Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I am crucified {G4957} with Christ {G5547}: nevertheless {G1161} I live {G2198}; yet not {G3765} I {G1473}, but {G1161} Christ {G5547} liveth {G2198} in {G1722} me {G1698}: and {G1161} the life which {G3739} I {G2198} now {G3568} live {G2198} in {G1722} the flesh {G4561} I live {G2198} by {G1722} the faith {G4102} of the Son {G5207} of God {G2316}, who {G3588} loved {G25} me {G3165}, and {G2532} gave {G3860} himself {G1438} for {G5228} me {G1700}.

When the Messiah was executed on the stake as a criminal, I was too; so that my proud ego no longer lives. But the Messiah lives in me, and the life I now live in my body I live by the same trusting faithfulness that the Son of God had, who loved me and gave himself up for me.

I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

Commentary

Galatians 2:20 (KJV)

This powerful verse comes in the context of Paul defending the gospel of grace against those who insisted on adherence to the Jewish law for salvation and justification. Paul is explaining that true righteousness and life come not through works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ. He uses his own experience as an example of this radical transformation.

Commentary

"I am crucified with Christ:" Paul declares a profound spiritual reality. Through faith and baptism (see Romans 6:3-6), the believer is united with Christ in His death. The "old self," dominated by sin and subject to the law's condemnation, died with Christ on the cross. This is not just a metaphor but a declaration of a new identity.

"nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:" While the old self is crucified, a new life begins. But this new life is not lived by the strength or will of the "old I." It is Christ Himself who lives within the believer through His Spirit (Romans 8:9-11). The life is the believer's, but its source and power are Christ's. It's a paradox: the believer lives, but it's Christ living through them.

"and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God," Paul clarifies how this Christ-indwelt life is lived out in the physical world ("in the flesh"). It is lived "by the faith of the Son of God." The Greek phrase can be interpreted as "the faith *of* the Son of God" (emphasizing Christ's faithfulness) or "faith *in* the Son of God" (emphasizing the believer's trust in Him). Both are true and likely intended. Believers live by relying on Christ's faithfulness and by exercising their own trust in Him daily.

"who loved me, and gave himself for me." The motivation and foundation for this entire reality – the crucifixion of the old self, the indwelling Christ, the life of faith – is Christ's personal, sacrificial love. Paul makes it deeply personal ("loved me," "gave himself for me"). The atoning death of Christ is the basis for the believer's new life and identity.

Key Themes:

  • Identification with Christ's death and resurrection.
  • The indwelling presence of Christ in the believer.
  • Living the Christian life by faith, not by works of the law.
  • The personal and sacrificial love of Christ as the foundation of salvation and new life.

Practical Application:

This verse challenges believers to see their identity not in their past failures or self-effort, but in their union with Christ. The Christian life is not primarily about trying harder, but about yielding to Christ's life within, trusting in His finished work and daily faithfulness.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Galatians 5:24 (231 votes)

    And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:15 (209 votes)

    And [that] he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

  • Romans 6:4 (164 votes)

    Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

  • Romans 6:6 (164 votes)

    Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

  • Colossians 3:3 (134 votes)

    For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

  • Colossians 3:4 (134 votes)

    When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

  • 2 Corinthians 4:10 (124 votes)

    Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.