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?
1
Ὦ ἀνόητοι Γαλάται, τίς ὑμᾶς ἐβάσκανεν,independent — the double address — ἀνόητοι: out of their wits; βασκαίνω, the evil eye
οἷς κατ' ὀφθαλμοὺς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς προεγράφη ἐσταυρωμένος;relative — on ὑμᾶς — the placarding: προεγράφη, Christ crucified posted before the very eyes now bewitched
2
τοῦτο μόνον θέλω μαθεῖν ἀφ' ὑμῶν·independent — the single decisive question announced — τοῦτο μόνον: one point settles everything
ἐξ ἔργων νόμου τὸ πνεῦμα ἐλάβετεcontent — the first alternative — the aorist ἐλάβετε points back to their conversion
ἢ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως;content — elliptical — supply ἐλάβετε; ἀκοῆς πίστεως: the message heard and believed
vv. 3–5 — begun by Spirit, ending in flesh? the Supplier himself answers
3
οὕτως ἀνόητοί ἐστε;independent — the rebuke doubled — ἀνόητοι again (v. 1)
ἐναρξάμενοι πνεύματι νῦν σαρκὶ ἐπιτελεῖσθε;independent — ἐναρξάμενοι concessive, kept in line — πνεύματι against σαρκί; the middle ἐπιτελεῖσθε bites: 'finishing' by flesh
4
τοσαῦτα ἐπάθετε εἰκῇ;independent — τοσαῦτα ἐπάθετε — so much experienced (or suffered), all for nothing?
εἴ γε καὶ εἰκῇ.conditional — εἴ γε — backward conditional on εἰκῇ: the door left ajar, if it really is in vain
5
ὁ οὖν ἐπιχορηγῶν ὑμῖν τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ ἐνεργῶν δυνάμεις ἐν ὑμῖνindependent — suspended subject — present participles: the Supplier still supplying, still working; the verb never comes
ἐξ ἔργων νόμου ἢ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως;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
6
καθὼς Ἀβραὰμ ἐπίστευσεν τῷ θεῷ,comparative — Gen 15:6 — the comparison answers v. 5: the Spirit comes ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως, just as Abraham believed
καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην.comparative — Gen 15:6 continued — ἐλογίσθη εἰς δικαιοσύνην: righteousness credited to faith
7
γινώσκετε ἄραindependent — the inference drawn — γινώσκετε read as imperative: know then
ὅτι οἱ ἐκ πίστεως, οὗτοι υἱοί εἰσιν Ἀβραάμ.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
8
προϊδοῦσα δὲ ἡ γραφὴindependent — the personification — ἡ γραφή foresees; suspended toward προευηγγελίσατο below
ὅτι ἐκ πίστεως δικαιοῖ τὰ ἔθνη ὁ θεὸςcontent — what Scripture foresaw — present δικαιοῖ: the justifying of the nations, by faith
προευηγγελίσατο τῷ Ἀβραὰμindependent — the main verb lands — προευηγγελίσατο: the gospel itself, preached in advance to Abraham
ὅτι ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν σοὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη.content — Gen 12:3 (with 18:18) — ἐν σοί: in Abraham all the nations blessed
9
ὥστε οἱ ἐκ πίστεως εὐλογοῦνται σὺν τῷ πιστῷ Ἀβραάμ.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
10
ὅσοι γὰρ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου εἰσὶνrelative — fronted headless relative — leans on the verdict below: the law-works party defined
ὑπὸ κατάραν εἰσίν·independent — the verdict — ὑπὸ κατάραν: under a curse, not merely short of blessing
γέγραπται γὰρcause — the warrant announced
ὅτι ἐπικατάρατος πᾶςcontent — Deut 27:26 — the curse formula, verbless
ὃς οὐκ ἐμμένει πᾶσιν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμουrelative — the curse's scope — πᾶσιν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις: everything written, remained in
τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτά.purpose — τοῦ + infinitive, epexegetic — to do them; hearing the book is not enough
11
