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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with thematically matched Old and New Testament readings.

Duration: 1245 days

Psalm 27:1-6

Psalm 27^[a]

By David.

27 The Lord is my light^[b] and my salvation.
I fear no one.^[c]
The Lord protects my life.
I am afraid of no one.^[d]
²When evil men attack me^[e]
to devour my flesh,^[f]
when my adversaries and enemies attack me,^[g]
they stumble and fall.^[h]
³Even when an army is deployed against me,
I do not fear.^[i]
Even when war is imminent,^[j]
I remain confident.^[k]
⁴I have asked the Lord for one thing—
this is what I desire!
I want to live^[l] in the Lord’s house^[m] all the days of my life,
so I can gaze at the splendor^[n] of the Lord
and contemplate in his temple.
⁵He will surely^[o] give me shelter^[p] in the day of danger;^[q]
he will hide me in his home.^[r]
He will place me^[s] on an inaccessible rocky summit.^[t]
⁶Now I will triumph
over my enemies who surround me.^[u]
I will offer sacrifices in his dwelling place and shout for joy.^[v]
I will sing praises to the Lord.

Footnotes

Psalm 27:1 sn Psalm 27. The author is confident of the Lord’s protection and asks the Lord to vindicate him.
Psalm 27:1 sn “Light” is often used as a metaphor for deliverance and the life/blessings it brings. See Pss 37:6; 97:11; 112:4; Isa 49:6; 51:4; Mic 7:8. Another option is that “light” refers here to divine guidance (see Ps 43:3).
Psalm 27:1 tn Heb “Whom shall I fear?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one.”
Psalm 27:1 tn Heb “Of whom shall I be afraid?” The rhetorical question anticipates the answer, “No one!”
Psalm 27:2 tn Heb “draw near to me.”
Psalm 27:2 sn To devour my flesh. The psalmist compares his enemies to dangerous, hungry predators (see 2 Kgs 9:36; Ezek 39:17).
Psalm 27:2 tn Heb “my adversaries and my enemies against me.” The verb “draw near” (that is, “attack”) is understood by ellipsis; see the previous line.
Psalm 27:2 tn The Hebrew verbal forms are perfects. The translation assumes the psalmist is generalizing here, but another option is to take this as a report of past experience, “when evil men attacked me…they stumbled and fell.”
Psalm 27:3 tn Heb “my heart does not fear.”
Psalm 27:3 tn Heb “if war rises up against me.”
Psalm 27:3 tn Heb “in this [i.e., “during this situation”] I am trusting.”
Psalm 27:4 tn Heb “for me to live.”
Psalm 27:4 sn The Lord’s house. This probably refers to the tabernacle (if one accepts Davidic authorship) or the temple (see Judg 19:18; 1 Sam 1:7, 24; 2 Sam 12:20; 1 Kgs 7:12, 40, 45, 51).
Psalm 27:4 tn Or “beauty.”
Psalm 27:5 tn Or “for he will.” The translation assumes the כִּי (ki) is asseverative here, rather than causal.
Psalm 27:5 tn Heb “he will hide me in his hut.”
Psalm 27:5 tn Or “trouble.”
Psalm 27:5 tn Heb “tent.”
Psalm 27:5 tn The three imperfect verb forms in v. 5 anticipate a positive response to the prayer offered in vv. 7-12.
Psalm 27:5 tn Heb “on a rocky summit he lifts me up.” The Lord places the psalmist in an inaccessible place where his enemies cannot reach him. See Ps 18:2.
Psalm 27:6 tn Heb “and now my head will be lifted up over my enemies all around me.”sn In vv. 1-3 the psalmist generalizes, but here we discover that he is facing a crisis and is under attack from enemies (see vv. 11-12).
Psalm 27:6 tn Heb “I will sacrifice in his tent sacrifices of a shout for joy” (that is, “sacrifices accompanied by a joyful shout”).

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Hannah Is Childless

1 There was a man from Ramathaim Zophim,^[a] from the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. ²He had two wives;^[b] the name of the first was Hannah and the name of the second was Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. ³This man would go up from his city year after year^[c] to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at Shiloh.^[d] (It was there that the two sons of Eli,^[e] Hophni and Phinehas, served as the Lord’s priests.) ⁴The day came, and Elkanah sacrificed.

