• Galatians 1:10
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 10 Ἄρτι Right now γὰρ for ἀνθρώπους men πείθω am I persuading ἢ or τὸν the θεόν; God? ἢ Or ζητῶ am I seeking ἀνθρώποις to men ἀρέσκειν; to be pleasing? εἰ If ἔτι yet ἀνθρώποις to men ἤρεσκον, I was pleasing, Χριστοῦ of Christ δοῦλος slave οὐκ not ἂν likely ἤμην. I was.

  • Galatians Study Notes—Chapter 1
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 1:10

      Is it, in fact, men I am now trying to persuade or God?: Paul defends himself because “false brothers” in Galatia apparently claimed that he had adapted his message so as to persuade the Galatian Christians to side with him. (Ga 2:4) For example, those opponents seem to have claimed that Paul would preach circumcision when it suited him. (Ga 5:11) The Greek word peiʹtho, here rendered “persuade,” also conveys the meaning “appeal to; win over; gain the approval of.” Paul is, in effect, asking: “Am I trying to win the approval of people or of God?” Paul is, of course, concerned about gaining the approval of God, not of humans. While Paul was adaptable in how he presented the good news (see study note on 1Co 9:22), he never changed the basic message just to win over different groups of people. (See study note on Or am I trying to please men in this verse.) In the preceding verses, he made it very clear that there was just one message of truth, “the good news about the Christ.”​—Ga 1:6-9.

      Or am I trying to please men?: Some claimed that Paul was flattering men in an attempt to win their approval. The implied answer to Paul’s question is: “Of course not!” If he were trying to please humans, he would be disclaiming that he was a slave of Christ.​—1Th 2:4.