ὅτι δὲ ἐν νόμῳ οὐδεὶς δικαιοῦται παρὰ τῷ θεῷcontent — the ὅτι-clause fronted as subject — leans on δῆλον below
δῆλον,independent — one word carries the verdict — δῆλον: evident
ὅτι ὁ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται·cause — Hab 2:4 — the proof; ἐκ πίστεως read with ζήσεται, though 'the one righteous by faith' is defensible
12
ὁ δὲ νόμος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ πίστεως,independent — the middle premise — law and faith are different principles
ἀλλ' ὁ ποιήσας αὐτὰ ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς.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
13
Χριστὸς ἡμᾶς ἐξηγόρασεν ἐκ τῆς κατάρας τοῦ νόμουindependent — the redemption — ἐξηγόρασεν: bought out from under the curse; Χριστός fronted without connective
γενόμενος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα,participial — the means — γενόμενος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα: the abstract for the concrete, he became the curse itself
ὅτι γέγραπται·cause — the warrant — a second γέγραπται
ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου,content — Deut 21:23 — the hanged man cursed; verbless formula, ἐπὶ ξύλου pointing to the cross
14
ἵνα εἰς τὰ ἔθνη ἡ εὐλογία τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ γένηται ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ,purpose — first coordinate purpose — Abraham's blessing (v. 8) reaching the nations, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ
ἵνα τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ πνεύματος λάβωμεν διὰ τῆς πίστεως.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
15
Ἀδελφοί, κατὰ ἄνθρωπον λέγω·independent — the analogy announced — κατὰ ἄνθρωπον: an argument from everyday legal life
ὅμως ἀνθρώπου κεκυρωμένην διαθήκην οὐδεὶς ἀθετεῖ ἢ ἐπιδιατάσσεται.independent — the analogy — ὅμως: even a human διαθήκη, ratified, admits no annulment and no codicil (ἐπιδιατάσσεται)
16
τῷ δὲ Ἀβραὰμ ἐρρέθησαν αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ.independent — the promises recalled — plural ἐπαγγελίαι, spoken to Abraham καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ
οὐ λέγει·independent — the quotation-grammar argument opens — what the text does not say
καὶ τοῖς σπέρμασιν,content — the rejected reading — the plural
ὡς ἐπὶ πολλῶν,comparative — the plural would distribute the promise over many
ἀλλ' ὡς ἐφ' ἑνός·comparative — the accepted sense — ὡς ἐφ' ἑνός: as of one
καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου,content — Gen 13:15; 17:8 — the singular quoted verbatim
ὅς ἐστιν Χριστός.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
17
τοῦτο δὲ λέγω·independent — the application announced — τοῦτο δὲ λέγω
διαθήκην προκεκυρωμένην ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ μετὰ τετρακόσια καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη γεγονὼς νόμος οὐκ ἀκυροῖ,content — the point — 430 years (Exod 12:40) cannot un-ratify what God ratified first: προκεκυρωμένην against ἀκυροῖ
εἰς τὸ καταργῆσαι τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν.purpose — εἰς τό + infinitive — the forbidden result: the promise emptied (καταργῆσαι)
18
εἰ γὰρ ἐκ νόμου ἡ κληρονομία,conditional — protasis — verbless; leans on the apodosis below: law and promise as exclusive sources
οὐκέτι ἐξ ἐπαγγελίας·independent — apodosis — verbless: οὐκέτι, the one source excludes the other
τῷ δὲ Ἀβραὰμ δι' ἐπαγγελίας κεχάρισται ὁ θεός.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
19
Τί οὖν ὁ νόμος;independent — the diatribe — verbless: if promise is everything, why the law at all?
τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν προσετέθη,independent — the answer — τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν: to expose (or provoke) them; προσετέθη, a supplement, not the estate
ἄχρις οὗ ἔλθῃ τὸ σπέρμαconditional — temporal (ἄχρις οὗ) — the law's built-in expiry
ᾧ ἐπήγγελται,relative — the seed of v. 16 — ᾧ ἐπήγγελται: to whom the promise stands made
διαταγεὶς δι' ἀγγέλων ἐν χειρὶ μεσίτου.participial — the law's pedigree — through angels, in a mediator's hand (Moses): twice removed from the Promiser
20
ὁ δὲ μεσίτης ἑνὸς οὐκ ἔστιν,independent — the riddle — a mediator implies more than one party
ὁ δὲ θεὸς εἷς ἐστιν.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
21
ὁ οὖν νόμος κατὰ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν τοῦ θεοῦ;independent — the objection — verbless: are law and promise at war?
μὴ γένοιτο.independent — the recoil
εἰ γὰρ ἐδόθη νόμος ὁ δυνάμενος ζῳοποιῆσαι,conditional — protasis — contrary to fact: a law with power to make alive (ζῳοποιῆσαι); leans on the apodosis below
ὄντως ἐκ νόμου ἂν ἦν ἡ δικαιοσύνη.independent — apodosis — ὄντως … ἂν ἦν: it would truly have been so; it was not
22
ἀλλὰ συνέκλεισεν ἡ γραφὴ τὰ πάντα ὑπὸ ἁμαρτίαν,independent — the counter-assertion — ἡ γραφή (cf. v. 8) locked up τὰ πάντα, neuter: everything, ὑπὸ ἁμαρτίαν
ἵνα ἡ ἐπαγγελία ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δοθῇ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν.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
23
Πρὸ τοῦ δὲ ἐλθεῖν τὴν πίστιν ὑπὸ νόμον ἐφρουρούμεθαindependent — the custody — πρὸ τοῦ + infinitive kept in line; ἐφρουρούμεθα: garrisoned, ὑπὸ νόμον
συγκλειόμενοι εἰς τὴν μέλλουσαν πίστιν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι.participial — συγκλειόμενοι echoes συνέκλεισεν (v. 22) — εἰς temporal-telic: for (until) the faith to be revealed
24
ὥστε ὁ νόμος παιδαγωγὸς ἡμῶν γέγονεν εἰς Χριστόν,purpose — result (ὥστε + indicative) — the παιδαγωγός: custodian-attendant, not teacher; εἰς Χριστόν temporal, until Christ
ἵνα ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθῶμεν·purpose — the custody's goal — ἵνα ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθῶμεν
25
ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς πίστεωςparticipial — genitive absolute — leans on the main clause below: the epoch turned
οὐκέτι ὑπὸ παιδαγωγόν ἐσμεν.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
26
Πάντες γὰρ υἱοὶ θεοῦ ἐστε διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.independent — the ground (γάρ) and the turn to ὑμεῖς — all of you sons of God; διὰ τῆς πίστεως, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ
27
ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθητε,relative — fronted headless relative (ὅσοι) — leans on the main clause below: the baptized, all of them
Χριστὸν ἐνεδύσασθε.independent — the clothing metaphor — ἐνεδύσασθε: Christ himself put on as a garment
28
οὐκ ἔνι Ἰουδαῖος οὐδὲ Ἕλλην,independent — the first pair abolished — Jew / Greek; the clipped formula (οὐκ ἔνι) set as slogan
οὐκ ἔνι δοῦλος οὐδὲ ἐλεύθερος,independent — the second pair — slave / free
οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ·independent — the third — ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ, καί not οὐδέ: Gen 1:27's pairing quoted, and unsaid
πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς εἷς ἐστε ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.cause — the ground of the triple negation — πάντες … εἷς, masculine singular: all one person in Christ
v. 29 — Christ's, therefore Abraham's seed
29
εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς Χριστοῦ,conditional — protasis — verbless: εἰ ὑμεῖς Χριστοῦ, the genitive of belonging; leans on ἄρα below
ἄρα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ σπέρμα ἐστέ,independent — apodosis — ἄρα: then Abraham's seed after all, the collective restored through the One (v. 16)
κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν κληρονόμοι.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.