Some commentators take verse 10 as an introduction to what follows. Understood in this manner, this verse would echo the accusations of Paul’s enemies, that is, that he is trying to please men. But in talking harshly about those who are preaching another message to the Galatians, Paul has been in effect answering the charge of his enemies that he is more interested in pleasing men than in pleasing God. Paul also answers this accusation by going into many aspects of his life, both before and after his conversion in Damascus.
The first part of this verse is a rhetorical question in the Greek, and Good News Translation makes the implicit answer explicit. Most translations neglect more or less the Greek structure but make the implied answer clear (for example, New English Bible “Does my language now sound as if I were canvassing for men’s support? Whose support do I want but God’s alone?”). Does this sound definitely refers to what Paul has just said (compare New English Bible) and shows that verse 10 is to be taken with the preceding verse.
In a number of languages it would be impossible to use a rhetorical question such as Does this sound…? The equivalent would be a strong negative statement, for example, “I am obviously not trying to win people’s approval,” or “By saying that, I am certainly not trying to cause men to approve of me,” or “… to cause men to say that I am saying what is right.”
What I want is God’s approval! may be rendered as “What I want is for God to approve of what I do,” or “I want God to say that what I do is right.” It may even be possible to say “I want to please God.”
Am I trying to be popular with men? has the same thought as the first question, with the emphasis in Greek upon deliberately trying to gain men’s approval. This rhetorical question may be immediately answered in some languages by a strong negative, while in other languages, as already stated, it may be impossible to use such a rhetorical question and a strong negative statement may be required, for example, “I am certainly not trying to be popular with men,” “… trying to please men,” “… trying to make men say that I am fine,” or “… cause people to like me.”
If I were still trying to do so makes it clear that Paul denies completely the charge laid against him. He might well have been seeking man’s approval in the past, that is, before his conversion, but at the time of his preaching to the Galatians that was no longer the case.
If what his opponents were saying was true, then he could not and would not be a servant of Christ. The conditional sentence If I were still trying to do so, I would not be a servant of Christ means first of all that it would be impossible for Paul both to please men and to serve Christ. Second, he is affirming his status and ministry as a servant of Christ. Since he is a servant of Christ, he goes on to discuss the implications of his role and his message, thus providing a link between this second section (1.6-10) and the third section (1.11–2.21).
The word servant is literally “slave,” and some commentators advocate translating it literally. It is possible, however, that Paul is using the term with the Old Testament in mind, where the prophets are often known as “the servants of God.” The closest equivalent of servant of Christ in some languages is “one who helps Christ” or “one who does what Christ says,” in the sense of carrying out the orders of Christ.
Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .