Galatians 5:14
What does Galatians 5:14 mean?
A plain-English look at Galatians 5:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Galatians 5:14 means
Paul summarizes the law’s intent with the command, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Love fulfills the law because it seeks the neighbor’s good in all things, restraining harm and promoting blessing. This does not mean the law is irrelevant; rather, in Christ the law’s moral core is realized as the Spirit produces love in believers. Love is concrete and practical, addressing relationships, motives, and actions. It keeps freedom from turning inward and pushes it outward in service. Thus, the gospel does not discard righteousness; it achieves it in a deeper, heart-level way that ceremonies could never accomplish.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
KJV
King James Version · 1611For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For all the law is made complete in one word, even in this, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862for all the law in one word is fulfilled--in this: `Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752For all the law is fulfilled in one word: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;
Context
Paul has urged the Galatians to use freedom to serve (v.13). Verse 14 anchors that call in the law’s single-word summary: love of neighbor. This provides a positive standard against which community life can be measured. Verse 15 will warn of the opposite—biting and devouring—illustrating what happens when love is absent. These verses bridge from the freedom theme to the Spirit theme that follows, where Paul will explain how love and other virtues are actually produced in believers (vv.16–23).
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Romans 13:8
Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.
- Leviticus 19:34
The stranger that sojourneth with you shall be unto you as the home-born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt: I am Jehovah your God.
- 1 Timothy 1:5
But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned:
- Galatians 6:2
Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
- Mark 12:33
and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.
- Matthew 19:18
He saith unto him, Which? And Jesus said, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
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