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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Galatians 3:24 So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/galatians/3-24.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/3/48_Gal_03_24.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Galatians 3:24 - The Purpose of the Law" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/vmenus/galatians/3-24.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc/galatians/3-24.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/galatians/">Galatians</a> > <a href="/galatians/3.htm">Chapter 3</a> > Verse 24</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div><div id="ad1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/ad4.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/galatians/3-23.htm" title="Galatians 3:23">◄</a> Galatians 3:24 <a href="/galatians/3-25.htm" title="Galatians 3:25">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Greek </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv">Verse<a href="/bsb/galatians/3.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><a href="/niv/galatians/3.htm">New International Version</a> So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/nlt/galatians/3.htm">New Living Translation</a> Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. <a href="/esv/galatians/3.htm">English Standard Version</a> So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/bsb/galatians/3.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a> So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/blb/galatians/3.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a> so that the Law has become our trainer unto Christ, so that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/kjv/galatians/3.htm">King James Bible</a> Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/nkjv/galatians/3.htm">New King James Version</a> Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/nasb_/galatians/3.htm">New American Standard Bible</a> Therefore the Law has become our guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. <a href="/nasb/galatians/3.htm">NASB 1995</a> Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. <a href="/nasb77/galatians/3.htm">NASB 1977 </a> Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. <a href="/lsb/galatians/3.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a> Therefore the Law has become our tutor unto Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. <a href="/amp/galatians/3.htm">Amplified Bible</a> with the result that the Law has become our tutor and our disciplinarian to guide us to Christ, so that we may be justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] by faith. <a href="/csb/galatians/3.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a> The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. <a href="/hcsb/galatians/3.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a> The law, then, was our guardian until Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. <a href="/asv/galatians/3.htm">American Standard Version</a> So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/cev/galatians/3.htm">Contemporary English Version</a> In fact, the Law was to be our teacher until Christ came. Then we could have faith and be acceptable to God. <a href="/erv/galatians/3.htm">English Revised Version</a> So that the law hath been our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/gwt/galatians/3.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a> Before Christ came, Moses' laws served as our guardian. Christ came so that we could receive God's approval by faith. <a href="/gnt/galatians/3.htm">Good News Translation</a> And so the Law was in charge of us until Christ came, in order that we might then be put right with God through faith. <a href="/isv/galatians/3.htm">International Standard Version</a> And so the Law was our guardian until the Messiah came, so that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/msb/galatians/3.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a> So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/net/galatians/3.htm">NET Bible</a> Thus the law had become our guardian until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous by faith. <a href="/nheb/galatians/3.htm">New Heart English Bible</a> So that the law was our guardian to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/wbt/galatians/3.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a> Wherefore the law was our school-master to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/wey/galatians/3.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a> So that the Law has acted the part of a tutor-slave to lead us to Christ, in order that through faith we may be declared to be free from guilt. <a href="/web/galatians/3.htm">World English Bible</a> So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <div class="vheading2">Literal Translations</div><a href="/lsv/galatians/3.htm">Literal Standard Version</a> so that the Law became our tutor—to Christ, that we may be declared righteous by faith, <a href="/blb/galatians/3.