Galatians
Galatians front
Introduction to Galatians
Part 1: General Introduction
Outline of the Book of Galatians
- Paul declares his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ; he says that he is surprised by the false teachings that the Christians in Galatia have accepted from other people (1:1-10).
- Paul says that people are saved by trusting in Christ alone, not by keeping the law (1:11-2:21).
- God puts people right with himself only when they trust in Christ; the example of Abraham; the curse which the law brings (and not a means of salvation); slavery and freedom compared and illustrated by Hagar and Sarah (3:1-4:31).
- When people are joined to Christ, they become free from having to keep the law of Moses. They are also free to live as the Holy Spirit guides them. They are free to refuse the demands of sin. They are free to bear each other’s burdens (5:1-6:10).
- Paul warns the Christians not to trust in being circumcised and in keeping the law of Moses. Instead, they must trust in Christ (6:11-18).
Who wrote the Book of Galatians?
Paul from the city of Tarsus was the author. He had been known as Saul in his early life. Before becoming a Christian, Paul was a Pharisee. He persecuted Christians. After he began to trust in Jesus Christ, he traveled several times throughout the Roman Empire telling people about Jesus.
It is uncertain when Paul wrote this letter and where he was when he wrote it. Some scholars think Paul was in the city of Ephesus and wrote this letter after the second time he traveled to tell people about Jesus. Other scholars think Paul was in the city of Antioch in Syria and wrote the letter soon after the first time he traveled.
What is the Book of Galatians about?
Paul wrote this letter to both Jewish and non-Jewish Christians in the region of Galatia. He wanted to write against the false teachers who said that Christians need to follow the law of Moses. Paul defended the gospel by explaining that a person is saved by believing in Jesus Christ. People are saved as result of God being kind and not as a result of people doing good works. No person can perfectly obey the law. Any attempt to please God by obeying the law of Moses will only result in God condemning them. (See: good news, gospel, save, saved, safe, salvation, faith and law, law of Moses, law of Yahweh, law of God and work, works, deeds)
How should the title of this book be translated?
Translators may choose to call this book by its traditional title, “Galatians.” Or they may choose a clearer title, such as “Paul’s Letter to the Church in Galatia.” (See: How to Translate Names)
Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts
What does it mean to “live like Jews” (2:14)?
To “live like Jews” means to obey the law of Moses, even though one trusts in Christ. The people among the early Christians who taught that this was necessary were called “Judaizers.”
Part 3: Important Translation Issues
How did Paul use the terms “law” and “grace” in the Book of Galatians?
These terms are used in a unique way in Galatians. There is an important teaching in Galatians about Christian living. Under the law of Moses, righteous or holy living required a person to obey a set of rules and regulations. As Christians, holy living is now motivated by grace. This means that Christians have freedom in Christ and are not required to obey a specific set of rules. Instead, Christians are to live a holy life because they are thankful that God has been so kind to them. This is called “the law of Christ.” (See: righteous, righteousness, unrighteous, unrighteousness, upright, uprightness and holy, holiness, unholy, sacred)
What did Paul mean by the expression “in Christ,” “in the Lord,” etc.?
This kind of expression occurs in 1:22; 2:4, 17; 3:14, 26, 28; 5:6, 10. Paul meant to express the idea of a very close union with Christ and the believers. At the same time, he often intended other meanings as well. See, for example, “when we seek for God to justify us in Christ” (2:17), where Paul spoke of being justified by means of Christ.
Please see the introduction to the Book of Romans for more details about this kind of expression.
What are the major issues in the text of the Book of Galatians?
- “Foolish Galatians, whose evil eye has harmed you? Was not Jesus Christ depicted as crucified before your eyes” (3:1)? The ULT, UST, and the other modern versions have this reading. However, older versions of the Bible add, “[so] that ye should not obey the truth.” Translators are advised not to include this expression. However, if in the translators’ region there are older Bible versions that have the passage, the translators can include it. If it is translated, it should be put inside square brackets ([]) to indicate that it is probably not original to Galatians. (See: Textual Variants)
(See: Textual Variants)
Galatians 1
Galatians 1 General Notes
Structure and formatting
Paul started this letter differently than his other letters. He adds that he was “not an apostle from men nor by human agency, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead ones.” Paul probably included these words because false teachers were opposing him and trying to undermine his authority.
Special concepts in this chapter
Heresy
God eternally saves people only through the true, biblical gospel. God condemns any other version of the gospel. Paul asks God to curse those who teach a false gospel. They might not be saved. They should be treated as non-Christians. (See: save, saved, safe, salvation, eternity, everlasting, eternal, forever, good news, gospel and condemn, condemned, condemnation and curse, cursed, cursing)
Paul’s qualifications
Some people in the early church were teaching that Gentiles needed to obey the law of Moses. To refute this teaching, in verses 13-16 Paul explains how he was formerly a zealous Jew. But God still needed to save him and show him the true gospel. As a Jew, and the apostle to Gentile people, Paul was uniquely qualified to address this issue. (See: law, law of Moses, law of Yahweh, law of God)
Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter
“You are turning so quickly to a different gospel”
The Book of Galatians is one of Paul’s earliest letters in Scripture. It shows that heresies troubled even the early church. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Galatians 1:1
Paul, an apostle, writes this letter to the churches in the area of Galatia. Unless noted otherwise, all instances of “you” and “your” in this letter refer to the Galatians and are plural. (See: Forms of You)
τοῦ ἐγείραντος αὐτὸν
“the one who caused him to live again”
Galatians 1:2
ἀδελφοί
Here this means fellow Christians, including both men and women, since all believers in Christ are members of one spiritual family, with God as their heavenly Father. Alternate translation: “brothers and sisters” (See: When Masculine Words Include Women)
Galatians 1:4
περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν
Here, sins is a metonym the punishment for sin. Alternate translation: “to take the punishment we deserved because of our sins” (See: Metonymy)
ὅπως ἐξέληται ἡμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ αἰῶνος τοῦ ἐνεστῶτος πονηροῦ
Here, * this present evil age* represents the powers at work in the age. Alternate translation: “so that he might bring us to a place of safety from the evil powers at work in the world today” (See: Metonymy)
τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ἡμῶν
This refers to God our Father. He is our God and our Father.
Galatians 1:6
Paul gives his reason for writing this letter: he reminds them to continue to understand the gospel.
θαυμάζω
“I am surprised” or “I am shocked.” Paul was disappointed that they were doing this.
οὕτως ταχέως, μετατίθεσθε ἀπὸ τοῦ καλέσαντος…εἰς ἕτερον εὐαγγέλιον
Here, turning away …from the one is a metaphor for started to doubt or no longer trust God. Alternate translation: “you are so quickly believing a different gospel and starting to doubt the one who called” (See: Metaphor)
οὕτως ταχέως, μετατίθεσθε ἀπὸ…εἰς ἕτερον εὐαγγέλιον
Here, turning to is a metaphor that means to start to believe something. Alternate translation: “you are starting to believe a different gospel and leaving” (See: Metaphor)
τοῦ καλέσαντος ὑμᾶς
“God, who called you”
τοῦ καλέσαντος
Here this means God has appointed or chosen people to be his children, to serve him, and to proclaim his message of salvation through Jesus.
ἐν χάριτι Χριστοῦ
“because of Christ’s grace” or “because of Christ’s gracious sacrifice”
Galatians 1:7
τινές
“some people”
Galatians 1:8
εὐαγγελίζηται ὑμῖν
This is describing something that has not happened and should not happen. Alternate translation: “would proclaim a gospel to you” or “were to proclaim to you a gospel” (See: Hypothetical Situations)
παρ’ ὃ εὐηγγελισάμεθα
“different from the gospel we proclaimed” or “different from the message taught”
ἀνάθεμα ἔστω
“God should punish that person forever.” If your language has a common way of calling a curse down on someone, you should use that.