(Now^[f] he used to give meat portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. ⁵But to Hannah he would give a double^[g] portion because he loved Hannah,^[h] although^[i] the Lord had not enabled her to have children. ⁶Her rival used to aggravate her to the point of exasperation,^[j] just to irritate her,^[k] since the Lord had not enabled her to have children. ⁷This is how it would go^[l] year after year. As often as she went up to the Lord’s house, Peninnah^[m] would offend her in that way.)^[n]

So she cried and refused to eat. ⁸Then her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why are you crying and why won’t you eat? Why are you so upset?^[o] Am I not better to you than ten^[p] sons?” ⁹So Hannah got up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh.^[q]

At the time^[r] Eli the priest was sitting in his chair^[s] by the doorpost of the Lord’s sanctuary.^[t] ¹⁰As for Hannah, she was very distressed.^[u] She prayed to the Lord and was, in fact, weeping.^[v] ¹¹She made a vow saying, “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you would truly look^[w] on the suffering of your servant,^[x] and would keep me in mind and not neglect^[y] your servant, and give your servant a male child,^[z] then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut.”^[aa]

¹²It turned out^[ab] that she did a great deal^[ac] of praying before the Lord. Meanwhile^[ad] Eli was watching her mouth. ¹³As for Hannah, she was speaking in her mind.^[ae] Only her lips were moving; her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was a drunkard.^[af]

¹⁴Then he^[ag] said to her, “How much longer do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!”^[ah] ¹⁵But Hannah replied, “Not so, my lord! I am a woman under a great deal of stress.^[ai] I haven’t drunk wine or beer. But I have poured out my soul before the Lord. ¹⁶Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman.^[aj] It’s just that,^[ak] to this point, I have spoken from my deep pain^[al] and anguish.”^[am]

¹⁷Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him.” ¹⁸She said, “May I, your servant, find favor in your sight.”^[an] So the woman went her way and got something to eat.^[ao] Her face no longer looked sad.^[ap]

¹⁹They got up early the next morning. Then they worshiped^[aq] the Lord and returned to their home at Ramathaim.^[ar] Elkanah was intimate with^[as] his wife Hannah, and the Lord called her to mind.^[at] ²⁰Then Hannah became pregnant.

Hannah Dedicates Samuel to the Lord

In the course of time she gave birth to a son.^[au] And she named him Samuel, thinking, “I asked the Lord for him.”^[av]

