Charles Ellicott Commentary Galatians 6:2

"Bear ye one another`s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." — Galatians 6:2 (ASV)

Bear ye one another’s burdens.—Take them upon yourselves by kindly sympathy. Our Lord Himself was said to “bear” the physical infirmities of those whom He healed (Matthew 8:17: He bare our sicknesses.).

So fulfil.—The reading here is somewhat doubtful, and the balance of authorities is interesting. On the one hand, the Received Text, adopted in our version, is supported by a large majority of the manuscripts; on the other hand, the reading, ye shall fulfil, is found in the Vatican and two good Greco-Latin manuscripts, but also has an almost unanimous support from the versions.

Several of these versions were composed at a very early date and necessarily represent a wide geographical dispersion. Furthermore, the manuscript authority for this reading—though small in quantity, is good in quality—also represents evidence from widely separated regions. Finally, the internal evidence, or probabilities of corruption, also favors this reading. Therefore, on the whole, it seems to have the greater claim to acceptance.

The meaning is that by showing sympathy to others in their distress—whether physical, mental, or moral—the Christian will best fulfil that “new commandment” bequeathed to him by his Master: the “law of love” (1 John 3:23).

Practically, these two manuscripts can only count as one, as both seem to have been copied from the same original.