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a> so that the Law has become our trainer unto Christ, so that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/ylt/galatians/3.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a> so that the law became our child-conductor -- to Christ, that by faith we may be declared righteous, <a href="/slt/galatians/3.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a> So that the law was our preceptor towards Christ, that we might be justified from faith.<div class="vheading2">Catholic Translations</div><a href="/drb/galatians/3.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a> Wherefore the law was our pedagogue in Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/cpdv/galatians/3.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a> And so the law was our guardian in Christ, in order that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/nabre/galatians/3.htm">New American Bible</a> Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/nrsvce/galatians/3.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a> Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith.<div class="vheading2">Translations from Aramaic</div><a href="/lamsa/galatians/3.htm">Lamsa Bible</a> The law then was our pathfinder to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/aramaic-plain-english/galatians/3.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a> The Written Law was therefore a guide for us to The Messiah that we would be made right by faith.<div class="vheading2">NT Translations</div><a href="/anderson/galatians/3.htm">Anderson New Testament</a> So, then, the law was our pedagogue that led us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/godbey/galatians/3.htm">Godbey New Testament</a> Therefore the law became our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ, in order that we may be justified by faith; <a href="/haweis/galatians/3.htm">Haweis New Testament</a> Wherefore the law was our conductor, as of children, to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/mace/galatians/3.htm">Mace New Testament</a> so that the law was our school-master to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/wey/galatians/3.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a> So that the Law has acted the part of a tutor-slave to lead us to Christ, in order that through faith we may be declared to be free from guilt. <a href="/worrell/galatians/3.htm">Worrell New Testament</a> So that the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/worsley/galatians/3.htm">Worsley New Testament</a> So that the law was our guide to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. <a href="/parallel/galatians/3-24.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv">Audio Bible</div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jv8Ri4CeT34?start=660" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="vheadingv">Context</div><a href="/bsb/galatians/3.htm">The Purpose of the Law</a> …23Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24<a href="/greek/5620.htm" title="5620: hōste (Conj) -- So that, therefore, so then, so as to. From hos and te; so too, i.e. Thus therefore.">So</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: ho (Art-NMS) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.">the</a> <a href="/greek/3551.htm" title="3551: nomos (N-NMS) -- From a primary nemo; law, genitive case, specially, (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively.">law</a> <a href="/greek/1096.htm" title="1096: gegonen (V-RIA-3S) -- A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.">became</a> <a href="/greek/1473.htm" title="1473: hēmōn (PPro-G1P) -- I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.">our</a> <a href="/greek/3807.htm" title="3807: paidagōgos (N-NMS) -- A boy's guardian or tutor, a slave who had charge of the life and morals of the boys of a family, not strictly a teacher. ">guardian</a> <a href="/greek/1519.htm" title="1519: eis (Prep) -- A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.">to lead us</a> <a href="/greek/5547.htm" title="5547: Christon (N-AMS) -- Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.">to Christ,</a> <a href="/greek/2443.htm" title="2443: hina (Conj) -- In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.">that</a> <a href="/greek/1344.htm" title="1344: dikaiōthōmen (V-ASP-1P) -- From dikaios; to render just or innocent.">we might be justified</a> <a href="/greek/1537.htm" title="1537: ek (Prep) -- From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.">by</a> <a href="/greek/4102.htm" title="4102: pisteōs (N-GFS) -- Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness. ">faith.</a> 25Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div> <a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><a href="/romans/10-4.htm">Romans 10:4</a> For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes. <a href="/romans/3-24.htm">Romans 3:24-26</a> and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. / God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. / He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus. <a href="/romans/7-7.htm">Romans 7:7</a> What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the law. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” <a href="/romans/8-3.htm">Romans 8:3-4</a> For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh, / so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. <a href="/hebrews/9-15.htm">Hebrews 9:15</a> Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. <a href="/2_corinthians/3-7.htm">2 Corinthians 3:7-11</a> Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory, / will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? / For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness! ... <a href="/colossians/2-14.htm">Colossians 2:14</a> having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross! <a href="/ephesians/2-15.htm">Ephesians 2:15-16</a> by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace / and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility. <a href="/philippians/3-9.htm">Philippians 3:9</a> and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith. <a href="/1_timothy/1-8.htm">1 Timothy 1:8-9</a> Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately. / We realize that law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for killers of father or mother, for murderers, <a href="/john/1-17.htm">John 1:17</a> For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. <a href="/matthew/5-17.htm">Matthew 5:17</a> Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. <a href="/acts/13-38.htm">Acts 13:38-39</a> Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. / Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. <a href="/romans/5-20.htm">Romans 5:20-21</a> The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more, / so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. <a href="/romans/6-14.htm">Romans 6:14</a> For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.</div> <a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div>Why the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.the law.<a href="/galatians/3-25.htm">Galatians 3:25</a> But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.<a href="/galatians/2-19.htm">Galatians 2:19</a> For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.<a href="/galatians/4-2.htm">Galatians 4:2,3</a> But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father… justified.<a href="/galatians/2-16.htm">Galatians 2:16</a> Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.<a href="/acts/13-39.htm">Acts 13:39</a> And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.<div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/galatians/2-13.htm">Acted</a> <a href="/2_corinthians/13-1.htm">Charge</a> <a href="/galatians/3-22.htm">Christ</a> <a href="/galatians/3-25.htm">Custodian</a> <a href="/galatians/3-11.htm">Declared</a> <a href="/galatians/3-23.htm">Faith</a> <a href="/galatians/3-13.htm">Free</a> <a href="/galatians/3-8.htm">Guilt</a> <a href="/galatians/3-11.htm">Justified</a> <a href="/galatians/3-23.htm">Law</a> <a href="/galatians/3-22.htm">Order</a> <a href="/galatians/3-9.htm">Part</a> <a href="/galatians/3-22.htm">Principle</a> <a href="/galatians/3-11.htm">Righteous</a> <a href="/galatians/3-21.htm">Righteousness</a> <a href="/romans/2-20.htm">Schoolmaster</a> <a href="/galatians/3-25.htm">School-Master</a> <a href="/galatians/2-17.htm">Servant</a> <a href="/galatians/3-25.htm">Tutor</a> <a href="/galatians/3-25.htm">Tutor-Slave</a> <a href="/galatians/3-19.htm">Wherefore</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/1_thessalonians/2-11.htm">Acted</a> <a href="/1_thessalonians/2-6.htm">Charge</a> <a href="/galatians/3-26.htm">Christ</a> <a href="/galatians/3-25.htm">Custodian</a> <a href="/galatians/5-4.htm">Declared</a> <a href="/galatians/3-25.htm">Faith</a> <a href="/galatians/3-28.htm">Free</a> <a href="/galatians/5-10.htm">Guilt</a> <a href="/galatians/5-4.htm">Justified</a> <a href="/galatians/4-4.htm">Law</a> <a href="/galatians/4-5.htm">Order</a> <a href="/galatians/4-30.htm">Part</a> <a href="/galatians/5-5.htm">Principle</a> <a href="/galatians/5-4.htm">Righteous</a> <a href="/galatians/5-4.htm">Righteousness</a> <a href="/galatians/3-25.htm">Schoolmaster</a> <a href="/galatians/3-25.htm">School-Master</a> <a href="/galatians/3-25.htm">Servant</a> <a href="/galatians/3-25.htm">Tutor</a> <a href="/galatians/3-25.htm">Tutor-Slave</a> <a href="/galatians/4-7.htm">Wherefore</a><div class="vheading2">Galatians 3</div>1. <a href="/galatians/3-1.htm">He asks what moved them to leave the faith, and hold onto the law.</a> 6. <a href="/galatians/3-6.htm">Those who believe are justified,</a> 9. <a href="/galatians/3-9.htm">and blessed with Abraham.</a> 10. <a href="/galatians/3-10.htm">And this he shows by many reasons.