Footnotes

1 Samuel 1:1 tc The translation follows the MT. The LXX reads “a man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite”; this is followed by a number of recent English translations. It is possible the MT reading צוֹפִים (tsofim) arose from dittography of the מ (mem) at the beginning of the following word.
1 Samuel 1:2 sn We do not know how Elkanah came to have two wives. A man whose brother had died without leaving children had, by custom, to marry his sister-in-law to raise up a son in his brother’s name (Deut 25:5). Childlessness, more than one wife, and rivalry are recurrent themes in the stories of Genesis. Sarai gave her servant Hagar to Abraham in an arrangement that would consider the child to be Sarai’s (Gen 16:2). Jacob was tricked into marrying Leah, but then also married Rachel, who initially could not have children (Gen 29:23-25; 30:1). This situation recalls the stories from Genesis and the dysfunction of the Patriarchs’ families.
1 Samuel 1:3 tn Heb “from days to days.” In this phrase “days” idiomatically means a year, as a set of days.
1 Samuel 1:3 sn From the book of Judges we know that Israel often struggled with idolatry during this time period. This introduction to Elkanah portrays him as a faithful worshiper of the Lord (whatever his faults may have been) at a time when “each man did what he considered to be right” (Judg 17:6; 21:25).
1 Samuel 1:3 tc LXX “Eli and his two sons.”
1 Samuel 1:4 tn The word “now” does not appear in the Hebrew. It is used here to signal that the narrator makes an aside. This begins an extended parenthetic remark which extends to the end of verse 7. sn The narrator supplies background information about the behavior patterns in this family which would routinely occur when they went to the tabernacle to worship on holy days.
1 Samuel 1:5 tn The exact sense of the Hebrew word אַפָּיִם (ʾappayim, “two nostrils” or “face”) is not certain here. The form is dual and is most likely used with the preceding expression (“one portion of two faces”) to mean a portion double than normally received. Although evidence for this use of the word derives primarily from Aramaic rather than from Hebrew usage, it provides an understanding that fits the context here better than other suggestions for the word do. The meaning “double” is therefore adopted in the present translation. Other possibilities for the meaning of the word include the following: “heavily” (cf. Vulg., tristis) and “worthy” or “choice” (cf. KJV and Targum). Some scholars have followed the LXX here, emending the word to אֶפֶס (ʾefes) and translating it as “but” or “however.” This seems unnecessary. The translators of the LXX may simply have been struggling to make sense of the word rather than following a Hebrew text that was different from the MT here.
1 Samuel 1:5 tn Heb “because Hannah he loved.” The Hebrew places the direct object, “Hannah,” first as a means of emphasis (topicalization). The emphasis on Hannah shows she was his favorite and may leave the audience wondering whether or how much he loves Peninnah. In turn this may typologically recall the ancestral story of Jacob loving Rachel more than Leah (Gen 29:30, 32), whom he was tricked into marrying.
1 Samuel 1:5 tn Or “and [because] the Lord had closed her womb.” So also in v. 6.” The conjunction, commonly “and,” could represent a second reason for giving her a double portion. Or because it is a noun first clause, it simply provides background information to be read in light of the statement that he loved her.sn The act of giving Hannah a double portion portrays Elkanah as having compassion on Hannah but also demonstrating favoritism. Exod 21:10 forbids diminishing the food of a second wife. This act is not the same as diminishing Peninnah’s food, but surely contributes to the tension between the women. While the extra food for Hannah may seem insignificant for the pain of childlessness, it was probably significant to Peninnah.
1 Samuel 1:6 tn The Hebrew construction is infrequent, employing גַּם (gam; “also”) and the noun כַּעַס (kaʿas; “grief, vexation, provocation”), which is a cognate to the verb (Hifil of כָּעַס; kaʿas, “to give grief, to provoke, to offend”). Both גַּם (gam; “also”) and use of the cognate noun strengthen the idea of aggravating her. A similar but negated construction appears in Jer 8:12. It suggests that this syntax speaks of attaining the notion in the verb to a significant level, in this case to the point of provocation or exasperation.
1 Samuel 1:6 tn Heb “for the purpose of troubling her.” The word “just” has been added for English idiom. The Hiphil form of the verb רָעַם (raʿam) may mean to disturb, humiliate, or provoke to anger. The picture seems to be that Peninnah would deliberately choose ways to irritate Hannah, for no other purpose except to see her provoked, humiliated, or depressed.
1 Samuel 1:7 tc The MT has a Qal masculine imperfect form of the verb here (יַעֲשֶׂה; yaʿaseh) “thus he used to do.” The imperfect form gives past habitual meaning and is modified by כֵּן (ken, “thus, so”). The subject would presumably be Elkanah, but this is an abrupt change of subject during a description of how Peninnah would aggravate Hannah. One approach is emend the first consonant and read the feminine form (תַּעֲשֶׂה; taʿaseh) “she used to do so.” The approach taken here is to retain the consonants and revocalize as a Niphal (i.e., יֵעָשֶׂה, yeʿaseh) “thus it would be done.” Cf. Gen 29:26.