Galatians 1:10
ἄρτι γὰρ ἀνθρώπους πείθω ἢ τὸν Θεόν? ἢ ζητῶ ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκειν?
These rhetorical questions expect the answer “no.” Alternate translation: “I do not persuade men, but instead I seek the approval of God. I am not seeking to please men.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
εἰ ἔτι ἀνθρώποις ἤρεσκον, Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἂν ἤμην
Both the If phrase and the following phrase are contrary to fact. “I am not still trying to please men; I am a servant of Christ” or “If I were still trying to please men, then I would not be a servant of Christ”
Galatians 1:11
Paul explains that he did not learn the gospel from others; he learned it from Jesus Christ.
ἀδελφοί
See how you translated this in Galatians 1:2.
ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν κατὰ ἄνθρωπον
By using this phrase, Paul was not trying to say that Jesus Christ is not himself human. Because Christ is both man and God, however, he is not a sinful human being. Paul is writing about where the gospel came from; that it did not come from other sinful human beings, but it came from Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1:12
δι’ ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ
This could mean: (1) Jesus Christ himself revealed the gospel to Paul. (2) God made Paul know the gospel when he showed Paul who Jesus Christ was.
Galatians 1:13
ἀναστροφήν ποτε
“behavior at one time” or “prior life” or “earlier life”
Galatians 1:14
προέκοπτον
This metaphor pictures Paul as being ahead of other Jews his age in their goal to be perfect Jews.
συνηλικιώτας
“of the Jewish people who are the same age as I am”
τῶν πατρικῶν μου
“of my ancestors”
Galatians 1:15
καλέσας διὰ τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ
This could mean: (1) This may mean God called Paul to serve him because he is gracious. (2) This may mean God called Paul by means of his grace.
Galatians 1:16
ἀποκαλύψαι τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐμοὶ
This could mean: (1) God allowed Paul to know his Son. (2) God showed the world through Paul that Jesus is God’s Son.
τὸν Υἱὸν
This is an important title for Jesus, the Son of God. (See: Translating Son and Father)
εὐαγγελίζωμαι αὐτὸν
“I would proclaim that he is God’s Son” or “I might preach the good news about God’s Son”
προσανεθέμην σαρκὶ καὶ αἵματι
This is an expression that means talking with other people. Alternate translation: “I did … ask people to help me understand the message” (See: Idiom)
Galatians 1:17
οὐδὲ ἀνῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα
Jerusalem was in a region of high hills, making it necessary to climb many hills in order to get there, and so it was common to describe travel to Jerusalem as go up to Jerusalem.
Galatians 1:19
ἕτερον…τῶν ἀποστόλων οὐκ εἶδον, εἰ μὴ Ἰάκωβον
This double negative emphasizes that James was the only apostle whom Paul saw. Alternate translation: “the only other apostle I saw was James” (See: Double Negatives)
Galatians 1:20
ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ
Paul wants the Galatians to understand that Paul is completely serious and that he knows that God hears what he says and will judge him if he does not tell the truth.
ἃ δὲ γράφω ὑμῖν, ἰδοὺ, ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι
Paul uses litotes to emphasize that he is telling the truth. Alternate translation: “But I am not lying to you in the messages I write to you” or “But in the things I write to you, I am telling you the truth” (See: Litotes)
Galatians 1:21
κλίματα τῆς Συρίας
“part of the world called Syria”
Galatians 1:22
ἤμην δὲ ἀγνοούμενος τῷ προσώπῳ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῆς Ἰουδαίας, ταῖς ἐν Χριστῷ
“None of the people in the churches of Judea that are in Christ had ever met me”
Galatians 1:23
μόνον δὲ ἀκούοντες ἦσαν
“But they only knew what they heard others saying about me”
Galatians 2
Galatians 2 General Notes
Structure and formatting
Paul continues to defend the true gospel. This began in Galatians 1:11.
Special concepts in this chapter
Freedom and slavery
Throughout this letter, Paul contrasts freedom and slavery. The Christian is free in Christ to do many different things. But the Christian who attempts to follow the law of Moses needs to follow the whole law. Paul describes trying to follow the law as a type of slavery. (See: law, law of Moses, law of Yahweh, law of God)
Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter
“I do not negate the grace of God”
Paul teaches that, if a Christian attempts to follow the law of Moses, they do not understand the grace God has shown to them. This is a fundamental error. But Paul uses the words “I do not negate the grace of God” as a type of hypothetical situation. The purpose of this statement could be seen as, “If you could be saved by following the law, then it would negate the grace of God.” (See: grace, gracious and Hypothetical Situations)
Galatians 2:1
Paul continues to give the history of how he learned the gospel from God, not the apostles.
ἀνέβην
“I traveled.” Jerusalem is located in hilly country. The Jews also viewed Jerusalem as the place on earth that is closest to heaven, so Paul may have been speaking figuratively, or it may be that it was reflecting the difficult, uphill, journey to get to Jerusalem.
Galatians 2:2
τοῖς δοκοῦσιν
“to the most important leaders among the believers”
μή πως εἰς κενὸν τρέχω ἢ ἔδραμον
Paul uses running as a metaphor for work. Alternate translation: “unless perhaps I was doing, or had done, profitable work” (See: Metaphor)
μή πως εἰς κενὸν τρέχω ἢ ἔδραμον
Paul uses a double negative to emphasize that the work he had done was profitable. Alternate translation: “to be sure that I was doing, or had done, profitable work” (See: Double Negatives)
εἰς κενὸν
“for no benefit” or “for nothing”
Galatians 2:3
περιτμηθῆναι
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “to have someone circumcise him” (See: Active or Passive)
Galatians 2:4
τοὺς παρεισάκτους ψευδαδέλφους
“people who pretended to be Christians came into the church,” or “people who pretended to be Christians came among us”
κατασκοπῆσαι τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἡμῶν
secretly watch us to see how we live in freedom
ἵνα ἡμᾶς καταδουλώσουσιν
Paul is speaking about being forced to follow the Jewish rituals that the law commanded. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
ἵνα ἡμᾶς καταδουλώσουσιν
“to make us slaves to the law.” Paul is speaking about following the Jewish law as if it were slavery. Alternate translation: “to force us to obey the law” (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 2:5
οὐδὲ…εἴξαμεν τῇ ὑποταγῇ
“we did not even submit” or “we did not even listen”
Galatians 2:6
ἐμοὶ…οὐδὲν προσανέθεντο
The word me here represents what Paul was teaching. Alternate translation: “added nothing to what I teach” or “did not tell me to add anything to what I teach” (See: Metonymy)
Galatians 2:7
ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον
“Instead” or “Rather”
πεπίστευμαι
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “God trusted me with” (See: Active or Passive)
Galatians 2:9
δοκοῦντες στῦλοι εἶναι
They were men who taught people about Jesus and convinced people to believe in Jesus. (See: Metaphor)
γνόντες τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι
The abstract noun grace can be translated as the verb “be kind.” Alternate translation: “when they had understood that God had been kind to me” (See: Abstract Nouns)
τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “the grace that God had given to me” (See: Active or Passive)
δεξιὰς ἔδωκαν ἐμοὶ καὶ Βαρναβᾷ κοινωνίας
Grasping and shaking the right hand was a symbol of fellowship. Alternate translation: “welcomed Barnabas and me as fellow workers” or “welcomed Barnabas and me with honor” (See: Symbolic Action)
δεξιὰς
“their right hands”
Galatians 2:10
τῶν πτωχῶν…μνημονεύωμεν
You may need to make explicit what about the poor he was to remember. Alternate translation: “we remember to take care of the needs of the poor” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Galatians 2:11
κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῷ ἀντέστην
The words to his face are a metonym for “where he could see and hear me.” Alternate translation: “I confronted him in person” or “I challenged his actions in person” (See: Metonymy)
Galatians 2:12
πρὸ
This is in relation to time.