</a> 15. <a href="/galatians/3-15.htm">The purpose of the Law</a> 26. <a href="/galatians/3-26.htm">You are sons of God</a> </div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; 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In the Greco-Roman world, a paidagogos was often a slave entrusted with the care of a child, guiding them until they reached maturity. This metaphor illustrates the role of the Mosaic Law in guiding the Israelites. The law served as a moral and ethical guide, highlighting sin and the need for a savior. It was not the final solution but a temporary measure until the coming of Christ. This concept is echoed in <a href="/romans/7-7.htm">Romans 7:7</a>, where Paul explains that the law makes people aware of sin.to lead us to Christ The purpose of the law was to prepare the way for Christ, pointing to the need for redemption and a savior. The law's requirements and sacrifices foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. In the Old Testament, the sacrificial system and the prophecies about the Messiah (such as <a href="/isaiah/53.htm">Isaiah 53</a>) pointed forward to Christ's redemptive work. The law's inability to provide complete righteousness highlighted the necessity of Christ's atoning sacrifice, as seen in <a href="/hebrews/10.htm">Hebrews 10:1-4</a>, which discusses the law as a shadow of the good things to come.that we might be justified by faith Justification by faith is a central tenet of Christian doctrine, emphasizing that righteousness before God is not achieved through works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. This principle is rooted in the Abrahamic covenant, where Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness (<a href="/genesis/15-6.htm">Genesis 15:6</a>). Paul reiterates this in <a href="/romans/3-28.htm">Romans 3:28</a>, stating that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. This shift from law to faith marks the transition from the old covenant to the new covenant, where believers are declared righteous through their faith in Christ's finished work on the cross.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <a href="/topical/p/paul_the_apostle.htm">Paul the Apostle</a> The author of the letter to the Galatians, addressing the churches in Galatia about the role of the Law and faith in Christ. 2. <a href="/topical/g/galatia.htm">Galatia</a> A region in modern-day Turkey where the recipients of the letter were located. The churches here were struggling with the influence of Judaizers who insisted on adherence to the Mosaic Law. 3. <a href="/topical/t/the_law.htm">The Law (Torah)</a> Refers to the Mosaic Law given to Israel, which served as a guide and teacher until the coming of Christ. 4. <a href="/topical/c/christ.htm">Christ (Messiah)</a> The central figure of Christianity, whose coming fulfilled the Law and provided justification through faith. 5. <a href="/topical/j/justification_by_faith.htm">Justification by Faith</a> A key doctrine in Christianity, emphasizing that believers are made righteous before God through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works of the Law.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><a href="/topical/t/the_role_of_the_law.htm">The Role of the Law</a> The Law served as a "guardian" (Greek: paidagogos), a term used for a tutor or guide for children, leading them to maturity. In this context, it led people to recognize their need for Christ. <a href="/topical/t/transition_from_law_to_faith.htm">Transition from Law to Faith</a> The coming of Christ marked a transition from the Law's guardianship to justification by faith. Believers are no longer under the Law but under grace. <a href="/topical/j/justification_by_faith.htm">Justification by Faith</a> Emphasizes that righteousness before God is not achieved through adherence to the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ. This is a foundational truth for Christian living. <a href="/topical/f/freedom_in_christ.htm">Freedom in Christ</a> Believers are called to live in the freedom that comes from faith in Christ, not bound by the legalistic observance of the Law. <a href="/topical/l/living_by_the_spirit.htm">Living by the Spirit</a> With the Law as a guide leading to Christ, believers are now to live by the Spirit, producing the fruit of the Spirit as evidence of their faith.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_galatians_3.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Galatians 3</a> <a href="/q/what_is_halakhah.htm">What is Halakhah?</a> <a href="/q/how_does_gal._5_1's_freedom_fit_doctrine.htm">How does Paul’s emphasis on freedom in Galatians 5:1 reconcile with religious doctrines that seem to impose constraints on personal liberty? </a> <a href="/q/what_does_'not_under_the_law'_mean.htm">What does "not under the law" mean for Christians?</a> <a href="/q/why_emphasize_old_laws_if_a_new_covenant.htm">If God promises a new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31–34, why do some passages in the Old Testament still emphasize following the old covenant laws? </a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/galatians/3.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(24) The law was our schoolmaster.