“For each one shall bear his own load” (Galatians 6:5).
Earlier in Galatians 6:2 we read, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Yet here in Galatians 6:5 we are told, “…each of you have to carry your own load” (GNB). While there may seem to be an apparent contradiction between these two verses, these passages feature some important differences that merit a closer look.
We can begin by examining the underlying distinctives between Galatians 6:2 and Galatians 6:5 in the original language of these verses…
“There is no contradiction between verses 2 and 5; different Greek words are translated ‘burden.’ In verse 2 the word is the Greek baros and denotes a heavy, crushing, overtaxing weight; our extra load, which can and must be relieved. Here in verse 5 the word is the Greek phortion and is used to designate a pack carried by a soldier. It is the word used by Christ to describe the burden He lays on His disciples (Mt 11:30), which He says is light. This word is the diminutive form of the Greek phortos which is used of the lading or cargo of a ship (Acts 27:10).” (1)
With this in mind, we can say that Galatians 6:2 focuses upon the importance of practical support for those who are…
- Struggling with a challenging difficulty that goes beyond the ordinary circumstances of life, or
- Beset with a hardship that is too great for one to bear alone.
However, Galatians 6:5 places an emphasis upon the need to take personal responsibility for our lives. Biblical translators have worked to express this idea in a variety of ways…
“Each person must be responsible for himself” (NCV).
“Assume your own responsibility” (GW).
“For we are each responsible for our own conduct” (NLT).
So the concept of a load does not denote anything beyond the normal duties and responsibilities of everyday life. We are responsible for fulfilling these routine obligations instead of seeking to offload those demands upon others. As one scholar observes, “There is no conflict between being accountable for our own lives and being helpful to others.” (2)
Another commentator finds a correlation between this verse and the passage that immediately precedes it: “…each saint should bear his own burden in the sense that he must recognize his personal responsibilities towards God and man. He is responsible for the kind of life he lives. Again, when he sees his own failings, he will have no inclination to compare himself with others.” (3)
(1) Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2400). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
(2) Geisler, N. L., & Howe, T. A. (1992). When critics ask : a popular handbook on Bible difficulties. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.
(3) Kenneth S. Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament (Galatians 6:5) Copyright © 1942-55 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.