ὑπέστελλεν
“he stopped eating with them”
φοβούμενος τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς
You can state clearly the reason Cephas was afraid. Alternate translation: “being afraid that these men who required circumcision would judge that he was doing something wrong” or “being afraid that these men who required circumcision would blame him for doing something wrong” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς
Jews who had become Christians, but who demanded that those who believe in Christ live according to Jewish customs
ἀφώριζεν ἑαυτόν
“stayed away from them” or “avoided them”
Galatians 2:14
οὐκ ὀρθοποδοῦσιν πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου
“they were not living like people who believe the gospel” or “they were living as though they did not believe the gospel”
πῶς τὰ ἔθνη ἀναγκάζεις Ἰουδαΐζειν
This rhetorical question is a rebuke and can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: “you are wrong to force the Gentiles to live like Jews.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
ἀναγκάζεις
The word you is singular and refers to Peter. (See: Forms of You)
ἀναγκάζεις
This could mean: (1) This refers to force by using words. (2) This refers to persuasion.
Galatians 2:15
Paul tells the believers that Jews who know the law, as well as Gentiles who do not know the law, are saved only by faith in Christ and not by keeping the law.
οὐκ ἐξ ἐθνῶν ἁμαρτωλοί
“not those whom the Jews call Gentile sinners”
Galatians 2:16
οὐ…σάρξ
The word flesh is a synecdoche for the whole person. Alternate translation: “no person” (See: Synecdoche)
Galatians 2:17
ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ
The phrase justified in Christ means justified because we are united with Christ and justified by means of Christ.
εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί
The words were also found to be are an idiom that emphasizes that “we are” certainly sinners. Alternate translation: “we see that we also certainly are sinners” (See: Idiom)
μὴ γένοιτο
“Of course, that is not true!” This expression gives the strongest possible negative answer to the preceding rhetorical question “is Christ then a minister of sin?” You may have a similar expression in your language that you could use here. (See: Rhetorical Question)
Galatians 2:20
τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ
This is an important title for Jesus. (See: Translating Son and Father)
Galatians 2:21
οὐκ ἀθετῶ
Paul states a negative to emphasize the positive. Alternate translation: “I confirm the value of” (See: Litotes)
εἰ…διὰ νόμου δικαιοσύνη, ἄρα Χριστὸς δωρεὰν ἀπέθανεν
Paul is describing a situation that never existed. (See: Hypothetical Situations)
εἰ…διὰ νόμου δικαιοσύνη
“if people could become righteous by obeying the law”
ἄρα Χριστὸς δωρεὰν ἀπέθανεν
“then Christ would have accomplished nothing by dying”
Galatians 3
Galatians 3 General Notes
Special concepts in this chapter
Equality in Christ
All Christians are equally united to Christ. Ancestry, gender, and status do not matter. All are equal with each other. All are equal in the eyes of God.
Important figures of speech in this chapter
Rhetorical Questions
Paul uses many different rhetorical questions in this chapter. He uses them to convince the Galatians of their sin. (See: Rhetorical Question and sin, sinful, sinner, sinning)
Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter
Flesh
This is a complex issue. “Flesh” is possibly a metaphor for our sinful nature. Paul is not teaching that the physical part of man is sinful. “Flesh” is used in this chapter to contrast with that which is spiritual. (See: flesh)
“Those of faith are children of Abraham”
Scholars are divided on what this means. Some believe Christians inherit the promises that God gave to Abraham, so Christians replace the physical descendants of Israel. Others believe Christians spiritually follow Abraham, but they do not inherit the promises that God gave to Abraham. In light of Paul’s other teachings and the context here, Paul is probably writing about the Jewish and Gentile Christians sharing the same faith as Abraham did. (See: spirit, wind, breath and Metaphor)
Galatians 3:1
Paul is rebuking the Galatians by asking rhetorical questions.
Paul reminds the believers in Galatia that God gave them God’s Spirit when they believed the gospel by faith, not by their doing God’s law.
τίς ὑμᾶς ἐβάσκανεν, οἷς κατ’ ὀφθαλμοὺς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς προεγράφη ἐσταυρωμένος?
Paul is using irony. He does not really believe that someone has put a spell on the Galatians. Alternate translation: “Why are you behaving as if someone has put a spell on you, even though it was clearly described to you how Jesus Christ was crucified?” (See: Irony)
τίς ὑμᾶς ἐβάσκανεν, οἷς κατ’ ὀφθαλμοὺς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς προεγράφη ἐσταυρωμένος
Paul is using a rhetorical question to say that the Galatians are acting as though someone has put a spell on them. Alternate translation: “You behave as if someone has put a spell on you, even though it was clearly described to you how Jesus Christ was crucified!” (See: Rhetorical Question)
ὑμᾶς ἐβάσκανεν
“done magic on you” or “done witchcraft on you”
οἷς κατ’ ὀφθαλμοὺς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς προεγράφη ἐσταυρωμένος
Paul speaks of his clear teaching of Jesus being crucified as if he had put on public display a picture of Jesus being crucified. And he speaks of the Galatians having heard his teaching as if they had seen the picture. Alternate translation: “for you yourselves heard the clear teaching about Jesus being crucified” (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 3:2
τοῦτο μόνον θέλω μαθεῖν ἀφ’ ὑμῶν
This continues the irony from verse 1. Paul knows the answers to the rhetorical questions he is about to ask. (See: Irony)
ἐξ ἔργων νόμου τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐλάβετε, ἢ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως
Translate this rhetorical question as a question if you can, because the reader will be expecting a question here. Also, be sure that the reader knows that the answer to the question is “by believing what you heard,” not “by doing what the law says.” Alternate translation: “You received the Spirit, not by doing what the law says, but by believing what you heard.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
Galatians 3:3
οὕτως ἀνόητοί ἐστε
This rhetorical question shows that Paul is surprised and even angry that the Galatians are foolish. Alternate translation: “You are very foolish!” (See: Rhetorical Question)
σαρκὶ
The word flesh is a metonym for effort. Alternate translation: “by your own effort” or “by your own work” (See: Metonymy)
Galatians 3:4
τοσαῦτα ἐπάθετε εἰκῇ— εἴ γε καὶ εἰκῇ?
Paul uses this question to remind the Galatians that when they were suffering, they believed that they would receive some benefit. Alternate translation: “Surely you did not think that you were suffering so many things for nothing—and indeed it was not in vain!” or “Surely you knew that there was some good purpose for suffering so many things, and that is was not for nothing!” (See: Rhetorical Question)
τοσαῦτα ἐπάθετε εἰκῇ
You can state this clearly that they had suffered these things because of people who opposed them for their faith in Christ. Alternate translation: “Have you suffered so many things by those who opposed you for your faith in Christ for nothing” or “You believed in Christ, and you suffered many things by those who oppose Christ. Were your belief and suffering for nothing” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
εἰκῇ
“uselessly” or “without the hope of receiving something good”
εἴ γε καὶ εἰκῇ?