--Not quite a satisfactory translation; yet it is difficult to suggest a better. The Greek word is that from which is derived the English "pedagogue." Originally it meant the slave who was placed in charge of a child, and whose duty it was to conduct it to school. The idea is that of moral rather than of intellectual discipline. The care of the "pedagogue" ceased where that of the school-master began, but it was he who had more especially to form the character of the child. Horace notes as a peculiar advantage of his own that his father himself had taken the place of pedagogue to him (Sat. i. 6, 81, 82).To bring us unto Christ.--The words "to bring us," it will be seen, are supplied. They may be retained, provided that the metaphor is not pressed to the extent of supposing that Christ represents the schoolmaster proper to whom the child is led by the pedagogue slave. The work of Christ as a Teacher is not what the Apostle has in mind. It is rather a higher kind of guardianship, which is to succeed that of the Law, and to which the Law hands over its pupil. Once brought within the guardianship of Christ, and so made a member of the Messianic kingdom, the Christian is justified by faith, he receives an amnesty for his past sins, and is accounted righteous before God. (See Epistle to the Romans, Excursus E: On the Doctrine of Justification by Faith and Imputed Righteousness.)<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/galatians/3.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div>Verse 24. - Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ (ὥστε ὁ νόμος παιδαγωγὸς ἡμῶν γέγονεν εἰς Ξριστόν) wherefore the Law hath been the keeper of our childhood to keep us unto Christ. With St. Paul, ὥστε, so that, frequently is used to introduce a sentence which is not dependent in construction on the preceding words, but is one which makes a fresh departure as if with the adverbial conjunction "wherefore," or "so then." Thus ver. 9; <a href="/galatians/4-7.htm">Galatians 4:7</a>; <a href="/2_corinthians/4-12.htm">2 Corinthians 4:12</a>; <a href="/2_corinthians/5-16.htm">2 Corinthians 5:16</a>; <a href="/1_thessalonians/4-18.htm">1 Thessalonians 4:18</a>, in which last passage it is even followed by an imperative, Γέγονεν differs from η΅ν or ἐγένετο by describing, past action as ending in a result which still continues. The verb γίγνεσθαι frequently denotes "prove one's self, ... act as" (comp. <a href="/1_thessalonians/2-7.htm">1 Thessalonians 2:7</a>; <a href="/acts/1-16.htm">Acts 1:16</a>; <a href="/acts/7-52.htm">Acts 7:52</a>). The Law hath done with us (says the apostle) the work of a child's caretaker (paedagogus), with an eye to Christ, to whom we have now been banded over. (For the use of εἰς, see note on ver. 23.) Paedagogus has no equivalent in the English language; "pedagogue," "schoolmaster," "tutor," "guardian," are all inadequate, covering each one an area of thought more or less quite different. "Tutor," as the masculine of "governess," comes perhaps nearest; but a tutor to a gentleman's children is generally an educated man, and often of like rank in life with those he is with; whereas a paedagogus was usually a slave - an element of thought probably very near to the apostle's consciousness in his present use of the term. In illustration of this and other points bearing upon this subject, the reader will be interested by a passage cited by Bishop Lightfoot out of Plato's 'Lysis' (p. 208, C). Socrates is questioning a young friend. "' They let you have your own ruling of yourself: or do they not trust you with this, either?' 'Trust me with it, indeed!' he said. 'But as to this, who has the ruling of you?' 'This man here,' he said, 'a tutor. 'Being a slave, eh?' 'But what of that?' said he; 'yes; only, a slave of our own.' 'An awfully strange thing this,' I said, 'that you, freeman that you are, should be under the ruling of a slave. But further, what does this tutor of yours, as your ruler, do with you?' 'He takes me,' said he, 'to a teacher's house, of course.' 'Do they rule you too, the teachers?' ' Certainly, of course.' 'A mighty number it seems of masters and rulers does your father think proper to set over you.'" Teaching, except possibly of the very first rudiments, was not the padagogus's business, but only the general care and superintendence of his charge - taking him to and back from his teachers' houses or the schools of physical training, looking after him in his play hours, and the like. In applying to the Law the figure of a paedagogus, the features which the apostle had in view were probably these: the childhood or non-age of those under its tutelage; their withdrawal from free parental intercourse; their degraded condition probably as being under servile management; the exercise over dram of unsympathizing hardness (comp. <a href="/1_corinthians/4-15.htm">1 Corinthians 4:15</a>, "Though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers"); coercive discipline; the rudimentary character of their instruction (this particular, however, is likewise of questionable application); the temporary and purely provisional nature of the condition under which they were placed; its termination in the full enjoyment of freedom and of participation in their father's inheritance. The