Galatians 1:7

1:7 not that there really is another gospel, ¹  but ²  there are some who are disturbing you and wanting ³  to distort the gospel of Christ.

Galatians 1:14-15

1:14 I ⁴  was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation, ⁵  and was ⁶  extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. ⁷  1:15 But when the one ⁸  who set me apart from birth ⁹  and called me by his grace was pleased

Galatians 2:12

2:12 Until ¹⁰  certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this ¹¹  and separated himself ¹²  because he was afraid of those who were pro-circumcision. ¹³ 

Galatians 3:13

3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming ¹⁴  a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) ¹⁵ 

Galatians 3:19

3:19 Why then was the law given? ¹⁶  It was added ¹⁷  because of transgressions, ¹⁸  until the arrival of the descendant ¹⁹  to whom the promise had been made. It was administered ²⁰  through angels by an intermediary. ²¹ 

Galatians 5:13

Practice Love

5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; ²²  only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, ²³  but through love serve one another. ²⁴ 

Galatians 5:21

5:21 envying, ²⁵  murder, ²⁶  drunkenness, carousing, ²⁷  and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

Galatians 6:4

6:4 Let each one examine ²⁸  his own work. Then he can take pride ²⁹  in himself and not compare himself with ³⁰  someone else.

¹ tn Grk “which is not another,” but this could be misunderstood to mean “which is not really different.” In fact, as Paul goes on to make clear, there is no other gospel than the one he preaches.

² tn Grk “except.”

³ tn Or “trying.”

⁴ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁵ tn Or “among my race.”

⁶ tn Grk “was advancing beyond…nation, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) was translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

⁷ sn The traditions of my ancestors refers to both Pharisaic and popular teachings of this time which eventually were codified in Jewish literature such as the Mishnah, Midrashim, and Targums.

⁷ tc ‡ Several important witnesses have ὁ θεός (Jo qeos) after εὐδόκησεν (eudokhsen; so א A D Ψ 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï co) while the shorter reading is supported by Ì⁴⁶ B F G 629 1505 pc lat. There is hardly any reason why scribes would omit the words (although the Beatty papyrus and the Western text do at times omit words and phrases), but several reasons why scribes would add the words (especially the need to clarify). The confluence of witnesses for the shorter reading (including a few fathers and versions) adds strong support for its authenticity. It is also in keeping with Paul’s style to refrain from mentioning God by name as a rhetorical device (cf. ExSyn 437 [although this section deals with passive constructions, the principle is the same]). NA²⁷ includes the words in brackets, indicating some doubts as to their authenticity.

⁸ tn Grk “from my mother’s womb.”

¹⁰ tn The conjunction γάρ has not been translated here.

¹¹ tn Grk “he drew back.” If ἑαυτόν (Jeauton) goes with both ὑπέστελλεν (Jupestellen) and ἀφώριζεν (afwrizen) rather than only the latter, the meaning would be “he drew himself back” (see BDAG 1041 s.v. ὑποστέλλω 1.a).

¹² tn Or “and held himself aloof.”

¹³ tn Grk “the [ones] of the circumcision,” that is, the group of Jewish Christians who insisted on circumcision of Gentiles before they could become Christians.

¹³ tn Grk “having become”; the participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been taken instrumentally.

¹⁴ sn A quotation from Deut 21:23. By figurative extension the Greek word translated tree (ζύλον, zulon) can also be used to refer to a cross (L&N 6.28), the Roman instrument of execution.

¹⁶ tn Grk “Why then the law?”

¹⁷ tc For προσετέθη (proseteqh) several Western mss have ἐτέθη (eteqh, “it was established”; so D* F G it Ir^lat Ambst Spec). The net effect of this reading, in conjunction with the largely Western reading of πράξεων (praxewn) for παραβάσεων (parabasewn), seems to be a very positive assessment of the law. But there are compelling reasons for rejecting this reading: (1) externally, it is provincial and relatively late; (2) internally: (a) transcriptionally, there seems to be a much higher transcriptional probability that a scribe would try to smooth over Paul’s harsh saying here about the law than vice versa; (b) intrinsically: [1] Paul has already argued that the law came after the promise (vv. 15-18), indicating, more than likely, its temporary nature; [2] the verb “was added” in v. 19 (προσετέθη) is different from the verb in v. 15 (ἐπιδιατάσσεται, epidiatassetai); virtually all exegetes recognize this as an intentional linguistic shift on Paul’s part in order not to contradict his statement in v. 15; [3] the temper of 3:1–4:7 is decidedly against a positive statement about the Torah’s role in Heilsgeschichte.

¹⁸ tc παραδόσεων (paradosewn; “traditions, commandments”) is read by D*, while the vast majority of witnesses read παραβάσεων (parabasewn, “transgressions”). D’s reading makes little sense in this context. πράξεων (praxewn, “of deeds”) replaces παραβάσεων in Ì⁴⁶ F G it Ir^lat Ambst Spec. The wording is best taken as going with νόμος (nomo"; “Why then the law of deeds?”), as is evident by the consistent punctuation in the later witnesses. But such an expression is unpauline and superfluous; it was almost certainly added by some early scribe(s) to soften the blow of Paul’s statement.

¹⁹ tn Grk “the seed.” See the note on the first occurrence of the word “descendant” in 3:16.

²⁰ tn Or “was ordered.” L&N 31.22 has “was put into effect” here.

²¹ tn Many modern translations (NASB, NIV, NRSV) render this word (μεσίτης, mesith"; here and in v. 20) as “mediator,” but this conveys a wrong impression in contemporary English. If this is referring to Moses, he certainly did not “mediate” between God and Israel but was an intermediary on God’s behalf. Moses was not a mediator, for example, who worked for compromise between opposing parties. He instead was God’s representative to his people who enabled them to have a relationship, but entirely on God’s terms.

¹⁹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.

²⁰ tn Grk “as an opportunity for the flesh”; BDAG 915 s.v. σάρξ 2.c.α states: “In Paul’s thought esp., all parts of the body constitute a totality known as σ. or flesh, which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh is, all forms of sin are likew. present, and no good thing can live in the σάρξ…Gal 5:13, 24;…Opp. τὸ πνεῦμα…Gal 3:3; 5:16, 17ab; 6:8ab.”

²¹ tn It is possible that the verb δουλεύετε (douleuete) should be translated “serve one another in a humble manner” here, referring to the way in which slaves serve their masters (see L&N 35.27).

²² tn This term is plural in Greek (as is “murder” and “carousing”), but for clarity these abstract nouns have been translated as singular.

²³ tc ‡ φόνοι (fonoi, “murders”) is absent in such important mss as Ì⁴⁶ א B 33 81 323 945 pc sa, while the majority of mss (A C D F G Ψ 0122 0278 1739 1881 Ï lat) have the word. Although the pedigree of the mss which lack the term is of the highest degree, homoioteleuton may well explain the shorter reading. The preceding word has merely one letter difference, making it quite possible to overlook this term (φθόνοι φόνοι, fqonoi fonoi).

²⁴ tn Or “revelings,” “orgies” (L&N 88.287).

²⁵ tn Or “determine the genuineness of.”

²⁶ tn Grk “he will have a reason for boasting.”

²⁷ tn Or “and not in regard to.” The idea of comparison is implied in the context.