6:17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body. 22
“Rejoice, O barren woman who does not bear children; 32
break forth and shout, you who have no birth pains,
because the children of the desolate woman are more numerous
than those of the woman who has a husband.” 33
1 tn For the Greek verb προευαγγελίζομαι (proeuangelizomai) translated as “proclaim the gospel ahead of time,” compare L&N 33.216.
2 tn The same plural Greek word, τὰ ἔθνη (ta eqnh), can be translated as “nations” or “Gentiles.”
3 sn A quotation from Gen 12:3; 18:18.
4 tn This term is plural in Greek (as is “murder” and “carousing”), but for clarity these abstract nouns have been translated as singular.
5 tc ‡ φόνοι (fonoi, “murders”) is absent in such important
6 tn Or “revelings,” “orgies” (L&N 88.287).
7 tn See the note on the word “flesh” in Gal 5:13.
8 tn Or “clear,” “evident.”
10 tn Or “worked through”; the same word is also used in relation to Paul later in this verse.
11 tn Or “his ministry as an apostle.”
12 tn Grk “to the circumcision,” i.e., the Jewish people.
13 tn Grk “also empowered me to the Gentiles.”
13 tn See the note on the word “minor” in 4:1.
14 tn Or “basic principles,” “elemental things,” or “elemental spirits.” Some interpreters take this as a reference to supernatural powers who controlled nature and/or human fate.
16 tn Or “so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus.”
19 tn Or “locked up.”
20 tn Grk “imprisoned all things” but τὰ πάντα (ta panta) includes people as part of the created order. Because people are the emphasis of Paul’s argument ( “given to those who believe” at the end of this verse.), “everything and everyone” was used here.
21 tn Or “so that the promise could be given by faith in Jesus Christ to those who believe.” A decision is difficult here. Though traditionally translated “faith in Jesus Christ,” an increasing number of NT scholars are arguing that πίστις Χριστοῦ (pisti" Cristou) and similar phrases in Paul (here and in Rom 3:22, 26; Gal 2:16, 20; Eph 3:12; Phil 3:9) involve a subjective genitive and mean “Christ’s faith” or “Christ’s faithfulness” (cf., e.g., G. Howard, “The ‘Faith of Christ’,” ExpTim 85 [1974]: 212-15; R. B. Hays, The Faith of Jesus Christ [SBLDS]; Morna D. Hooker, “Πίστις Χριστοῦ,” NTS 35 [1989]: 321-42). Noteworthy among the arguments for the subjective genitive view is that when πίστις takes a personal genitive it is almost never an objective genitive (cf. Matt 9:2, 22, 29; Mark 2:5; 5:34; 10:52; Luke 5:20; 7:50; 8:25, 48; 17:19; 18:42; 22:32; Rom 1:8; 12; 3:3; 4:5, 12, 16; 1 Cor 2:5; 15:14, 17; 2 Cor 10:15; Phil 2:17; Col 1:4; 2:5; 1 Thess 1:8; 3:2, 5, 10; 2 Thess 1:3; Titus 1:1; Phlm 6; 1 Pet 1:9, 21; 2 Pet 1:5). On the other hand, the objective genitive view has its adherents: A. Hultgren, “The Pistis Christou Formulations in Paul,” NovT 22 (1980): 248-63; J. D. G. Dunn, “Once More, ΠΙΣΤΙΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ,” SBL Seminar Papers, 1991, 730-44. Most commentaries on Romans and Galatians usually side with the objective view.
22 tn Or “useless.” See L&N 65.16.
23 tn See the note on the phrase “basic forces” in 4:3.
24 tn Grk “basic forces, to which you want to be enslaved…” Verse 9 is a single sentence in the Greek text, but has been divided into two in the translation because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence.
25 tn Paul is probably referring to scars from wounds received in the service of Jesus, although the term στίγμα (stigma) may imply ownership and suggest these scars served as brands (L&N 8.55; 33.481; 90.84).
28 sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211).
29 tn Or “who were influential as,” or “who were reputed to be.” See also the note on the word “influential” in 2:6.
30 sn Pillars is figurative here for those like James, Peter, and John who were leaders in the Jerusalem church.
31 tn The participle γνόντες (gnontes) has been taken temporally. It is structurally parallel to the participle translated “when they saw” in v. 7.
32 tn Grk “me and Barnabas.”
33 tn Grk “so,” with the ἵνα (Jina) indicating the result of the “pillars” extending the “right hand of fellowship,” but the translation “they gave…the right hand of fellowship so that we would go” could be misunderstood as purpose here. The implication of the scene is that an agreement, outlined at the end of v. 10, was reached between Paul and Barnabas on the one hand and the “pillars” of the Jerusalem church on the other.
34 tn Grk “to the circumcision,” a collective reference to the Jewish people.
31 sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211).
32 tn Here ἀναγκάζεις (anankazei") has been translated as a conative present (see ExSyn 534).
34 tn The direct object “children” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for clarity. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
35 tn Grk “because more are the children of the barren one than of the one having a husband.”