1 Samuel 1:7 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Peninnah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
1 Samuel 1:7 tn This concludes the background material of what used to happen. The next two verbs are preterites, which resume the main action line of the story from verse 4. Preterite verbs (also called vayyiqtol, or waw consecutive with imperfect) move the main line of actions forward in a story. The verbs in the main clauses from “he used to give” in vs. 4 to this point are perfect consecutives (also called veqatal or waw consecutive plus perfect) and second position imperfects used for past habitual actions. This is confirmed by the modifiers “year after year” and “as often as.” The story must at some point switch from telling what would happen on many occasions to what did happen on one occasion. Though the background statement is lengthy, it seems best to divide the habitual pattern from the particular occasion based on the known values of the verb forms.
1 Samuel 1:8 tn Heb “why is your heart displeased?” Here the heart (לֵבָב; levav) represents the emotions. The verb (רָעַע; raʿaʿ) can refer broadly to something bad or harmful and in this context may mean to be displeased, sad, or resentful. Presumably Hannah’s behavior was in opposition to the behavior expected at the worship festival.
1 Samuel 1:8 sn Like the number seven (cf. Ruth 4:15), the number ten is sometimes used in the OT as an ideal number (see, for example, Dan 1:20, Zech 8:23).
1 Samuel 1:9 tn Heb “after eating in Shiloh, and after drinking.” Since Hannah had refused to eat, it must refer to the others. The Hebrew also sets off the phrase “and after drinking” probably to prepare the reader for Eli’s mistaken assumption that Hannah had had too much too drink.tc The LXX adds “and stood before the Lord.” This is probably a textual expansion due to the terseness of the statement in the Hebrew text, but we do know from context that she went up to the tabernacle.
1 Samuel 1:9 tn The words “at the time” come from the syntax. As a noun clause (instead of having a preterite verb) it does not advance the time line of the story. It provides background information which is true at the same time as another event or, as in this case, is part of the setting for a new scene.
1 Samuel 1:9 tn Or perhaps, “on his throne.” See Joüon 2:506-7 §137.f.
1 Samuel 1:9 tn The term הֵיכָל (hekhal) often refers to the temple (so ASV, KJV, ESV, NASB, NIV), however, this story happens well before Solomon built the temple. The Sumerian word “E.GAL” means “big house” and came into Akkadian as “ekallu” referring to a “palace,” “temple” (the god’s palace), or the main room of a private house (CAD E, 52). The term later came into Hebrew as “palace” or “temple.” Considering it’s origin, it is appropriate for the tabernacle which is pictured as God’s dwelling. “Sanctuary” is preferred over “temple” to avoid confusion with Solomon’s temple.
1 Samuel 1:10 tn Heb “she was bitter [in] soul.” Here “soul” (נֶפֶשׁ; nefesh) represents “the center and transmitter of feelings and perceptions” (HALOT, s.v. נֶפֶשׁ). Elsewhere (Isa 38:15; Ezek 27:31) the phrase refers to heartache. The noun first clause is making a contrast between her and Eli as part of the new setting before starting the main line of action in the following preterite verbs.
1 Samuel 1:10 tn Heb “and weeping, she was weeping.” A paronomastic infinitive absolute (from the same root as the verb it precedes) highlights the modality of the main verb. In this case the indicative mood is emphasized because this weeping was unexpected at the religious festival (see Brian L. Webster, The Cambridge Introduction to Biblical Hebrew, 288). Another view is that for indicative verbs the infinitive absolute emphasizes the lexical meaning of the verb, such as “weeping greatly.” The imperfect verbal form emphasizes the continuation of the action in past time.
1 Samuel 1:11 tn Heb “looking you look.” The expression can refer, as here, to looking favorably upon another, in this case with compassion. The paronomastic infinitive absolute, emphasizing the modality of the verb is rendered here as “truly.”
1 Samuel 1:11 tn Heb “handmaid.” The use of this term (translated two more times in this verse and once each in vv. 16, 17 simply as “servant” for stylistic reasons) is an expression of humility.
1 Samuel 1:11 tn The verbs זָכַר (zakar) and שָׁכַח (shakhakh) are often translated “remember” and “forget.” But their meaning is not as narrow as the English terms. Hannah is not concerned with God’s memory capacity but about keeping her in mind to grant her request. tc The LXX omits “and not neglect your servant.”
1 Samuel 1:11 tn Heb “seed of men.”
1 Samuel 1:11 tc The LXX adds “wine and strong drink he will not drink.”tn Heb “a razor will not go up upon his head.”sn This alludes to the vow of the נָזִיר (nazir) in Num 6:5. A Nazirite, or consecrated person, would make a vow for a time or for a lifetime. Among the outer signs of consecration were abstinence from alcohol and not cutting the hair for the duration of the vow. Sampson was also dedicated as a Nazirite from birth (Judg 13:7).
