translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: GAL

label: NET translator note

text: Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.


text: Grk “Grace to you and peace.”


text: B D F G H 1739 1881 Ï sy sa, while the more normal ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου ( Jhmwn kai kuriou ) is found in א A P Ψ 33 81 326 365 2464 pc . Thus, the reading adopted in the translation is more widespread geographically and is found in the two earliest witnesses, along with several good representatives of the Alexandrian, Western, and Byzantine texttypes. Internally, there would be a strong motivation for scribes to change the order: “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” is Paul’s normal greeting; here alone is the pronoun attached to “Jesus Christ” (except in the pastorals, though the greeting in these letters is nevertheless unlike the rest of the corpus Paulinum ). Intrinsically, the chosen reading is superior as well: Scribes would be prone to emulate Paul’s regular style, while in an early letter such as this one his regular style was yet to be established (for a similar situation, cf. the text-critical discussion at 1 Thess 1:1 ). Hence, there is a strong probability that the reading in the translation is authentic. Although B. M. Metzger argues that “the apostle’s stereotyped formula was altered by copyists who, apparently in the interest of Christian piety, transferred the possessive pronoun so it would be more closely associated with ‘Lord Jesus Christ’” ( TCGNT 520), one might expect to see the same alterations in other Pauline letters. That this is not the case argues for “our Lord Jesus Christ” as the authentic reading here.


text: ar b Tert Cyp Ambst Pel) have simply χάριτι with no modifier. Internally, the reading that seems best to explain the rise of the others is the shortest reading, χάριτι . Indeed, the fact that three different adjuncts are found in the mss seems to be a natural expansion on the simple “grace.” At the same time, the witnesses for the shortest reading are not particularly impressive, being that they largely represent one textual strand (Western), and a less-than-reliable one at that. Further, nowhere else in the corpus Paulinum do we see the construction χάρις ( cari" , “grace”) followed by Χριστοῦ without some other name (such as κυρίου [ kuriou , “Lord”] or ᾿Ιησοῦ ). The construction χάρις θεοῦ is likewise frequent in Paul. Thus, upon closer inspection it seems that the original wording here was χάριτι Χριστοῦ (for it is difficult to explain how this particular reading could have arisen from the simple χάριτι , in light of Paul’s normal idioms), with the other readings intentionally or accidentally arising from it.


text: Grk “deserting [turning away] to” a different gospel, implying the idea of “following.”


text: Grk “another.”


text: 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.


text: Grk “except.”


text: Or “trying.”


text: has the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.


text: Or “other than the one we preached to you.”


text: Grk “let him be accursed” ( ἀνάθεμα , anaqema ). The translation gives the outcome which is implied by this dreadful curse.


text: See the note on this phrase in the previous verse.


text: Grk “of men”; but here ἀνθρώπους ( anqrwpou" ) is used in a generic sense of both men and women.


text: Grk “men”; but here ἀνθρώποις ( anqrwpoi" ) is used in a generic sense of both men and women.


text: The imperfect verb has been translated conatively ( ExSyn 550).


text: Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος ( doulos ) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος ), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force. sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times ( Isa 43:10 ), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses ( Josh 14:7 ), David ( Ps 89:3 ; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8 ) and Elijah ( 2 Kgs 10:10 ); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”


text: F G 33 pc 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.


text: 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 [ adelfoi ] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).


text: Grk “is not according to man.”


text: Or “I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it.”


text: The words “I received it” are not in the Greek text but are implied.


text: It is difficult to determine what kind of genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ ( Ihsou Cristou ) 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.


text: Or “lifestyle,” “behavior.”


text: 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.


text: Or “among my race.”


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


text: includes the words in brackets, indicating some doubts as to their authenticity.


text: Grk “from my mother’s womb.”


text: Or “to me”; the Greek preposition ἐν ( en ) can mean either, depending on the context.


text: This pronoun refers to “his Son,” mentioned earlier in the verse.


text: Or “I did not consult with.” For the translation “I did not go to ask advice from” see L&N 33.175.


text: Grk “from flesh and blood.”


text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: 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 ( Jistorew ), particularly in this verse.


text: 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.


text: Grk “behold.”


text: Grk “What things I am writing to you, behold, before God [that] I am not lying.”


text: Or “by sight”; Grk “by face.”


text: The Greek verb here is εὐαγγελίζεται ( euangelizetai ).


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the report about Paul’s conversion.


text: The prepositional phrase ἐν εμοί ( en emoi ) has been translated with a causal force.