Galatians 4:8-6:18

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Galatians 4:8 tn Grk “those that by nature…” with the word “beings” implied. BDAG 1070 s.v. φύσις 2 sees this as referring to pagan worship: “Polytheists worship…beings that are by nature no gods at all Gal 4:8.”
2. Galatians 4:9 tn Or “useless.” See L&N 65.16.
3. Galatians 4:9 tn See the note on the phrase “basic forces” in 4:3.
4. Galatians 4:9 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.
5. Galatians 4:10 tn The adjective “religious” has been supplied in the translation to make clear that the problem concerns observing certain days, etc. in a religious sense (cf. NIV, NRSV “special days”). In light of the polemic in this letter against the Judaizers (those who tried to force observance of the Mosaic law on Gentile converts to Christianity) this may well be a reference to the observance of Jewish Sabbaths, feasts, and other religious days.
6. Galatians 4:12 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
7. Galatians 4:14 tn Grk “your trial in my flesh you did not despise or reject.”
8. Galatians 4:14 tn Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.
9. Galatians 4:14 tn Grk “as an angel of God…as Christ Jesus.” This could be understood to mean either “you welcomed me like an angel of God would,” or “you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God.” In context only the second is accurate, so the translation has been phrased to indicate this.
10. Galatians 4:15 tn Or “blessedness.”
11. Galatians 4:16 tn Or “have I become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?” The participle ἀληθεύων (alētheuōn) can be translated as a causal adverbial participle or as a participle of means (as in the translation).
12. Galatians 4:17 tn Or “They are zealous for you.”
13. Galatians 4:17 tn Or “but not commendably” (BDAG 505 s.v. καλῶς 2).
14. Galatians 4:17 tn Or “so that you would be zealous.”
15. Galatians 4:18 tn Or “commendable.”
16. Galatians 4:18 tn Or “to be zealous.”
17. Galatians 4:18 tn Grk “But it is always good to be zealous in good.”
18. Galatians 4:19 tn Grk “My children, for whom I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you.” The relative clauses in English do not pick up the emotional force of Paul’s language here (note “tone of voice” in v. 20, indicating that he is passionately concerned for them); hence, the translation has been altered slightly to capture the connotative power of Paul’s plea.sn That is, until Christ’s nature or character is formed in them (see L&N 58.4).
19. Galatians 4:20 tn Grk “voice” or “tone.” The contemporary English expression “tone of voice” is a good approximation to the meaning here.
20. Galatians 4:21 tn Or “will you not hear what the law says?” The Greek verb ἀκούω (akouō) means “hear, listen to,” but by figurative extension it can also mean “obey.” It can also refer to the process of comprehension that follows hearing, and that sense fits the context well here.
21. Galatians 4:22 tn Paul’s use of the Greek article here and before the phrase “free woman” presumes that both these characters are well known to the recipients of his letter. This verse is given as an example of the category called “well-known (‘celebrity’ or ‘familiar’) article” by ExSyn 225.
22. Galatians 4:23 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.”
23. Galatians 4:24 tn Grk “which things are spoken about allegorically.” Paul is not saying the OT account is an allegory, but rather that he is constructing an allegory based on the OT account.
24. Galatians 4:26 sn The meaning of the statement the Jerusalem above is free is that the other woman represents the second covenant (cf. v. 24); she corresponds to the Jerusalem above that is free. Paul’s argument is very condensed at this point.
25. Galatians 4:27 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.
26. Galatians 4:27 tn Grk “because more are the children of the barren one than of the one having a husband.”sn A quotation from Isa 54:1.
27. Galatians 4:28 tc Most mss (א A C D² Ψ 062 1241 1505 2464 M lat sy bo) read “we” here, while “you” is found in P⁴⁶ B D* F G 0261^vid 0278 33 1175 1739 al sa. It is more likely that a copyist, noticing the first person pronouns in vv. 26 and 31, changed a second person pronoun here to first person for consistency.
28. Galatians 4:28 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
29. Galatians 4:29 tn Grk “according to the flesh”; see the note on the phrase “by natural descent” in 4:23.
30. Galatians 4:29 tn Or “the one born by the Spirit’s [power].”
31. Galatians 4:30 sn A quotation from Gen 21:10. The phrase of the free woman does not occur in Gen 21:10.
32. Galatians 4:31 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
33. Galatians 5:1 tn Translating the dative as “For freedom” shows the purpose for Christ setting us free; however, it is also possible to take the phrase in the sense of means or instrument (“with [or by] freedom”), referring to the freedom mentioned in 4:31 and implied throughout the letter.
34. Galatians 5:1 sn Here the yoke figuratively represents the burdensome nature of slavery.
35. Galatians 5:3 tn Or “keep”; or “carry out”; Grk “do.”
36. Galatians 5:4 tn Or “trying to be justified.” The verb δικαιοῦσθε (dikaiousthe) has been translated as a conative present (see ExSyn 534).
37. Galatians 5:4 tn Or “estranged”; BDAG 526 s.v. καταργέω 4 states, “Of those who aspire to righteousness through the law κ. ἀπὸ Χριστοῦ be estranged from Christ Gal 5:4.”
38. Galatians 5:6 tn Grk “but faith working through love.”
39. Galatians 5:7 tn Or “following.” BDAG 792 s.v. πείθω 3.b states, “obey, follow w. dat. of the pers. or thing…Gal 3:1 v.l.; 5:7.”
40. Galatians 5:8 tn Grk “The persuasion,” referring to their being led away from the truth (v. 7). There is a play on words here that is not easily reproducible in the English translation: The words translated “obey” (πείθεσθαι, peithesthai) in v. 7 and “persuasion” (πεισμονή, peismonē) in v. 8 come from the same root in Greek.
41. Galatians 5:9 tn Grk “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
42. Galatians 5:10 tn The verb translated “I am confident” (πέποιθα, pepoitha) comes from the same root in Greek as the words translated “obey” (πείθεσθαι, peithesthai) in v. 7 and “persuasion” (πεισμονή, peismonē) in v. 8.
43. Galatians 5:10 tn Grk “that you will think nothing otherwise.”
44. Galatians 5:10 tn Or “is stirring you up”; Grk “is troubling you.” In context Paul is referring to the confusion and turmoil caused by those who insist that Gentile converts to Christianity must observe the Mosaic law.
45. Galatians 5:10 tn Or “will suffer condemnation” (L&N 90.80); Grk “will bear his judgment.” The translation “must pay the penalty” is given as an explanatory gloss on the phrase by BDAG 171 s.v. βαστάζω 2.b.β.
46. Galatians 5:11 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
47. Galatians 5:11 sn That is, if Paul still teaches observance of the Mosaic law (preaches circumcision), why is he still being persecuted by his opponents, who insist that Gentile converts to Christianity must observe the Mosaic law?
48. Galatians 5:11 sn The offense of the cross refers to the offense to Jews caused by preaching Christ crucified.
49. Galatians 5:11 tn Or “nullified.”
50. Galatians 5:12 tn Grk “the ones who are upsetting you.” The same verb is used in Acts 21:38 to refer to a person who incited a revolt. Paul could be alluding indirectly to the fact that his opponents are inciting the Galatians to rebel against his teaching with regard to circumcision and the law.
51. Galatians 5:12 tn Grk “would even.”
52. Galatians 5:12 tn Or “make eunuchs of themselves”; Grk “cut themselves off.” This statement is rhetorical hyperbole on Paul’s part. It does strongly suggest, however, that Paul’s adversaries in this case (“those agitators”) were men. Some interpreters (notably Erasmus and the Reformers) have attempted to soften the meaning to a figurative “separate themselves” (meaning the opponents would withdraw from fellowship) but such an understanding dramatically weakens the rhetorical force of Paul’s argument. Although it has been argued that such an act of emasculation would be unthinkable for Paul, it must be noted that Paul’s statement is one of biting sarcasm, obviously not meant to be taken literally. See further G. Stählin, TDNT 3:853-55.
53. Galatians 5:13 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
54. Galatians 5:13 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.”
55. Galatians 5:13 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).
56. Galatians 5:14 tn Or “can be fulfilled in one commandment.”
57. Galatians 5:14 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
58. Galatians 5:15 tn That is, “if you are harming and exploiting one another.” Paul’s metaphors are retained in most modern translations, but it is possible to see the meanings of δάκνω and κατεσθίω (daknō and katesthiō, L&N 20.26 and 88.145) as figurative extensions of the literal meanings of these terms and to translate them accordingly. The present tenses here are translated as customary presents (“continually…”).
59. Galatians 5:15 tn Or “destroyed.”
60. Galatians 5:16 tn Grk “walk” (a common NT idiom for how one conducts one’s life or how one behaves).
61. Galatians 5:16 tn On the term “flesh” (once in this verse and twice in v. 17) see the note on the same word in Gal 5:13.
62. Galatians 5:17 tn The words “has desires” do not occur in the Greek text a second time, but are repeated in the translation for clarity.
63. Galatians 5:17 tn Or “are hostile toward” (L&N 39.1).
64. Galatians 5:19 tn See the note on the word “flesh” in Gal 5:13.
65. Galatians 5:19 tn Or “clear,” “evident.”
66. Galatians 5:20 tn Or “witchcraft.”
67. Galatians 5:20 tn Or “enmities,” “[acts of] hatred.”
68. Galatians 5:20 tn Or “discord” (L&N 39.22).
69. Galatians 5:20 tn Or “discord(s)” (L&N 39.13).
70. Galatians 5:21 tn This term is plural in Greek (as is “murder” and “carousing”), but for clarity these abstract nouns have been translated as singular.
71. Galatians 5:21 tc ‡ φόνοι (phonoi, “murders”) is absent in such significant mss as P⁴⁶ א B 33 81 323 945 sa, while the majority of mss (A C D F G Ψ 0122 0278 1175 1241 1505 1739 1881 2464 M lat bo) have the word. Although the pedigree of the mss which lack the term is of the highest degree, homoioteleuton may explain the shorter reading. The preceding word has merely one letter difference, making it quite possible to overlook this term (φθόνοι φόνοι, phthonoi phonoi). At the same time, φθόνου φόνου (phthonou phonou, “envy, murder”) is solidly attested in Rom 1:29, suggesting that scribes were not necessarily prone to dropping “murder” accidentally. A decision is difficult, with a slight preference for phonoi here.
72. Galatians 5:21 tn Or “revelings,” “orgies” (L&N 88.287).
73. Galatians 5:22 tn That is, the fruit the Spirit produces.
74. Galatians 5:22 sn Another way to punctuate this is “love” followed by a colon (love: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). It is thus possible to read the eight characteristics following “love” as defining love.
75. Galatians 5:22 tn Or “reliability”; see BDAG 818 s.v. πίστις 1.a.
76. Galatians 5:23 tn “And” is supplied here as a matter of English style, which normally inserts “and” between the last two elements of a list or series.
77. Galatians 5:24 tc ‡ Some mss (א A B C P Ψ 0122¹ 0278 33 1175 1241 1739 1881 co) read “Christ Jesus” here, while many significant ones (P⁴⁶ D F G 0122*^,2 1505 2464 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 P⁴⁶ with the Western and Byzantine text-groups, the shorter reading is preferred. NA²⁸ includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
78. Galatians 5:24 tn See the note on the word “flesh” in Gal 5:13.
79. Galatians 5:24 tn The Greek term παθήμασιν (pathēmasin, translated “passions”) refers to strong physical desires, especially of a sexual nature (L&N 25.30).
80. Galatians 5:25 tn Or “let us also follow,” “let us also walk by.”
81. Galatians 5:26 tn Or “falsely proud.”
82. Galatians 5:26 tn Or “irritating.” BDAG 871 s.v. προκαλέω has “provoke, challenge τινά someone.”
83. Galatians 5:26 tn Or “another, envying one another.”
84. Galatians 6:1 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
85. Galatians 6:1 tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.
86. Galatians 6:1 tn Or “some transgression” (L&N 88.297).
87. Galatians 6:1 sn Who are spiritual refers to people who are controlled and directed by God’s Spirit.
88. Galatians 6:1 tn Or “with a gentle spirit” or “gently.”
89. Galatians 6:1 tn Grk “taking careful notice.”
90. Galatians 6:4 tn Or “determine the genuineness of.”
91. Galatians 6:4 tn Grk “he will have a reason for boasting.”
92. Galatians 6:4 tn Or “and not in regard to.” The idea of comparison is implied in the context.
93. Galatians 6:5 tn Or perhaps, “each one must carry.” A number of modern translations treat βαστάσει (bastasei) as an imperatival future.