1 Samuel 1:12 tn This verb form, waw plus Qal perfect of הָיָה (hayah; “to be”), is rare in narrative. Most often this appears in direct speech indicating a future event or a purpose (as types of propositional or event modality respectively). However, the form can also convey other modal meanings and here probably indicates result (a type of event modality). For other cases of this syntax see Judg 19:30; 1 Sam 10:9; 13:22.
1 Samuel 1:12 tn Heb “she made numerous to pray.” The Hiphil from of the verb רָבָה (ravah; “to be many”) means to “make numerous, plentiful, or continuous” (HALOT s.v. 1 רָבָה)
1 Samuel 1:12 tn The noun first syntax of this clause means that it indicates circumstances that are simultaneous to other actions in the story. The adverb “meanwhile” was chosen to represent this syntax. It shows that Eli was watching her, apparently mumbling, for some time during her praying before he approached her.
1 Samuel 1:13 tn The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) can refer to the seat of the emotions, will, and intellect and may be translated as “heart” or “mind.”
1 Samuel 1:13 tn The Hebrew term שִׁכּוֹר (shikkor) can refer to being drunk or being a drunkard. Slurred speech is a symptom of drunkenness, but because there is no audible speech Eli may be inferring confusion associated with alcoholic dementia, a result of long term drinking.
1 Samuel 1:14 tn Heb “Eli.” The pronoun (“he”) has been used in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.tc LXX “Eli’s servant.”
1 Samuel 1:14 tc The LXX adds “And go away from the Lord’s face (i.e., presence).”
1 Samuel 1:15 tn The idiom קְשַׁת רוּחַ (q^eshat ruakh) is unique to this passage. The adjective קְשַׁת (q^eshat) may mean “hard, difficult, or distressed” and the noun רוּחַ (ruakh) may mean “spirit, or breath.” It could possibly refer to a “distressed spirit” (NIV, ESV “troubled;” NASB “oppressed;” KJV “sorrowful”) or “difficult of breath.” An appeal to some sort of shortness of breath could fit the context. The LXX has “for whom the day is difficult,” either mistaking the Hebrew word “day” יוֹם (yom) for “spirit” or choosing a way to communicate stress. The phrase has also been compared to “hard of face,” “hard of heart,” and “hard of neck” and understood to mean “obstinate” (Graeme Auld, I & II Samuel [Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011] 31). Claiming to be obstinate seems an unlikely defense to present the high priest, but if this latter suggestion is on the right track, perhaps the idiom could be bland enough to mean “determined.”
1 Samuel 1:16 tn Heb “daughter of worthlessness.”
1 Samuel 1:16 tn Heb “for” or “indeed.” The English “It’s just that” is a colloquial expression that can express a reason.
1 Samuel 1:16 tn The term שִׂיחַ (siakh) can also refer to a lament or complaint.
1 Samuel 1:16 tn It is also possible for the term כַּעַס (kaʿas) to refer to provocation or anger.
1 Samuel 1:18 tc The LXX reads as an affirmation: “Your servant [has] found favor in your sight.”
1 Samuel 1:18 tc Several medieval Hebrew mss and the Syriac Peshitta lack the words “and got something to eat.” The LXX reads: “went her way. She entered her guest room. She ate with her husband, and drank.”
1 Samuel 1:18 tc NET follows the LXX: “her face was no longer fallen.” The MT reads: “her face, it did not belong to her any more.” The Hebrew is difficult to interpret; we may wonder if it is idiomatic for her expression having changed.
1 Samuel 1:19 tn Or “bowed before the Lord.” The posture of bowing often represents the act of worshiping.
1 Samuel 1:19 tc Heb “to Ramah;” LXX “Ramathaim.” Ramathaim, used in verse 1, is the dual form of Ramah.
1 Samuel 1:19 tn Heb “Elkanah knew his wife.” The Hebrew expression is a euphemism for sexual relations.
1 Samuel 1:19 tn The verbs זָכַר (zakar) is often translated “remember.” It does not simply mean the ability to recall (as “forgetting” does not simply mean the inability to recall). It means the decision to recall or to bear in mind, here with regard to her previous request. The Hebrew verb is often used in the OT for considering the needs or desires of people with favor and kindness.
1 Samuel 1:20 tc The translation follows the sequence of the LXX. The MT says: “It happened at the turning of the days. Hannah conceived. And she gave birth to a son.” The phrase “at the turning of the days” might refer to the new year or to end of the term of pregnancy.
1 Samuel 1:20 tn Heb “because from the Lord I asked him.” The name “Samuel” sounds like the Hebrew verb translated “asked.” The explanation of the meaning of the name “Samuel” that is provided in v. 20 is not a strict etymology. It seems to suggest that the first part of the name is derived from the Hebrew root שָׁאַל (shaʾal, “to ask”), but the consonants do not support this. Nor is it likely that the name comes from the root שָׁמַע (shamaʿ, “to hear”), for the same reason. It more probably derives from שֶׁם (shem, “name”), so that “Samuel” means “name of God.” Verse 20 therefore does not set forth a linguistic explanation of the meaning of the name, but rather draws a parallel between similar sounds. This figure of speech is known as paronomasia.

