19For I through the Law [under the operation of the curse of the
Law] have [in Christ's death for me] myself died to the Law and all the Law's
demands upon me, so that I may [henceforth] live to and for God.
20I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His
crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me;
and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and
reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself
up for me.
21[Therefore, I do not treat God's gracious gift as something of
minor importance and defeat its very purpose]; I do not set aside and invalidate
and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God. For if
justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through [observing the
ritual of] the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly and to no
purpose and in vain. [His death was then wholly superfluous.]