This could mean: (1) Paul uses this rhetorical question to warn them not to let their experiences be for nothing. Alternate translation: “Do not let it be for nothing!” or “Do not stop believing in Jesus Christ and let your suffering be for nothing.” (2) Paul uses this question to assure them that their suffering was not for nothing. Alternate translation: “It was certainly not for nothing!” (See: Rhetorical Question)
Galatians 3:5
ἐξ ἔργων νόμου ἢ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως
Paul asks another rhetorical question to remind the Galatians how people receive the Spirit. Alternate translation: “he does not do it by the works of the law; he does it by hearing with faith.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
ἐξ ἔργων νόμου
This represents people doing the works that the law requires. Alternate translation: “is it because you do what the law tells us to do”
ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως
Your language may require you to state clearly what the people heard and whom they trusted. Alternate translation: “because you heard the message and had faith in Jesus” or “because you listened to the message and trusted in Jesus” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Galatians 3:6
Paul reminds the Galatian believers that even Abraham received righteousness by faith and not by the law.
ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην
God saw Abraham’s faith in God, so then God considered Abraham righteous.
Galatians 3:7
οἱ ἐκ πίστεως
“those who have faith.” The meaning of the noun faith can be expressed with the verb “believe.” Alternate translation: “those who believe” (See: Abstract Nouns)
υἱοί…Ἀβραὰμ
This represents people whom God views as he viewed Abraham. Alternate translation: “righteous in the same way as Abraham” (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 3:8
προϊδοῦσα
Because God made the promise to Abraham and they wrote it down before the promise came through Christ, the scripture is like someone who knows the future before it happens. Alternate translation: “having predicted” or “having seen before it happened” (See: Personification)
ἐν σοὶ
“Because of what you have done” or “Because I have blessed you.” The word you refers to Abraham and is singular. (See: Forms of You)
πάντα τὰ ἔθνη
“all the people-groups in the world.” God was emphasizing that he was not favoring only the Jewish people, his chosen group. His plan of salvation was for both Jews and non-Jews.
Galatians 3:10
ὅσοι γὰρ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου εἰσὶν ὑπὸ κατάραν εἰσίν
Being under a curse represents being cursed. Alternate translation: “Those who rely on doing what the law says are cursed” (See: Metonymy)
ὅσοι γὰρ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου εἰσὶν ὑπὸ κατάραν εἰσίν
Being under a curse refers to being eternally punished. Alternate translation: “God will eternally punish those who rely on obeying the law” (See: Metaphor)
ἔργων νόμου
“what the law says we must do”
Galatians 3:11
ὅτι δὲ ἐν νόμῳ, οὐδεὶς δικαιοῦται παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ δῆλον
You can state explicitly why this is clear. Alternate translation: “But the scriptures are clear that no one is justified before God by the law” or “But the scriptures teach clearly that the law is not able to justify anyone before God” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
ἐν νόμῳ, οὐδεὶς δικαιοῦται παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ
You can state this with an active verb. Alternate translation: “God justifies no one by the law” or “God does not justify anyone by the law”
ἐν νόμῳ, οὐδεὶς δικαιοῦται παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ
Paul is correcting their believe that if they obeyed the law, God would justify them. Alternate translation: “no one is justified before God by obeying the law” or “God does not justify anyone for their obedience to the law” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
ὁ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται
The nominal adjective righteous refers to righteous people. Alternate translation: “righteous people will live by faith” (See: Nominal Adjectives)
Galatians 3:12
ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς
This could mean: (1) A person who keeps the Law must obey them all. (2) A person who keeps the Law will be judged by his ability to do what the Law demands.
Galatians 3:13
Paul reminds these believers again that keeping the law could not save a person and that the law did not add a new condition to the promise by faith given to Abraham.
ἐκ τῆς κατάρας τοῦ νόμου
The noun curse can be expressed with the verb “curse.” Alternate translation: “from being cursed because of the law” or “from being cursed for not obeying the law”
ἐκ τῆς κατάρας τοῦ νόμου, γενόμενος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα…ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς
The word curse here is a metonym for God condemning the person whom he has cursed. Alternate translation: “from us having God condemn us because we broke the law … having God condemn him instead of us … God condemns everyone” (See: Metonymy)
ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου
Paul expected his audience to understand that he was referring to Jesus hanging on the cross.
Galatians 3:14
ἵνα…ἡ εὐλογία τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ γένηται
“because Christ became a curse for us, the blessing of Abraham will come”
ἵνα…λάβωμεν διὰ τῆς πίστεως
“because Christ became a curse for us, by faith we will receive”
λάβωμεν
The word we includes the people who would read the letter and so is inclusive. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)
Galatians 3:15
ἀδελφοί
See how you translated this in Galatians 1:2.
κατὰ ἄνθρωπον
“as a person” or “of things most people understand”
Galatians 3:16
δὲ
This word shows that Paul has stated a general principle and is now beginning to introduce a specific case.
ὡς ἐπὶ πολλῶν
“referring to many descendants”
σπέρματί σου
The word your is singular and refers to a specific person, who is a particular descendant of Abraham (and that descendant is identified as “Christ”). (See: Forms of You)
Galatians 3:17
τετρακόσια καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη
“four hundred and thirty years” (See: Numbers)
Galatians 3:18
εἰ γὰρ ἐκ νόμου ἡ κληρονομία, οὐκέτι ἐξ ἐπαγγελίας
Paul is speaking of a situation that did not exist to emphasize that the inheritance came only by means of the promise. Alternate translation: “the inheritance comes to us by means of the promise, because we could not keep the demands of God’s law” (See: Hypothetical Situations)
ἡ κληρονομία
Receiving what God has promised believers is spoken of as if it were an inheritance of property and wealth from a family member, and eternal blessings and redemption. (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 3:19
Paul tells the believers in Galatia why God gave the law.
τί οὖν ὁ νόμος
Paul uses a rhetorical question to introduce the next topic he wants to discuss. It can also be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: “I will tell you what the purpose of the law is.” or “Let me tell you why God gave the law.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
προσετέθη
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “God added it” or “God added the law” (See: Active or Passive)
διαταγεὶς δι’ ἀγγέλων ἐν χειρὶ μεσίτου
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “God issued the law with the help of angels, and a mediator put it into force” (See: Active or Passive)
ἐν χειρὶ μεσίτου
Here, hand represents the personal involvement of the mediator. Alternate translation: “through the actions of a representative” (See: Metonymy)
Galatians 3:20
ὁ δὲ μεσίτης ἑνὸς οὐκ ἔστιν, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς εἷς ἐστιν
God gave his promise to Abraham without a mediator, but he gave the law to Moses with a mediator. As a result, Paul’s readers may have thought that the law somehow made the promise to no effect. Paul is stating what his readers might have thought here, and he will respond to them in the verses that follow.
Galatians 3:21
The word us in this section refers to all Christians. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)
κατὰ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν
“opposed to the promises” or “in conflict with the promises”
εἰ…ἐδόθη νόμος ὁ δυνάμενος ζῳοποιῆσαι
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “if God had given a law that enabled those who kept it to live” (See: Active or Passive)
ἐν νόμου ἂν ἦν ἡ δικαιοσύνη
“we could have become righteous by obeying that law”
Galatians 3:22
συνέκλεισεν ἡ Γραφὴ τὰ πάντα ὑπὸ ἁμαρτίαν, ἵνα ἡ ἐπαγγελία ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δοθῇ τοῖς πιστεύουσιν
This could mean: (1) Because everyone sins, God put all things under the control of the law, like putting them in prison, so that what he has promised to those who have faith in Christ Jesus he might give to those who believe. (2) Because we sin, God put all things under the control of the law, like putting them in prison. He did this because what he has promised to those who have faith in Christ Jesus he wants to give to those who believe.
Γραφὴ
Paul is treating scripture as though it were a person and is speaking of God, who wrote scripture. Alternate translation: “God” (See: Personification)
Galatians 3:23
Paul reminds those in Galatia that believers are free in God’s family, not slaves under the law.
