1:9

In 1:9, Paul focused on the real situation in Galatia. There were false teachers who were teaching the Galatians a false gospel. The believers were deserting the true gospel to follow that false gospel. Paul used the clauses in 1:9a to draw attention to how serious the situation was in Galatia. He used very strong language to condemn the false teachers.

1:9a

As we have said before, so now I say again: There are two ways to interpret these two clauses:

(1) It refers to a message that Paul had given on a previous visit to Galatia.

(2) It refers to the curse Paul has just pronounced in 1:8.

Most commentators believe that Paul was referring to what he and Barnabas had told the Galatians on a previous visit. This visit was several months or a few years before he wrote this book. If possible, translate in a way that either interpretation could be understood. If you must make a choice, choose interpretation (1).

Some other ways to translate these clauses are:

I say again what we have said before (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
We said this before, and now I say it again

1:9b

If anyone is preaching to you: This clause is similar, but not identical, to 1:8b. It is no longer a hypothetical statement about what “we or an angel” might do. Instead, it is a statement about what some people were actually doing.

To make this clear, it may be better in some languages to begin this clause with something other than If. For example:

Whoever is preaching to you
-or-
may anybody who preaches (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
anyone who preaches (Contemporary English Version)

a gospel contrary to the one you received: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as contrary to is the same word as in 1:8b. It can also be translated as “that is opposed to” or “that does not agree with.” You should translate it here as you did in 1:8b.

The phrase the one you received refers to the true gospel that the Galatians had originally believed and accepted from Paul.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

a gospel that is different from the one you accepted (Good News Translation)
-or-
a gospel that is not the one you already received ?from me?
-or-
a message that does not agree with the good news that you believed

1:9c

let him be under a curse: This is exactly the same clause as in 1:8c. You should translate it the same way.

General Comment on 1:9b–c

In some languages, it will be more natural to change the order of the clauses in 1:9b–c. For example:

c I hope God will punish b anyone who preaches anything different from what you have already believed (Contemporary English Version)

© 2016 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

2:17a–c

But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not!: In Greek, 2:17 is a complex sentence. Before you translate this complex sentence, it is important to understand its grammatical structure.

The main part of this verse is the rhetorical question at the end of the verse: does that make Christ a minister of sin? This rhetorical question begins with an if clause. In the middle of this if clause, there is an embedded clause: while we seek to be justified in Christ.

Your translation may be easier to understand if you put this embedded clause first. For example:

We are endeavoring/seeking to be justified in Christ. ?But? if, ?while doing that,? we too are found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!

The parts of this verse are explained below.

2:17a

But: There is a contrast between the clause “not Gentile ‘sinners’” (in 2:15) and “if…we ourselves are found to be sinners” (here in 2:17). The Berean Standard Bible indicates this contrast with the conjunction But.

This contrast is between two clauses that are separated by several verses. So some English versions do not indicate this contrast with a conjunction. In some languages, no conjunction will be necessary here either.

while we seek to be justified in Christ: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as while we seek means “we are seeking/looking.” It implies success.

The clause to be justified in Christ has the same meaning as “we may be justified by faith in Christ” (2:16d). It means that God makes us right with him because we believe in Christ.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
we try to be put right with God by our union with Christ (Good News Translation)
-or-
we want ?God? to consider us righteous because of ?our faith in? Christ

2:17b

we ourselves are found to be sinners: The pronoun we refers to Paul, Peter, Barnabas, and other Jews who became Christians.

There are several ways to interpret this clause. Two of the main interpretations are centered on the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as are found :

(1) It has a passive meaning. Peter, Paul, and other Jewish Christians were found to be sinners by other Jews who still followed the law. One example of this was when the men from James arrived in Antioch and found Peter and other Jews eating with Gentiles. They found that they were not obeying the law. The men from James found/considered Peter and other Jewish Christians to be sinners just as the Gentiles were sinners.

(2) It has a reflexive meaning. Peter, Paul, and other Jewish Christians found themselves to be sinners. This happen when they were searching to be right before God and they realized that the law would not save them. They realized that they themselves were sinners just like the Gentiles. For example:

we discovered that we are sinners too (Contemporary English Version)

Most English versions are ambiguous, and it is not possible to tell which interpretation they follow. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This interpretation suits the context of 2:16 and also the previous paragraph about the men from James.

According to interpretation (1), some Jews accused Peter and Paul of being sinners because they had abandoned the law of Moses. But their accusation was not true. Peter and Paul were not sinners in God’s eyes. Paul did not agree with their accusation, but he included it to show that its conclusion was not logical.

Some ways to translate this clause are:

• Use a passive clause. For example:

we ourselves have also been found to be sinners (NET Bible)

• Use an active clause. For example:

hey found/regarded us also to be sinners
-or-

?some Jews? considered us also to be sinners

found: Here, the word found means “considered” or “regarded.” Jews who followed the law “regarded” Jewish Christians as sinners. This word does not mean “found” in the sense of lost and then found.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

considered/regarded
-or-
counted
-or-
looked upon

sinners: Here the word sinners refers to someone who does not follow all the Jewish laws. One example is Peter. The men from James found Peter to be a sinner because he ate with Gentiles. He also probably ate their food. These things were against Jewish laws. The Jews considered Peter and the other Jewish believers to be sinners, but they were not sinners in God’s eyes.

To make this meaning clear, it may be necessary to add some information. For example:

sinners ?in the eyes of some Jews?
-or-
found ?by some Jews? to be sinners

2:17c

does that make Christ a minister of sin?: The phrase a minister of sin refers to someone who “serves sin” or “works for sin.” A person who works for sin is someone who encourages other people to sin.

This clause is a rhetorical question. Paul used this rhetorical question to emphasize that Christ does not serve sin. He does not encourage people to sin.

Some ways to translate this rhetorical question are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

does that mean that Christ encourages us to sin? (God’s Word)
-or-
Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Does this mean that Christ is the one who makes us sinners? (Contemporary English Version)

• As a statement. For example:

This does not in any way mean that Christ encourages us to sin.

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to emphasize that Christ does not serve sin.

Certainly not!: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Certainly not is a strong response, “No!” to the rhetorical question.

Some ways to translate this are:

Never!
-or-
Absolutely not!
-or-
No, no, no!

© 2016 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

3:28a

There is neither Jew nor Greek: This clause means that among believers, everyone is equal. There is no distinction between the races of Jew and Greek. Both Jews and Greeks are sons of God because they believe in Jesus Christ.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

there is no difference between Jew and Greek (New Century Version)
-or-
there is no distinction between Jew and Greek
-or-
it does not matter whether a person is a Jew or a Greek

In some languages, it may be more natural to make the nouns Jew and Greek plural. For example:

there is no difference between Jews and Greeks

If you use the plural form for Jews and Greeks, you should also use plural forms for slaves, free men, men, and women.

Greek: In this context, the word Greek refers to a non-Jew.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

non-Jew
-or-
Gentile

3:28b

slave nor free: This clause is another example that among believers, everyone is equal. There is no distinction between a slave and a free man. Both slaves and free men are sons of God because they believe in Jesus Christ.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

there is no ?difference between a? slave and a free man
-or-

?it does not matter whether one is? a slave or not a slave
-or-

?there is no distinction between? a boss and a worker

3:28c

male nor female: This clause is the third example that among believers, everyone is equal. There is no distinction between men and women. Both men and women are sons of God because they believe in Jesus Christ.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

there is no ?distinction between a? man and a woman
-or-

?it does not matter whether a person is? a man or a woman

3:28d

for: Verse 3:28d is the reason why Paul can say that there is no difference between various categories of people (in 3:28a–c). There is no difference for/because everyone is one in Christ Jesus. The Greek introduces this reason with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for.

Some English versions do not translate this conjunction. For example:

You are all the same in Christ Jesus. (God’s Word)

In some languages, no conjunction will be necessary here either.

you are all one: This clause indicates that all believers are equal.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

you are all equal
-or-
You are all the same (God’s Word)

in Christ Jesus: This phrase refers to being united to or joined with Christ Jesus. Believers are united to Christ Jesus because they believe in him.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

in union with Christ Jesus (Good News Translation)
-or-
through faith in Christ Jesus (New Century Version)
-or-

?because you believe? in Christ Jesus

General Comment on 3:28

In some languages, it may be more natural to put 3:28d first in the verse. For example:

28d You are all one in Christ Jesus, 28a so there is neither Jew nor Greek, 28b slave nor free, 28c male nor female.

© 2016 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

4:31a–b

Therefore, brothers: Verse 4:31 is the conclusion to this section. The Greek introduces this conclusion with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Therefore.

Some other ways to translate this conjunction are:

So, brothers, (English Standard Version)
-or-
In conclusion, fellow believers

we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman: In this clause, Paul concluded this section by repeating the main point of his illustration. His main point is the contrast between the two branches of Abraham’s family and who they are.

The slave woman and her slave children represent the Jewish law and those who are slaves to the law. The free woman represents righteousness by faith apart from the law. Her children are free through faith in Christ. The Galatian believers are children of the free woman.

In some languages, it may be necessary to make parts of this explicit. For example:

we are not children of the slave woman ?and slaves to the law? . We are children of the free woman, ?and sons of God by faith? .
-or-
we are not children of the slave woman, obligated to the law. We are children of the free woman, acceptable to God because of our faith. (New Living Translation (1996))

© 2016 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

Paragraph 6:6–10

6:6a

Nevertheless: This verse begins with a Greek conjunction. The Berean Standard Bible translates it as Nevertheless in order to show that it introduces a contrast. The contrast is between “each one” carrying “his own load” (6:5) and believers helping their instructors. While the New International Version also translates this conjunction as “Nevertheless” and a few other versions translate it as “But,” most English versions do not translate this conjunction. In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate this conjunction either. Connect 6:6a to 6:5 in a way that is natural in your language.

the one who receives instruction in the word: This clause refers to a person/student who is taught the word of God.

This clause is passive. Some ways to translate it are:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

The person who is taught the word ?of God?

• Use an active verb. For example:

Anyone who is learning the teaching of God (New Century Version)
-or-
Each person to whom a teacher teaches the word ?of God?

6:6b

must share in all good things with his instructor: This clause is an indirect way to say that the student should pay his teacher. He should willingly give money or goods to the teacher. This is because the teacher may not have enough time to earn his own living by other work. (See also 2 Corinthians 9:6–12 for a similar passage about giving material things to those who serve us spiritually.)

Some other ways to translate this verse are:

should share all the good things he has with his teacher (New Century Version)
-or-
should help their teachers by paying them (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
he should give his teacher a share in all his possessions (New Jerusalem Bible)

© 2016 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.