But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Parallel translations
- WEB But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
- KJV But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
- BSB But as for me, may I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
- NKJV But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
- NLT As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul refuses to boast in anything except the cross of Christ, through which he is crucified to the world and the world to him. It locates the believer's only true glory in Christ's saving death.
Overview
Against those who boasted in human achievement, Paul glories solely in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through the cross the world's values and claims have lost their hold on him, and he has died to them. This verse captures the heart of the gospel: salvation and the believer's whole identity are grounded in Christ crucified, not in self or the flesh.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 31
- Rom 6:6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin.
- Jer 9:23–24Yahweh says, “Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might. Don’t let the rich man glory in his riches.
- Gal 2:20I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
- 1 Cor 2:2For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
- Phil 3:3For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;
- Rom 1:16For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.
- Gal 5:24Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
- 2 Cor 12:10–11Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.
- 1 Jn 2:15–17Don’t love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him.
- Col 3:1–3If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.
- Phil 1:20–21according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.
- Phil 3:7–11However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ.
- 1 Cor 3:21Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,
- Job 31:24–25“If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’
- 1 Cor 15:58Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
- 1 Jn 5:4–5For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.
- Isa 45:24–25They will say of me, ‘There is righteousness and strength only in Yahweh.’” Even to him shall men come; and all those who raged against him shall be disappointed.
- Acts 20:23–24except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions wait for me.
- Ps 49:6Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches —
- 1 Cor 1:29–31that no flesh should boast before God.
- Ezek 28:2Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the middle of the seas; yet you are man, and not God, though you set your heart as the heart of God —
- 1 Cor 1:23but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,
- Gal 1:4who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father —
- 2 Cor 5:14–16For the love of Christ constrains us; because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died.
- Rom 3:4–6May it never be! Yes, let God be found true, but every man a liar. As it is written, “That you might be justified in your words, and might prevail when you come into judgment.”
- 2 Kgs 14:9–11Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife. Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled down the thistle.
- Rom 6:2May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?
- 2 Cor 11:12But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.
- Dan 5:20–21But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:
- Dan 4:30–31The king spoke and said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?
- Ps 52:1For the Chief Musician. A contemplation by David, when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, “David has come to Ahimelech’s house.” Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s loving kindness endures continually.
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Christ at the center
Christ became a curse for us to redeem us from the law's curse, that we might receive the Spirit and be sons — justified by faith in him, not by works.
How Galatians 6:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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