clause, "unto Christ," can hardly mean "to bring us to Christ," tempting as this interpretation may seem, in view of the verbal constituent (ἄγω)" bring" in παιδαγωγός, and of the fact that it was one part of the duty of the child's keeper to take him to his school. For there are the following objections to taking it so: (1) The child-keeper's relation to his charge did not end with his taking him to school, but continued on throughout his non-age; (2) the function of Christ is not viewed here as instruction; (3) if this construction had been in the apostle's view, he would have written πρὸς Ξριστὸν or εἰς Ξριστοῦ, as in the εἰς διδασκάλου ("to the teacher's house") of the passage above cited from Plato. We must, therefore, understand the preposition as in the preceding verse, "with a view to." The next clause is the explanation. That we might be justified by faith (ἵνα ἐκ πίστρεως δικαιωθῶμεν); in order that by faith we might get justified. This clause is the most important part of the sentence. Not from the Law was to come righteousness; the Law was no more than introductory or preparatory; righteousness (once more the apostle reminds the Galatians) was to come to us as a free gift through Christ, upon simply our faith, the Law having now nothing to do with us. Hence the emphatic position of the words ἐκ πίστεως. The apostle does not, in the present connection, make it his business to explain in what way the Law was preparatory, which he does in <a href="/romans/7.htm">Romans 7</a>; his purpose at present is to insist upon its purely provisional character. What we have here is a description of the relation of the Law to God's people viewed collectively; but we can hardly fail to be reminded, that this experience of the collective people of God very commonly finds its counterpart in respect to the ethical bearing of the Law in the experience of each individual believer. Only, we have still to bear in mind that the apostle is thinking of the Law just now more in its ceremonial aspect than its ethical. <a href="/commentaries/galatians/3-24.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a> <a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div>So ὥστε (hōste) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_5620.htm">Strong's 5620: </a> So that, therefore, so then, so as to. From hos and te; so too, i.e. Thus therefore. the ὁ (ho) Article - Nominative Masculine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. Law νόμος (nomos) Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_3551.htm">Strong's 3551: </a> From a primary nemo; law, genitive case, specially, (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively. became γέγονεν (gegonen) Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_1096.htm">Strong's 1096: </a> A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude. our ἡμῶν (hēmōn) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_1473.htm">Strong's 1473: </a> I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I. guardian παιδαγωγὸς (paidagōgos) Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_3807.htm">Strong's 3807: </a> A boy's guardian or tutor, a slave who had charge of the life and morals of the boys of a family, not strictly a teacher. to lead us εἰς (eis) Preposition <a href="/greek/strongs_1519.htm">Strong's 1519: </a> A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases. to Christ, Χριστόν (Christon) Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_5547.htm">Strong's 5547: </a> Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus. that ἵνα (hina) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_2443.htm">Strong's 2443: </a> In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that. we might be justified δικαιωθῶμεν (dikaiōthōmen) Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 1st Person Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_1344.htm">Strong's 1344: </a> From dikaios; to render just or innocent. by ἐκ (ek) Preposition <a href="/greek/strongs_1537.htm">Strong's 1537: </a> From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out. faith. πίστεως (pisteōs) Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_4102.htm">Strong's 4102: </a> Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness. <div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/galatians/3-24.htm">Galatians 3:24 NIV</a> <a href="/nlt/galatians/3-24.htm">Galatians 3:24 NLT</a> <a href="/esv/galatians/3-24.htm">Galatians 3:24 ESV</a> <a href="/nasb/galatians/3-24.htm">Galatians 3:24 NASB</a> <a href="/kjv/galatians/3-24.htm">Galatians 3:24 KJV</a> <a href="//bibleapps.com/galatians/3-24.htm">Galatians 3:24 BibleApps.com</a> <a href="//bibliaparalela.com/galatians/3-24.htm">Galatians 3:24 Biblia Paralela</a> <a href="//holybible.com.cn/galatians/3-24.htm">Galatians 3:24 Chinese Bible</a> <a href="//saintebible.com/galatians/3-24.htm">Galatians 3:24 French Bible</a> <a href="/catholic/galatians/3-24.htm">Galatians 3:24 Catholic Bible</a> <a href="/galatians/3-24.htm">NT Letters: Galatians 3:24 So that the law has become our (Gal. 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