Galatia 1:13

1:13 For you have heard of my former way of life ¹  in Judaism, how I was savagely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it.

Galatia 2:13

2:13 And the rest of the Jews also joined with him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray with them ²  by their hypocrisy.

Galatia 3:3

3:3 Are you so foolish? Although you began ³  with ⁴  the Spirit, are you now trying to finish ⁵  by human effort? ⁶ 

Galatia 4:1

4:1 Now I mean that the heir, as long as he is a minor, ⁷  is no different from a slave, though he is the owner ⁸  of everything.

Galatia 4:17

4:17 They court you eagerly, ⁹  but for no good purpose; ¹⁰  they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly. ¹¹ 

Galatia 5:12

5:12 I wish those agitators ¹²  would go so far as to ¹³  castrate themselves! ¹⁴ 

[1:13]  ¹ tn Or “lifestyle,” “behavior.”

[2:13]  ² tn The words “with them” are a reflection of the σύν- (sun-) prefix on the verb συναπήχθη (sunaphcqh; see L&N 31.76).

[3:3]  ³ tn Grk “Having begun”; the participle ἐναρξάμενοι (enarxamenoi) has been translated concessively.

[3:3]  ⁴ tn Or “by the Spirit.”

[3:3]  ⁵ tn The verb ἐπιτελεῖσθε (epiteleisqe) has been translated as a conative present (see ExSyn 534). This is something the Galatians were attempting to do, but could not accomplish successfully.

[3:3]  ⁶ tn Grk “in/by [the] flesh.”

[4:1]  ⁷ tn Grk “a small child.” The Greek term νήπιος (nhpios) refers to a young child, no longer a helpless infant but probably not more than three or four years old (L&N 9.43). The point in context, though, is that this child is too young to take any responsibility for the management of his assets.

[4:1]  ⁸ tn Grk “master” or “lord” (κύριος, kurios).

[4:17]  ⁹ tn Or “They are zealous for you.”

[4:17]  ¹⁰ tn Or “but not commendably” (BDAG 505 s.v. καλῶς 2).

[4:17]  ¹¹ tn Or “so that you would be zealous.”

[5:12]  ¹² tn Grk “the ones who are upsetting you.” The same verb is used in Acts 21:38 to refer to a person who incited a revolt. Paul could be alluding indirectly to the fact that his opponents are inciting the Galatians to rebel against his teaching with regard to circumcision and the law.

[5:12]  ¹³ tn Grk “would even.”

[5:12]  ¹⁴ tn Or “make eunuchs of themselves”; Grk “cut themselves off.” This statement is rhetorical hyperbole on Paul’s part. It does strongly suggest, however, that Paul’s adversaries in this case (“those agitators”) were men. Some interpreters (notably Erasmus and the Reformers) have attempted to soften the meaning to a figurative “separate themselves” (meaning the opponents would withdraw from fellowship) but such an understanding dramatically weakens the rhetorical force of Paul’s argument. Although it has been argued that such an act of emasculation would be unthinkable for Paul, it must be noted that Paul’s statement is one of biting sarcasm, obviously not meant to be taken literally. See further G. Stählin, TDNT 3:853-55.