GAL 1:10-24

Paul Preaches the Gospel

10For am I now seeking the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

11For I make known to you, brothers, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin.

12For I neither received it from a human being, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

13For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism — how I persecuted the assembly of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it,

14and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my people, being far more zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

15But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me through his grace, was pleased

16to reveal his Son in me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,

17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and then returned again to Damascus.

18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days.

19But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the brother of the Lord.

20Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.

21Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

22I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea that are in Christ;

23they only heard it said: "The one who formerly persecuted us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy."

24And they glorified God because of me.

In the world it was spoken into

In the first-century Greco-Roman world, seeking approval from others was deeply tied to the honor-shame culture, where social standing and reputation were paramount. Paul’s rhetorical question—whether he seeks human approval or God’s—challenges this cultural norm, asserting his allegiance to Christ over societal expectations. His claim to be a (slave) of Christ would have been jarring, as slavery denoted complete subservience, yet Paul elevates this status by aligning it with divine service. His former (conduct) in Judaism, marked by zeal , reflects his intense commitment to Pharisaic traditions, including persecuting the early church. This background underscores the radical nature of his conversion and his subsequent mission to Gentiles, which would have been controversial among Jewish audiences. Paul’s emphasis on receiving the gospel through revelation, not human teaching, positions him as an authoritative apostle, independent of Jerusalem’s leadership. This narrative would have resonated with Galatian readers, who were navigating tensions between Jewish traditions and Paul’s Gentile-inclusive gospel.

›See the receipts

How other translations render this

GAL 1:10

KJV: For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
BSB: Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Koinōnos: For am I now seeking the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.

GAL 1:11

KJV: But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
BSB: For I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached was not devised by man.
Koinōnos: For I make known to you, brothers, that the gospel that was proclaimed by me is not of human origin.

GAL 1:12

KJV: For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
BSB: I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
Koinōnos: For I neither received it from a human being, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

GAL 1:13

KJV: For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
BSB: For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
Koinōnos: For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism — how I persecuted the assembly of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it,

GAL 1:14

KJV: And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
BSB: I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
Koinōnos: and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my people, being far more zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

GAL 1:15

KJV: But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
BSB: But when God, who set me apart from my motherʼs womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
Koinōnos: But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me through his grace, was pleased

GAL 1:16

KJV: To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
BSB: to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood,
Koinōnos: to reveal his Son in me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,

GAL 1:17

KJV: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
BSB: nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
Koinōnos: nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and then returned again to Damascus.

GAL 1:18

KJV: Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
BSB: Only after three years did I go up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days.
Koinōnos: Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days.

GAL 1:19

KJV: But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
BSB: But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lordʼs brother.
Koinōnos: But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the brother of the Lord.

GAL 1:20

KJV: Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
BSB: I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie.
Koinōnos: Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.

GAL 1:21

KJV: Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
BSB: Later I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
Koinōnos: Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

GAL 1:22

KJV: And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
BSB: I was personally unknown, however, to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
Koinōnos: I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea that are in Christ;

GAL 1:23

KJV: But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
BSB: They only heard the account: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
Koinōnos: they only heard it said: "The one who formerly persecuted us is now proclaiming the faith he once tried to destroy.

GAL 1:24

KJV: And they glorified God in me.
BSB: And they glorified God because of me.
Koinōnos: And they glorified God because of me.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Where the historical framing draws from

Josephus, WarsWars 2.9.2

›Josephus, Wars Wars 2.9.2

“Now Pilate, who was sent as procurator into Judea by Tiberius, sent by night those images of Caesar that are called ensigns into Jerusalem.”

Cited to ground: Pilate, who was sent as procurator into Judea by Tiberius

Translator's notes

GAL 1:10

do I seek approval:The word translated 'do I seek approval' carries the sense of trying to persuade or win over someone, implying an attempt to gain their favor or allegiance.
of Christ:The term used here for 'of Christ' is literally 'slave of Christ.' In the ancient world, a slave was property with no rights, completely subject to their master's will, which emphasizes absolute devotion and ownership.

GAL 1:13

way of life:The word translated 'way of life' refers more specifically to one's conduct, behavior, or manner of living, often with moral or ethical implications.

GAL 1:14

zealous:The word translated 'zealous' describes someone who is an ardent follower or emulator, often with intense passion and commitment to a cause or person.