94. Galatians 6:6 tn Or “instructs,” “imparts.”
95. Galatians 6:7 tn Or “is not mocked,” “will not be ridiculed” (L&N 33.409). BDAG 660 s.v. μυκτηρίζω has “of God οὐ μ. he is not to be mocked, treated w. contempt, perh. outwitted Gal 6:7.”
96. Galatians 6:7 tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.
97. Galatians 6:8 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.”
98. Galatians 6:8 tn Or “destruction.”
99. Galatians 6:8 tn See the note on the previous occurrence of the word “flesh” in this verse.
100. Galatians 6:9 tn Or “not become discouraged,” “not lose heart” (L&N 25.288).
101. Galatians 6:9 tn Or “if we do not become extremely weary,” “if we do not give out,” “if we do not faint from exhaustion” (L&N 23.79).
102. Galatians 6:10 tn There is a double connective here that cannot be easily preserved in English: “consequently therefore,” emphasizing the conclusion of what Paul has been arguing.
103. Galatians 6:10 tn Grk “to those who are members of the family of [the] faith.”
104. Galatians 6:12 tn Grk “in the flesh.” L&N 88.236 translates the phrase “those who force you to be circumcised are those who wish to make a good showing in external matters.”
105. Galatians 6:12 tn Grk “to be circumcised, only.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started with the words “They do so,” which were supplied to make a complete English sentence.
106. Galatians 6:12 tc ‡ Grk “so that they will not be persecuted.” The indicative after ἵνα μή (hina mē) is unusual (though not unexampled elsewhere in the NT), making it the harder reading. The evidence is fairly evenly split between the indicative διώκονται (diōkontai; P⁴⁶ A C F G K L P 0278 6 81 104 326 629 1175 1241 1505 2464 pm) and the subjunctive διώκωνται (diōkōntai; א B D Ψ 33 365 1739 pm), with a slight preference for the subjunctive. However, since scribes would tend to change the indicative to a subjunctive due to syntactical requirements, the internal evidence is decidedly on the side of the indicative, suggesting that it is the autographic wording.
107. Galatians 6:13 tn Or “boast about you in external matters,” “in the outward rite” (cf. v. 12).
108. Galatians 6:14 tn Or perhaps, “through whom,” referring to the Lord Jesus Christ rather than the cross.
109. Galatians 6:15 tc The phrase “in Christ Jesus” is found after “For” in some mss (א A C D F G 0278 1881 2464 M lat bo), but lacking in P⁴⁶ B Ψ 33 1175 1505 1739* and several fathers. The longer reading probably represents a scribal harmonization to Gal 5:6.
110. Galatians 6:15 tn Grk “is.”
111. Galatians 6:15 tn Grk “but a new creation”; the words “the only thing that matters” have been supplied to reflect the implied contrast with the previous clause (see also Gal 5:6).
112. Galatians 6:16 tn The same Greek verb, στοιχέω (stoicheō), occurs in Gal 5:25.
113. Galatians 6:16 tn The word “and” (καί) can be interpreted in two ways: (1) It could be rendered as “also” which would indicate that two distinct groups are in view, namely “all who will behave in accordance with this rule” and “the Israel of God.” Or (2) it could be rendered “even,” which would indicate that “all who behave in accordance with this rule” are “the Israel of God.” In other words, in this latter view, “even” = “that is.”
114. Galatians 6:17 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).
115. Galatians 6:18 tn Or “is.” No verb is stated, but a wish (“be”) rather than a declarative statement (“is”) is most likely in a concluding greeting such as this.
116. Galatians 6:18 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.