Paul now cites a second incident (already mentioned in verse 2), that of his meeting with the Jerusalem leaders, during which his message was accepted and he himself was recognized as a missionary to the Gentiles.

Some understand those who seemed to be the leaders to be equivalent to the expression in 2.2 (New English Bible “men of high reputation,” Jerusalem Bible “these people who are acknowledged leaders,” Phillips “the leaders of the conference”; Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “who were considered to be authorities”). Others, however, take this as a deprecatory statement against the authorities mentioned, or if not of the authorities, at least of the arrogant claims which Paul’s opponents had apparently made about them. While no irony is involved in verse 2, there may be some kind of irony here, and it seems to be preserved in Good News Translation (compare Revised Standard Version). It may be possible to translate those who seemed to be the leaders as simply “those who appeared to be the leaders among the believers.” However, in some languages it is more natural to speak of “those who were said to be the leaders,” “those whom others regarded as the leaders,” or “those who had the reputation of being the leaders.”

The phrase I say this is added in Good News Translation to indicate the connection between the previous clause and the expression of cause which follows. The pronoun this refers to the entire preceding clause.

It makes no difference to me may be expressed as “as far as I am concerned, it’s all the same,” or “I do not make any distinction,” or “it doesn’t concern me.” One may say, for example, “I say this because what they were does not concern me.”

What translates a Greek qualitative word meaning “of what kind.” In what they were the reference is probably not to their present standing (as in New English Bible and Jerusalem Bible), but to the status which they gained by their former association with Jesus (as in most translations). The Greek supports the latter interpretation by its use of the word meaning “once,” “formerly,” or “at some time or other,” not specifically translated in Good News Translation. One may also say in some languages “what kinds of persons they were,” or “what their positions were,” with a term such as “positions” referring to social status.

God does not judge by outward appearances translates an idiom which literally rendered is “God does not accept the face of a man.” To accept the face of someone is to judge him and his actions on the basis of external circumstances, such as wealth, social standing, or rank. In this particular case, the externals are related to what they were in the past. In some languages God does not judge by outward appearances may be best expressed as “God does not judge a man by what he looks like.” In some languages this expression is more or less idiomatic, for example, “God doesn’t judge a man by the kind of clothes he wears,” or “God doesn’t call a man good or bad just because he is tall or short.”

After the parenthetical statement in which he asserts that he is not impressed by outward appearances, Paul begins his statement anew, and now he refers to the Jerusalem authorities as those leaders, using the same type of phrase as in verse 2.

Made no new suggestions translates the same verb found in 1.16, where it means “to submit for consideration, to confer with.” New English Bible takes it in the same sense here (“did not prolong the consultation”). Most translations, including Good News Translation, take it to mean here “to impart something” or to “impose something” (Phillips “they had nothing to add to my gospel”). The implication is clear: the Jerusalem authorities were completely satisfied with what Paul was doing. Made no new suggestions to me may be expressed as “didn’t tell me to do anything different,” “said to me, We have nothing else to add,” or “did not ask me to make any changes in the good news which I was preaching.”

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 .