Galatians 4:29

4:29 But just as at that time the one born by natural descent ¹  persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, ²  so it is now.

Galatians 4:23

4:23 But one, the son by the slave woman, was born by natural descent, ³  while the other, the son by the free woman, was born through the promise.

Galatians 5:24

5:24 Now those who belong to Christ ⁴  have crucified the flesh ⁵  with its passions ⁶  and desires.

Galatians 6:8

6:8 because the person who sows to his own flesh ⁷  will reap corruption ⁸  from the flesh, ⁹  but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

¹ tn Grk “according to the flesh”; see the note on the phrase “by natural descent” in 4:23.

² tn Or “the one born by the Spirit’s [power].”

³ tn Grk “born according to the flesh”; BDAG 916 s.v. σάρξ 4 has “Of natural descent τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκός children by natural descent Ro 9:8 (opp. τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας). ὁ μὲν ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης κατὰ σάρκα γεγέννηται Gal 4:23; cp. vs. 29.”

⁵ tc ‡ Some mss (א A B C P Ψ 0122¹ 0278 33 1175 1739 pc co) read “Christ Jesus” here, while many significant ones (Ì⁴⁶ D F G 0122*^,2 latt sy), as well as the Byzantine text, lack “Jesus.” The Byzantine text is especially not prone to omit the name “Jesus”; that it does so here argues for the authenticity of the shorter reading (for similar instances of probably authentic Byzantine shorter readings, see Matt 24:36 and Phil 1:14; cf. also W.-H. J. Wu, “A Systematic Analysis of the Shorter Readings in the Byzantine Text of the Synoptic Gospels” [Ph.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 2002]). On the strength of the alignment of Ì⁴⁶ with the Western and Byzantine texttypes, the shorter reading is preferred. NA²⁷ includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

⁶ tn See the note on the word “flesh” in Gal 5:13.

⁷ tn The Greek term παθήμασιν (paqhmasin, translated “passions”) refers to strong physical desires, especially of a sexual nature (L&N 25.30).

⁷ tn 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.”

⁸ tn Or “destruction.”

⁹ tn See the note on the previous occurrence of the word “flesh” in this verse.