into Arabia

The Greek in Galatians 1:17 that is translated as “into Arabia” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with “into an area called Arabia, south of Damascus.”

apostle, apostles

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The Greek term that means “one who is sent off” in its singular form and is usually transliterated as “apostle(s)” in English is (back-) translated in the following ways:

Scot McKnight (in The Second Testament, publ. 2023) translates it into English as commissioner.

In American Sign Language it is translated with a combination of the signs for “following” plus the sign for “authority” to differentiate it from disciple. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“apostles” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Hungarian Sign Language it is translated with a sign that shows the shape of the beard, based on the common and general visual representation of the apostles. This sign differs from the sign for a beard as used in colloquial language. The sign of the apostle does not originate from a specific biblical verse, but rather from the cultural context and later ecclesiastical tradition. “Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.” Lev 19:27. In the biblical era, wearing a beard was the default social and religious norm among Jewish men. The Apostle Peter is generally depicted with a short, curly, white beard. The Apostle Paul appears with a longer, pointed beard. The Apostle John is an exception, as he was the youngest disciple. In iconography, he is often the only one painted without a beard (as a youth) to emphasize his purity and age (see for instance at Transfiguration (icon)). (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and Andrea Bokros)


“Apostle” in Hungarian Sign Language (source )

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: The Apostles in Christian Art .

Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Jerusalem .

complete verse (Galatians 1:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of Galatians 1:17:

  • Uma: “Nor did I go first to the town of Yerusalem to request-teaching of those who had become apostles of the Lord Yesus before me. [Rather,] off I went to the land of Arab and from there I returned again to the town of Damsyik.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I did not even go to Awrusalam to the people commissioned before me. But I immediately went to the land Arab and then I went back again to Damaskus.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And I did not go to the town of Jerusalem so that I might ask for advice from the first apostles of Jesus Christ, but rather I went to the province of Arabia and then I returned to the town of Damascus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Neither did I go to Jerusalem to converse-with those who preceded me as apostles, but rather I went immediately to Arabia. I then returned to Damascus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I didn’t as-might-be-expected go to Jerusalem to learn from those who were apostles before me, but rather I went immediately to Arabia, then I returned to Damasco.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “And I did not first go to Jerusalem in order to study what was taught by Christ’s representatives who were appointed before I was appointed. Rather I went to the land of Arabia. Returning from there, again I went to the town of Damascus.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Galatians 1:17

Apostles refers to the Twelve, but the term as used here could include others such as James the Lord’s brother (verse 19). Paul mentions them here as a special group who would naturally be the first to be consulted by anyone aspiring to become an apostle. In not going to see the apostles, Paul was doing something contrary to natural expectation (compare Phillips “I did not even go to Jerusalem”). When Paul describes the apostles in Jerusalem as apostles before me, he was asserting not only that he recognized the apostleship of the Twelve but that he regarded his own apostleship as being of the same character as that of the Jerusalem apostles. The phrase before me may refer either to time or to status (or precedence), but the temporal interpretation is preferable.

In this context the verb see implies more than merely looking at someone. The equivalent in some languages would be “I did not go to Jerusalem to pay a visit to those who were apostles before me,” “… to talk with those who were apostles before me,” or “… who had been apostles before I became one.”

Having mentioned what he did not do, Paul now asserts two things that he did: (1) He went at once to Arabia, and (2) he returned to Damascus. The purpose of the visit to Arabia is not stated, but apparently it was to seek through meditation a fuller understanding of the meaning of his call. The phrase at once in the Greek comes right before I did not go to anyone for advice. It seems better to take it as modifying, not simply what immediately follows, but the whole sentence; and since the expression itself calls for a positive affirmation, it should be connected with Paul’s going to Arabia, rather than with the two prior negative statements (for example, Good News Translation, Jerusalem Bible; compare New English Bible, New American Bible, where the negative statements are made into dependent clauses: “Immediately, without seeking human advisers, or even going to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me, I went off to Arabia”). It may be useful to stipulate Arabia as being a country, for example, “I went off to the country of Arabia,” or “… to the region called Arabia.”

The mention of “returning to Damascus” is an indirect assertion that the experience of Paul’s conversion occurred in Damascus (see Acts 9.1-19 and parallels Acts 22.4-16 and 26.9-18). One may wish to employ a classifier with the word Damascus and translate, for example, “I went back to the city of Damascus.”

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 .