ὑπὸ νόμον ἐφρουρούμεθα, συνκλειόμενοι
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “the law held us captive and we were in prison” or “the law held us captive in prison” (See: Active or Passive)
ὑπὸ νόμον ἐφρουρούμεθα, συνκλειόμενοι
The way the law controlled us is spoken of as if the law were a prison guard holding us as captives. Alternate translation: “the law controlled us like a prison guard” (See: Metaphor)
εἰς τὴν μέλλουσαν πίστιν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “until God would reveal that he justifies those who have faith in Christ” or “until God would reveal that he justifies those who trust in Christ” (See: Active or Passive)
Galatians 3:24
παιδαγωγὸς
More than simply “one who gives oversight to a child,” this was usually a slave who was responsible for enforcing rules and behaviors given by the parent and would report to the parent on the child’s actions.
εἰς Χριστόν
“until the time when Christ came”
ἵνα…δικαιωθῶμεν
Before Christ came, God had planned to justify us. When Christ came, he carried out his plan to justify us. You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “so that God would declare us to be righteous” (See: Active or Passive)
Galatians 3:27
ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθητε
“For everyone who was baptized into Christ”
Χριστὸν ἐνεδύσασθε
This could mean: (1) This is a metaphor meaning that they have been united to Christ. Alternate translation: “have become united with Christ” or “belong to Christ” (2) This is a metaphor meaning that they have become like Christ. Alternate translation: “have become like Christ” (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 3:28
οὐκ ἔνι Ἰουδαῖος οὐδὲ Ἕλλην, οὐκ ἔνι δοῦλος οὐδὲ ἐλεύθερος, οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ
“God sees no difference between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female”
Galatians 3:29
κληρονόμοι
The people to whom God has made promises are spoken of as if they were to inherit property and wealth from a family member. (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 4
Galatians 4 General Notes
Structure and formatting
Some translations set each line of poetry farther to the right than the rest of the text to make it easier to read. The ULT does this with verse 27, which is quoted from the Old Testament.
Special concepts in this chapter
Sonship
Sonship is a complex issue. Scholars have many views on Israel’s sonship. Paul uses sonship to teach how being under the law differs from being free in Christ. Not all of Abraham’s physical descendants inherited God’s promises to him. Only his descendants through Isaac and Jacob inherited the promises. And God only adopts into his family those who follow Abraham spiritually through faith. They are children of God with an inheritance. Paul calls them “children of promise.” (See: inherit, inheritance, heir, promise, promised, spirit, wind, breath and faith and adoption, adopt, adopted)
Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter
Abba, Father
“Abba” is an Aramaic word. In ancient Israel, people used it to informally refer to their fathers. Paul “transliterates” its sounds by writing them with Greek letters. (See: Copy or Borrow Words)
Galatians 4:1
Paul continues to remind the Galatian believers that Christ came to redeem those who were under the law, and that he made them no more slaves but sons.
οὐδὲν διαφέρει
“he is the same as”
Galatians 4:2
ἐπιτρόπους
people with legal responsibility for children
οἰκονόμους
people whom others trust to keep valuable items safe
Galatians 4:3
The word we here refers to all Christians, including Paul’s readers. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)
ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι
Here, children is a metaphor for being spiritually immature. Alternate translation: “when we were like children” (See: Metaphor)
ἡμεῖς…ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἤμεθα δεδουλωμένοι
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “the elemental principles of the world controlled us” (See: Active or Passive)
ἡμεῖς…ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἤμεθα δεδουλωμένοι
Here, enslaved is a metaphor being unable to stop one’s self from doing something. Alternate translation: “we had to obey the elemental principles of the world as if we were slaves” (See: Metaphor)
τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου
This could mean: (1) This refers to the laws or moral principles of the world. (2) This refers to spiritual powers, which some people thought control what happens on earth.
Galatians 4:4
τὸν Υἱὸν
This is an important title for Jesus, the Son of God. (See: Translating Son and Father)
Galatians 4:5
ἐξαγοράσῃ
Paul uses the metaphor of a person buying back lost property or buying the freedom of a slave as a picture of Jesus paying for his people’s sins by dying on the cross. (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 4:6
ἐστε υἱοί
Paul uses the word for male child here because the subject is inheritance. In his culture and that of his readers, inheritance passed most commonly, but not always, to male children. He was neither specifying nor excluding female children here.
ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν κρᾶζον, Ἀββά, ὁ Πατήρ
By calling out “Abba, Father” the Spirit assures us that we are God’s children and he loves us.
ἐξαπέστειλεν…τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν
Here, hearts is metonym for the part of a person that thinks and feels. Alternate translation: “sent his Son’s Spirit to show us how to think and act” (See: Metonymy)
τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ
This is an important title for Jesus, the Son of God. (See: Translating Son and Father)
κρᾶζον
The Spirit is the one who calls.
Ἀββά, ὁ Πατήρ
This is the way a young child would address his father in Paul’s home language, but not in the language of the Galatian readers. To keep the sense of a foreign language, translate this as a word that sounds as much like Abba as your language allows.
Galatians 4:7
οὐκέτι εἶ δοῦλος, ἀλλὰ υἱός
Paul uses the word for male child here because the subject is inheritance. In his culture and that of his readers, inheritance passed most commonly, but not always, to male children. He was neither specifying nor excluding female children here.
οὐκέτι εἶ δοῦλος…καὶ κληρονόμος
Paul is addressing his readers as though they are one person, so you here is singular. (See: Forms of You)
κληρονόμος
The people to whom God has made promises are spoken of as if they were to inherit property and wealth from a family member. (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 4:8
He continues to rebuke the Galatians by asking rhetorical questions.
Paul reminds the Galatian believers that they are again trying to live under God’s laws rather than living by faith.
τοῖς φύσει μὴ οὖσι θεοῖς
“those things that are not really gods” or “those spirits who are no the same as gods”
Galatians 4:9
γνωσθέντες ὑπὸ Θεοῦ
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “since God knows you” (See: Active or Passive)
πῶς ἐπιστρέφετε πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀσθενῆ καὶ πτωχὰ στοιχεῖα
Here, turning back to is a metaphor for starting to pay attention to something again. Alternate translation: “why are you paying attention to the weak and worthless elemental principles” (See: Metaphor)
πῶς ἐπιστρέφετε πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀσθενῆ καὶ πτωχὰ στοιχεῖα, οἷς πάλιν ἄνωθεν δουλεύειν θέλετε?
This is a rhetorical question. Alternate translation: “you should not start paying attention to the weak and worthless elemental principles because you do not want to be enslaved by them again.” or “you should not be concerned with the weak and worthless elemental principles or allow them to take you captive again.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
τὰ ἀσθενῆ καὶ πτωχὰ στοιχεῖα
See how you translated this phrase in Galatians 4:3.
οἷς πάλιν ἄνωθεν δουλεύειν θέλετε
Here being enslaved is a metaphor for being obligated to obey certain rules or customs. Alternate translation: “Do you want to have to obey rules again like a slave has to obey his master?” or “It seems that you want to be controlled all over again!” (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 4:10
ἡμέρας παρατηρεῖσθε, καὶ μῆνας, καὶ καιροὺς, καὶ ἐνιαυτούς
Paul is speaking of their being careful to celebrate certain times, thinking that doing that will make them right with God. Alternate translation: “You carefully celebrate days and months and seasons and years”
Galatians 4:11
εἰκῇ
“with no effect” or “without result”
Galatians 4:12
Paul reminds the Galatian believers how kindly they treated him when he was with them, and he encourages them to continue to trust him while he is not there with them.
δέομαι
Here this means to ask or urge strongly. This is not the word used to ask for money or food or physical objects.
ἀδελφοί
See how you translated this in Galatians 1:2.
οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε
You can state this in positive form. Alternate translation: “You treated me well” or “You treated me as you should have”
Galatians 4:14
τὸν πειρασμὸν ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου
“my physical illness, although it was difficult for you”
Galatians 4:17
ζηλοῦσιν ὑμᾶς
“They are eager to convince you to join them”
ἐκκλεῖσαι ὑμᾶς
“to shut you out from us” or “to make you stop being loyal to us”
αὐτοὺς ζηλοῦτε
“you would be zealous to do what they tell you to do”
Galatians 4:19
Paul tells believers that grace and law cannot work together.
τέκνα μου
This is a metaphor for disciples or followers. Alternate translation: “You who are disciples because of me” (See: Metaphor)
οὓς πάλιν ὠδίνω, μέχρις οὗ μορφωθῇ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν
Paul uses childbirth as a metaphor for his concern about the Galatians. Alternate translation: “with whom I am in pain as though I were a woman having to give birth to you, and I will continue to be in pain until Christ truly controls you” (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 4:21
λέγετέ μοι
“I want to ask a question” or “I want to tell you something”
τὸν νόμον οὐκ ἀκούετε?
Paul is introducing what he will say next. Alternate translation: “you need to learn what the law really says.” or “let me tell you what the law really says.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
Galatians 4:24
Paul begins a story to illustrate a truth—that law and grace cannot exist together.
ἅτινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμενα
“This story of the two sons is like a picture of what I will tell you now”
ἀλληγορούμενα
An allegory is a story in which the people and things in it represent other things. In Paul’s allegory, the two women referred to in Galatians 4:22 represent two covenants.
αὗται γάρ εἰσιν
“for these women are a picture of”
Ὄρους Σινά
Mount Sinai here is a synecdoche for the law that Moses gave to the Israelites there. Alternate translation: “Mount Sinai, where Moses gave the law to Israel” (See: Synecdoche)
εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα
Paul treats the law as if it were a woman who could give birth. (See: Personification)
εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα
A person becoming a slave to the law is spoken of as if they were born into that slavery. Alternate translation: “causing people under this covenant to be like slaves who have to obey the law” (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 4:25
συνστοιχεῖ
“she is a picture of” or “she represents”
δουλεύει…μετὰ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς
Hagar is a slave and her children are slaves with her. Alternate translation: “Jerusalem, like Hagar, is a slave, and her children are slaves with her” (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 4:26
ἐλευθέρα ἐστίν
“is not bound” or “is not a slave”
Galatians 4:27
στεῖρα…ἡ οὐκ ὠδίνουσα
Here, you refers to the barren woman and is singular. (See: Forms of You)
Galatians 4:28
ἀδελφοί
See how you translated this in Galatians 1:2.
ἐπαγγελίας τέκνα
This could mean: (1) The Galatians have become God’s children by believing God’s promise. (2) The Galatians have become God’s children because God worked miracles to fulfill his promises to Abraham, first by giving Abraham a son and then by making the Galatians children of Abraham and thus sons of God.
Galatians 4:29
κατὰ σάρκα
This refers to Abraham’s becoming Ishmael’s father by taking Hagar as a wife. Alternate translation: “by means of human action” or “because of what people did” (See: Metaphor)
κατὰ Πνεῦμα
“because of something the Spirit did”
Galatians 4:31
ἀδελφοί
See how you translated this in Galatians 1:2.
ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐλευθέρας
The words “we are children” are understood from the previous phrase. You can translate this as a separate sentence. Alternate translation: “rather, we are children of the free woman” (See: Ellipsis)
Galatians 5
Galatians 5 General Notes
Structure and formatting
Paul continues writing about the law of Moses as something that traps or enslaves a person. (See: law, law of Moses, law of Yahweh, law of God)
Special concepts in this chapter
Fruit of the Spirit
The phrase “the fruit of the Spirit” is not plural, even though it begins a list of several things. Translators should keep the singular form if possible. (See: fruit, fruitful, unfruitful)
Important figures of speech in this chapter
Illustrations
Paul uses several metaphors in this chapter to illustrate his points and help explain complicated issues. (See: Metaphor)
Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter
“You are cut off from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you no longer experience grace.”
Some scholars think Paul teaches that being circumcised causes a person to lose their salvation. Other scholars think Paul means that obeying the law to try to get right with God will keep a person from being saved by grace. (See: grace, gracious)
Galatians 5:1
Paul applies the allegory by reminding the believers to use their liberty in Christ because all the law is fulfilled in loving neighbors as ourselves.
τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ, ἡμᾶς Χριστὸς ἠλευθέρωσεν
“It is so that we can be free that Christ has set us free.” It is implied that Christ sets believers free from the old covenant. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ, ἡμᾶς Χριστὸς ἠλευθέρωσεν
Here, freedom from the old covenant is a metaphor for not being obligated to obey it. Alternate translation: “Christ has set us free from the old covenant so that we might be free” or “Christ has set us free so that we might live as free people” (See: Metaphor)
στήκετε
To stand firm here represents being determined not to change. Alternate translation: “Do not give in” (See: Metaphor)
στήκετε
You can state clearly how they are not to change. Alternate translation: “Do not give in to the arguments of people who teach something else” or “Be determined to stay free” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
μὴ πάλιν ζυγῷ δουλείας ἐνέχεσθε
Here being under control of a yoke of slavery represents being obligated to obey the law. Alternate translation: “do not live like one who is under the control of a yoke of slavery to the law” (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 5:2
ἐὰν περιτέμνησθε
Paul is using circumcision as a metonym for Judaism. Alternate translation: “if you turn to the Jewish religion” (See: Metonymy)
Galatians 5:3
μαρτύρομαι
“I declare” or “I serve as a witness”
παντὶ ἀνθρώπῳ περιτεμνομένῳ
Paul is using circumcision as a metonym for being Jewish. Alternate translation: “to every person who has become a Jew” (See: Metonymy)
ὀφειλέτης ἐστὶν…ποιῆσαι
“he must obey”
Galatians 5:4
κατηργήθητε ἀπὸ Χριστοῦ
Here, cut off is a metaphor for separation from Christ. Alternate translation: “You have ended your relationship with Christ” or “You are no longer united with Christ” (See: Metaphor)
οἵτινες ἐν νόμῳ δικαιοῦσθε
Paul is speaking ironically here. He actually teaches that no one can be justified by trying to do the deeds required by the law. Alternate translation: “all you who think you can be justified by doing the deeds required by the law” or “you who want to be justified by the law” (See: Irony)
τῆς χάριτος ἐξεπέσατε
You can state clearly who that grace comes from. Alternate translation: “God will not be gracious to you” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Galatians 5:5
Here the word we refers to Paul and those who oppose the circumcision of Christians. He is probably including the Galatians. (See: Exclusive and Inclusive ‘We’)
γὰρ Πνεύματι
“This is because through the Spirit”
ἡμεῖς…ἐκ πίστεως ἐλπίδα δικαιοσύνης ἀπεκδεχόμεθα
This could mean: (1) This may mean that we are waiting by faith for the hope of righteousness. (2) This may mean we are waiting for the hope of righteousness that comes by faith.
ἡμεῖς…ἐλπίδα δικαιοσύνης ἀπεκδεχόμεθα
“we are waiting patiently and with excitement for God to put us right with himself forever, and we expect him to do it”
Galatians 5:6
οὔτε περιτομή…οὔτε ἀκροβυστία
These are metonymy for being a Jew or a non-Jew. Alternate translation: “neither being a Jew nor not being a Jew” (See: Metonymy)
ἀλλὰ πίστις δι’ ἀγάπης ἐνεργουμένη
“rather, God is concerned with our faith in him, which we show by loving others”
τι ἰσχύει
is worthwhile
Galatians 5:7
ἐτρέχετε
“You were practicing what Jesus taught”
Galatians 5:8
ἡ πεισμονὴ οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος ὑμᾶς
“The one who persuades you to do that is not God, the one who calls you”
τοῦ καλοῦντος ὑμᾶς
You can state clearly what he calls them to. Alternate translation: “the one who calls you to be his people” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
πεισμονὴ
To persuade someone is to get that person to change what he believes and so to act differently.