Galatians 1:11-24

Paul’s Vindication of His Apostleship

¹¹Now^[a] I want you to know, brothers and sisters,^[b] that the gospel I preached is not of human origin.^[c] ¹²For I did not receive it or learn it from any human source;^[d] instead I received it^[e] by a revelation of Jesus Christ.^[f]

¹³For you have heard of my former way of life^[g] in Judaism, how I was savagely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it. ¹⁴I^[h] was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation,^[i] and was^[j] extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.^[k] ¹⁵But when the one^[l] who set me apart from birth^[m] and called me by his grace was pleased ¹⁶to reveal his Son in^[n] me so that I could preach him^[o] among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from^[p] any human being,^[q] ¹⁷nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me, but right away I departed to Arabia,^[r] and then returned to Damascus.

¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas^[s] and get information from him,^[t] and I stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹But I saw none of the other apostles^[u] except James the Lord’s brother. ²⁰I assure you^[v] that, before God, I am not lying about what I am writing to you!^[w] ²¹Afterward I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²²But I was personally^[x] unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. ²³They were only hearing, “The one who once persecuted us is now proclaiming the good news^[y] of the faith he once tried to destroy.” ²⁴So^[z] they glorified God because of me.^[aa]

Footnotes

Galatians 1:11 tc ‡ The conjunction δέ (de) is found in P⁴⁶ א*^,2 A D¹ Ψ 1175 1241 1505 1739 1881 M sy bo, while γάρ (gar) is the conjunction of choice in א¹ B D*^,c F G 33 lat sa. There are thus good representatives on each side. Scribes generally tended to prefer γάρ in such instances, most likely because it was more forceful and explicit. γάρ is thus seen as a motivated reading. For this reason, δέ is preferred.
Galatians 1:11 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelphoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
Galatians 1:11 tn Grk “is not according to man.”
Galatians 1:12 tn Or “I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it.”
Galatians 1:12 tn The words “I received it” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
Galatians 1:12 tn It is difficult to determine what kind of genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (Iēsou Christou) is. If it is a subjective genitive, the meaning is “a revelation from Jesus Christ” but if objective genitive, it is “a revelation about Jesus Christ.” Most likely this is objective since the explanation in vv. 15-16 mentions God revealing the Son to Paul so that he might preach, although the idea of a direct revelation to Paul at some point cannot be ruled out.
Galatians 1:13 tn Or “lifestyle,” “behavior.”
Galatians 1:14 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.
Galatians 1:14 tn Or “among my race.”
Galatians 1:14 tn Grk “was advancing beyond…nation, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (huparchōn) was translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Galatians 1:14 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.
Galatians 1:15 tc ‡ Several significant witnesses have ὁ θεός (ho theos) after εὐδόκησεν (eudokēsen; so א A D Ψ 0278 33 1175 1241 1739 1881 2464 M co) while the shorter reading is supported by P⁴⁶ B F G 629 1505 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]). NA²⁸ includes the words in brackets, indicating some doubts as to their authenticity.
Galatians 1:15 tn Grk “from my mother’s womb.”
Galatians 1:16 tn Or “to me”; the Greek preposition ἐν (en) can mean either, depending on the context.
Galatians 1:16 tn This pronoun refers to “his Son,” mentioned earlier in the verse.
Galatians 1:16 tn Or “I did not consult with.” For the translation “I did not go to ask advice from” see L&N 33.175.
Galatians 1:16 tn Grk “from flesh and blood.”
Galatians 1:17 sn As a geographical region Arabia included the territory west of Mesopotamia, east and south of Syria and Palestine, extending to the isthmus of Suez. During the Roman occupation, some independent kingdoms arose like that of the Nabateans south of Damascus, and these could be called simply Arabia. In light of the proximity to Damascus, this may well be the territory Paul says he visited here. See also C. W. Briggs, “The Apostle Paul in Arabia,” Biblical World 41 (1913): 255-59.
Galatians 1:18 sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211). Both the Aramaic name “Cephas” and the Greek name “Peter” are related to words in each language which mean “rock.”
Galatians 1:18 tn Although often translated “to get acquainted with Cephas,” this could give the impression of merely a social call. L&N 34.52 has “to visit, with the purpose of obtaining information” for the meaning of ἱστορέω (historeō), particularly in this verse.
Galatians 1:19 tn Grk “But another of the apostles I did not see, except…” with “another” in emphatic position in the Greek text. Paul is determined to make the point that his contacts with the original twelve apostles and other leaders of the Jerusalem church were limited, thus asserting his independence from them.
Galatians 1:20 tn Grk “behold.”
Galatians 1:20 tn Grk “What things I am writing to you, behold, before God [that] I am not lying.”
Galatians 1:22 tn Or “by sight”; Grk “by face.”
Galatians 1:23 tn The Greek verb here is εὐαγγελίζεται (euangelizetai).
Galatians 1:24 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the report about Paul’s conversion.
Galatians 1:24 tn The prepositional phrase ἐν εμοί (en emoi) has been translated with a causal force.

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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 27[a]

By David.

Footnotes

Hannah Is Childless

Hannah Dedicates Samuel to the Lord

Footnotes

Paul’s Vindication of His Apostleship

Footnotes

Psalm 27^[a]