditional — temporal (ἄχρις οὗ) — the law's built-in expiry

to whom the promise had been made,relative — the seed of v. 16 — ᾧ ἐπήγγελται: to whom the promise stands made

having been ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.participial — the law's pedigree — through angels, in a mediator's hand (Moses): twice removed from the Promiser

Now a mediator is not for one party,independent — the riddle — a mediator implies more than one party

but God is one.independent — the Shema as counterpoint — the promise God gave alone and direct, no middleman

vv. 21–22 — not against the promises: everything shut up under sin

Is the law then against the promises of God?independent — the objection — verbless: are law and promise at war?

By no means!independent — the recoil

For if a law had been given that was able to give life,conditional — protasis — contrary to fact: a law with power to make alive (ζῳοποιῆσαι); leans on the apodosis below

then righteousness would indeed have been by the law.independent — apodosis — ὄντως … ἂν ἦν: it would truly have been so; it was not

But the Scripture imprisoned all things under sin,independent — the counter-assertion — ἡ γραφή (cf. v. 8) locked up τὰ πάντα, neuter: everything, ὑπὸ ἁμαρτίαν

so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.purpose — the design of the imprisonment — πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ read as objective genitive (as at 2:16); given τοῖς πιστεύουσιν

vv. 23–25 — the παιδαγωγός: custody until faith came

Now before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law,independent — the custody — πρὸ τοῦ + infinitive kept in line; ἐφρουρούμεθα: garrisoned, ὑπὸ νόμον

confined for the faith that was to be revealed.participial — συγκλειόμενοι echoes συνέκλεισεν (v. 22) — εἰς temporal-telic: for (until) the faith to be revealed

So the law became our guardian until Christ,purpose — result (ὥστε + indicative) — the παιδαγωγός: custodian-attendant, not teacher; εἰς Χριστόν temporal, until Christ

so that we might be justified by faith.purpose — the custody's goal — ἵνα ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθῶμεν

But now that faith has come,participial — genitive absolute — leans on the main clause below: the epoch turned

we are no longer under a guardian.independent — the release — οὐκέτι: the custody over, the παιδαγωγός dismissed

Sons of God in Christ — Abraham's seed, heirs by promise 3:26–29

vv. 26–28 — one in Christ: the baptismal declaration

For you are all sons of God through faith, in Christ Jesus.independent — the ground (γάρ) and the turn to ὑμεῖς — all of you sons of God; διὰ τῆς πίστεως, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ

For as many of you as were baptized into Christrelative — fronted headless relative (ὅσοι) — leans on the main clause below: the baptized, all of them

have put on Christ.independent — the clothing metaphor — ἐνεδύσασθε: Christ himself put on as a garment

There is neither Jew nor Greek,independent — the first pair abolished — Jew / Greek; the clipped formula (οὐκ ἔνι) set as slogan

there is neither slave nor free,independent — the second pair — slave / free

there is no male and female;independent — the third — ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ, καί not οὐδέ: Gen 1:27's pairing quoted, and unsaid

for you are all one in Christ Jesus.cause — the ground of the triple negation — πάντες … εἷς, masculine singular: all one person in Christ

v. 29 — Christ's, therefore Abraham's seed

And if you belong to Christ,conditional — protasis — verbless: εἰ ὑμεῖς Χριστοῦ, the genitive of belonging; leans on ἄρα below

then you are Abraham's seed,independent — apodosis — ἄρα: then Abraham's seed after all, the collective restored through the One (v. 16)

heirs according to promise.phrase modifier — closing apposition — κληρονόμοι κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν: heirs by promise, the chapter's last word

Analysis. Galatians 3 opens at full volume — five verses of questions, several verbless and dashed: the bewitched Galatians are pressed with one decisive question (works of law, or hearing of faith?) until the suspended subject of v. 5 — the One supplying the Spirit — hangs over the same two verbless alternatives with no verb of its own. From v. 6 the argument runs on Scripture quoted under its introducers: Gen 15:6 as the flush-left καθώς comparison answering v. 5, Gen 12:3 under προευηγγελίσατο (the personified γραφή foreseeing and pre-preaching), then the chain of vv. 10–13 — Deut 27:26 under γέγραπται, Hab 2:4 under δῆλον, Lev 18:5 as the law's own counter-voice, Deut 21:23 under a second γέγραπται — before the two ἵνα clauses of v. 14, read as coordinate rather than telescoped, both hang directly from ἐξηγόρασεν: blessing for the nations, the Spirit for us, twin purposes of the one redemption. The covenant argument (vv. 15–18) turns on quotation grammar: οὐ λέγει with the rejected plural and the accepted singular each on its own line, ὅς ἐστιν Χριστός beneath the σπέρμα. The diatribe returns at vv. 19 and 21 (Τί οὖν ὁ νόμος; — μὴ γένοιτο with the counterfactual protasis leaning on its ἄν-apodosis), and the παιδαγωγός paragraph closes with the forward-leaning genitive absolute ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς πίστεως. Cruxes the layout takes a side on: ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως is 'the hearing of faith' — the message heard and received in faith; πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (v. 22) is objective genitive, as in ch. 2; εἰς Χριστόν (v. 24) is temporal ('until Christ'), matching ἄχρις οὗ (v. 19) and ἐλθούσης τῆς πίστεως (v. 25); the παιδαγωγός is custodian, not teacher; and the οὐκ ἔνι triad of v. 28 is set as three clipped verbless slogans, the third shifting from οὐδέ to ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ — Gen 1:27's pairing named only to be unsaid in Christ.