Galatians 5:10
οὐδὲν ἄλλο φρονήσετε
“you will not believe anything different from what I am telling you”
ὁ δὲ ταράσσων ὑμᾶς, βαστάσει τὸ κρίμα
“But God will punish the one who is troubling you”
ταράσσων ὑμᾶς
“who is causing you to be uncertain about what is truth” or “who stirs up trouble among you”
ὅστις ἐὰν ᾖ
This could mean: (1) Paul does not know the names of the people who are telling the Galatians that they need to obey the law of Moses. (2) Paul does not want the Galatians to care about whether those who “confuse” them are rich or poor or great or small or religious or not religious.
Galatians 5:11
ἐγὼ δέ, ἀδελφοί, εἰ περιτομὴν ἔτι κηρύσσω, τί ἔτι διώκομαι?
Paul is describing a situation that does not exist to emphasize that people are persecuting him because he is not preaching that people need to become Jews. (See: Hypothetical Situations)
ἐγὼ δέ, ἀδελφοί, εἰ περιτομὴν ἔτι κηρύσσω, τί ἔτι διώκομαι?
This rhetorical question can be written as a statement. Alternate translation: “But brothers, you can see that I am not still proclaiming circumcision because the Jews are persecuting me.” (See: Rhetorical Question)
ἀδελφοί
See how you translated this in Galatians 1:2.
ἄρα κατήργηται τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ
Paul is describing a situation that does not exist to emphasize that people persecute him because he is preaching that God forgives people because of Jesus’ work on the cross. (See: Hypothetical Situations)
ἄρα
“If I were still saying that people need to become Jews”
κατήργηται τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “the teaching about the cross would not be a stumbling block” or “there is nothing in the teaching of the cross that would cause people to stumble” (See: Active or Passive)
κατήργηται τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ
Stumbling represents sinning, and the sin is to reject the truth of the teaching that in order to be made right with God, people only need to believe that Jesus died on the cross for us. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
κατήργηται τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ
Stumbling represents sinning, and a stumbling block represents something that causes people to sin. Alternate translation: “the teaching about the cross that causes people to reject the truth has been removed” or “there is nothing in the teaching about Jesus dying on the cross that would lead people to reject the teaching” (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 5:12
καὶ ἀποκόψονται
This could mean: (1) This is literal, and means they cut off their male organs so as to become eunuchs. (2) This is metaphorical, meaning they completely withdraw from the Christian community. (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 5:13
γὰρ
Paul is giving the reason for his words in Galatians 5:12.
ὑμεῖς…ἐπ’ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἐκλήθητε
This can be expressed in an active form. Alternate translation: “Christ has called you to freedom” (See: Active or Passive)
ὑμεῖς…ἐπ’ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἐκλήθητε
It is implied that Christ has set believers free from the old covenant. Alternate translation: “You were called to freedom from the old covenant” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
ὑμεῖς…ἐπ’ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἐκλήθητε
Here, freedom from the old covenant is a metaphor for not being obligated to obey it. Alternate translation: “Christ has chosen you to not be obligated to the old covenant” (See: Metaphor)
ἀδελφοί
See how you translated this in Galatians 1:2.
ἀφορμὴν τῇ σαρκί
You can state more clearly the relationship between the opportunity and the sinful nature. Alternate translation: “an opportunity for you to behave according to your sinful nature” (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Galatians 5:14
ὁ…πᾶς νόμος ἐν ἑνὶ λόγῳ πεπλήρωται
This could mean: (1) This may mean is is possible to state the whole law in just this one commandment. (2) This may mean that by obeying one commandment, it is possible to obey all the commandments, and that one commandment is this.
ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν
The words your and yourself are singular. (See: Forms of You)
Galatians 5:16
Paul explains how the Spirit gives control over sin.
Πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε
Here, to walk is a metaphor for living. Alternate translation: “conduct your life in the power of the Holy Spirit” or “live your life in dependence on the Spirit” (See: Metaphor)
ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε
The phrase fulfill the desires of the flesh is an idiom meaning “do what someone desires.” Alternate translation: “you will not do what your sinful nature desires” (See: Idiom)
ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς
The flesh is spoken of as if it were a person and wanted to sin. Alternate translation: “what you want to do because of your sinful nature” or “the things you want to do because you are sinful” (See: Personification)
Galatians 5:18
οὐκ…ὑπὸ νόμον
“not obligated to obey the law of Moses”
Galatians 5:19
τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκός
The abstract noun works can be translated with the verb “does.” Alternate translation: “what the sinful nature does”
τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκός
The flesh is spoken of as if it were a person who does things. Alternate translation: “what people do because of their sinful nature” or “the things people do because they are sinful” (See: Personification)
Galatians 5:21
κληρονομήσουσιν
Receiving what God has promised believers is spoken of as if it were inheriting property and wealth from a family member. (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 5:22
ὁ…καρπὸς τοῦ Πνεύματός ἐστιν
Here, fruit is a metaphor for “result” or “outcome.” Alternate translation: “what the Spirit produces is” or “the Spirit produces in God’s people” (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 5:23
πραΰτης, ἐνκράτεια
The list of “the fruit of the Spirit” that begins with the words “love, joy, peace” ends here.
Galatians 5:24
τὴν σάρκα ἐσταύρωσαν σὺν τοῖς παθήμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις
Paul speaks of Christians who refuse to live according to their flesh as if they have killed it on a cross. Alternate translation: “refuse to live according the sinful nature with its passions and desires, as if they killed it on a cross” (See: Metaphor)
τὴν σάρκα ἐσταύρωσαν σὺν τοῖς παθήμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις
Paul speaks of the flesh as if it were a person who has been killed on a cross. (See: Personification)
τὴν σάρκα…σὺν τοῖς παθήμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις
The sinful nature is spoken of as if it were a person that had passions and desires. Alternate translation: “their sinful nature, and the things they strongly want to do because of it” (See: Personification)
Galatians 5:25
εἰ ζῶμεν Πνεύματι
“Since God’s Spirit has caused us to be alive”
Πνεύματι καὶ στοιχῶμεν
Here, walk is a metaphor for living every day. Alternate translation: “let us allow the Holy Spirit to guide us so we do things that please and honor God” (See: Metaphor)
Galatians 5:26
μὴ γινώμεθα
“We should not be”
Galatians 6
Galatians 6 General Notes
Structure and formatting
This chapter concludes Paul’s letter. His final words address some issues that do not seem to be connected to the rest of his letter.
Brothers
Paul writes the words in this chapter to Christians. He calls them “brothers.” This refers to Paul’s Christian brothers and not his Jewish brothers.
Special concepts in this chapter
New Creation
People who are born again are a new creation in Christ. Christians have been given new life in Christ. They have a new nature in them after they come to faith in Christ. To Paul, this is more significant than a person’s ancestry. (See: born again, born of God, new birth and faith)
Other possible translation difficulties in this chapter
Flesh
This is a complex issue. “Flesh” is contrasted with “spirit.” In this chapter, flesh is also used to refer to the physical body. (See: flesh and sin, sinful, sinner, sinning and spirit, wind, breath)
Galatians 6:1
Paul teaches believers how they should treat other believers and how God rewards.
ἀδελφοί
See how you translated this in Galatians 1:2.
ἐὰν…ἄνθρωπος
“if anyone among you”
ἐὰν καὶ προλημφθῇ ἄνθρωπος ἔν τινι παραπτώματι
This could mean: (1) Someone else found that person in the act. Alternate translation: “if someone is discovered in an act of sin” (2) That person committed the sin without intending to do evil. Alternate translation: “if someone gave in and sinned”
ὑμεῖς, οἱ πνευματικοὶ
“those of you who are guided by the Spirit” or “you who are living in the guidance of the Spirit”
καταρτίζετε τὸν τοιοῦτον
“let him … correct the person who sinned” or “let him … exhort the person who sinned to return to a correct relationship with God”
ἐν πνεύματι πραΰτητος
This could mean: (1) The Spirit is directing the one who is offering correction. (2) We should have an attitude of gentleness, or speak to them in a kind way.
σκοπῶν σεαυτόν
These words treat the Galatians as though they are all one person to emphasize that he is talking to each of them. Alternate translation: “being concerned about yourselves” (See: Forms of You)
μὴ καὶ σὺ πειρασθῇς
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “so that nothing will tempt you also to sin” (See: Active or Passive)
Galatians 6:3
εἰ γὰρ
“Because if” The words that follow tell why: (1) The Galatians should carry one other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). (2) The Galatians should be careful that they themselves are not tempted (Galatians 6:1). (3) The Galatians should not become conceited (Galatians 5:26).
δοκεῖ…εἶναί τι
“thinks he is someone important” or “thinks he is better than others”
μηδὲν ὤν
“when he is not important” or “although he is not better than others”
Galatians 6:4
δοκιμαζέτω ἕκαστος
“each person must examine”
Galatians 6:5
ἕκαστος…τὸ ἴδιον φορτίον βαστάσει
“each person will be judged by his own work only” or “each person will be responsible for his own work only”
ἕκαστος…βαστάσει
“each person will carry”
Galatians 6:6
τὸν λόγον
“the message,” everything God has said or commanded
Galatians 6:7
ὃ γὰρ ἐὰν σπείρῃ ἄνθρωπος, τοῦτο καὶ θερίσει
To sow represents doing things that end in some kind of result, and to reap represents experiencing the results of what one has done. Alternate translation: “for just as a farmer gathers in the fruit of whatever kind of seeds he plants, so everyone experiences the results of whatever he does” (See: Metaphor)
ὃ γὰρ ἐὰν σπείρῃ ἄνθρωπος
Paul is not specifying males here. Alternate translation: “for whatever a person plants” or “for whatever someone plants” (See: When Masculine Words Include Women)
Galatians 6:8
ὁ σπείρων εἰς τὴν σάρκα ἑαυτοῦ
Here, sowing seeds is a metaphor for doing deeds that will have consequences later. In this case, the person is doing sinful actions because of his sinful nature. Alternate translation: “the person who plants seed according to what he wants because of his sinful nature” or “the person who does the things he wants to do because of his sinful nature” (See: Metaphor)
θερίσει φθοράν
God punishing the person is spoken of as if the person were harvesting a crop. Alternate translation: “will receive punishment for what he did” (See: Metaphor)
σπείρων εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα
Here, sowing seeds is a metaphor for doing deeds that will have consequences later. In this case, the person is doing good actions because he is listening to God’s Spirit. Alternate translation: “doing the things God’s Spirit loves” (See: Metaphor)
ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος θερίσει ζωὴν αἰώνιον
“will receive eternal life as a reward from God’s Spirit”
Galatians 6:9
τὸ δὲ καλὸν ποιοῦντες, μὴ ἐνκακῶμεν
“We should continue to do good”
τὸ δὲ καλὸν ποιοῦντες
in doing good to others for their well-being
καιρῷ γὰρ ἰδίῳ
“for at the right time” or “because at the time God has chosen”
Galatians 6:10
ἄρα οὖν
“As a result of this” or “Because of this”
μάλιστα δὲ πρὸς τοὺς
“but most of all to those” or “but in particular to those”
τοὺς οἰκείους τῆς πίστεως
“those who are members of God’s family through faith in Christ”
Galatians 6:11
As Paul closes this letter, he gives one more reminder that the law does not save and that they should remember the cross of Christ.
πηλίκοις…γράμμασιν
This could mean: (1) Paul is writing with large letters because he wants to emphasize the statements that follow. (2) Paul is writing with large letters because he wants to emphasize that this letter came from him.
τῇ ἐμῇ χειρί
This could mean: (1) Paul probably had a helper who wrote most of this letter as Paul told him what to write, but Paul himself wrote this last part of the letter. (2) Paul wrote the whole letter himself.
Galatians 6:12
εὐπροσωπῆσαι
“to cause others to think well of them” or “to cause others to think that they are good people”
ἐν σαρκί
“with visible evidence” or “by their own efforts”
οὗτοι ἀναγκάζουσιν
“they are forcing” or “they are strongly influencing”
μόνον ἵνα τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ μὴ διώκωνται
“only so that the Jews will not persecute them for claiming that the cross of Christ alone is what saves people”
τῷ σταυρῷ
The cross here represents what Christ did for us when he died on the cross. Alternate translation: “for the work Jesus did on the cross” or “because of the death and resurrection of Jesus” (See: Metonymy)
Galatians 6:13
θέλουσιν
“those people who are urging you to be circumcised want”
ἵνα ἐν τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ σαρκὶ καυχήσωνται
“so that they may be proud that they have added you to the people who try to keep the law”
Galatians 6:14
ἐμοὶ δὲ, μὴ γένοιτο καυχᾶσθαι, εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ
“But I do not ever want to boast in anything other than the cross” or “But may I boast only in the cross”
ἐμοὶ κόσμος ἐσταύρωται
You can state this in active form. Alternate translation: “I think of the world as already dead” or “I treat the world like a criminal God has killed on a cross” (See: Active or Passive)
κἀγὼ κόσμῳ
The words “have been crucified” are understood from the phrase before this. Alternate translation: “and I have been crucified to the world” (See: Ellipsis)
κἀγὼ κόσμῳ
This could mean: (1) The world thinks of Paul as already dead. (2) The world treats Paul like a criminal that God has killed on the cross.
κόσμος
This could mean: (1) This refers to the people of the world, those who care nothing for God. (2) This refers to the things that those who care nothing for God think are important.
Galatians 6:15
τὶ ἐστιν
“is important to God”
καινὴ κτίσις
This could mean: (1) This refers to a new believer in Jesus Christ. (2) This refers to the new life of a believer.
Galatians 6:16
εἰρήνη ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἔλεος, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ Θεοῦ
This could mean: (1) Believers in general are the Israel of God. (2) Paul is requesting peace and mercy upon Gentile believers and upon the Israel of God. or (3) Paul is requesting peace upon those who follow the rule, and mercy be upon even the Israel of God.
Galatians 6:17
τοῦ λοιποῦ
This can also mean “Lastly” or “As I end this letter.”
κόπους μοι μηδεὶς παρεχέτω
This could mean: (1) Paul is commanding the Galatians not to trouble him. Alternate translation: “I am commanding you this: do not trouble me” (2) Paul is telling the Galatians that he is commanding all people not to trouble him. Alternate translation: “I am commanding everyone this: do not trouble me” (3) Paul is expressing a desire. Alternate translation: “I do not want anyone to trouble me”
ἐγὼ γὰρ τὰ στίγματα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματί μου βαστάζω
These marks were scars from people who beat and whipped Paul because they did not like him teaching about Jesus. Alternate translation: “for the scars on my body show that I serve Jesus”
Galatians 6:18
ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν
“I pray that the Lord Jesus will be kind to your spirit”
ἀδελφοί
See how you translated this in Galatians 1:2.