Galatians 1:17

Galatians 1:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
• New International Version (NIV)I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
• English Standard Version (ESV)nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
• New King James Version (NKJV)nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Context of Galatians 1:17

15But God had chosen me to serve him even before I was born. He chose me to be his servant because he is very kind. 16He decided to show his Son clearly to me, so that I could tell the Gentiles about him. When God chose me to do that, I did not talk about it with any person. Nor did I go to Jerusalem to see Christ's apostles there. Those men were already his apostles before I was. But I did not go to talk to them. Instead, I went immediately to the region of Arabia. Later, I went back to the city of Damascus. 18Then, three years later, I did go to Jerusalem. I stayed there with Christ's apostle Peter for 15 days, so that he could teach me. 19I did not see any other apostles, except James, who is the Lord's brother.

Galatians 1:17 word by word

οὐδὲ ἀνῆλθον εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα πρὸς τοὺς πρὸ ἐμοῦ ἀποστόλους, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπῆλθον εἰς Ἀραβίαν καὶ πάλιν ὑπέστρεψα εἰς Δαμασκόν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Neitherοὐδέoude · norG3761
• went I upἀνέρχομαιanerchomai · to go upG424
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• JerusalemἹεροσόλυμαHierosoluma · JerusalemG2414
• toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• them which wereὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• apostlesἀπόστολοςapostolos · apostleG652
• beforeπρόpro · beforeG4253
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• I wentἀπέρχομαιaperchomai · to go awayG565
• ArabiaἈραβίαArabia · ArabiaG688
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• returnedὑποστρέφωhupostrephō · to returnG5290
• againπάλινpalin · againG3825
• DamascusΔαμασκόςDamaskos · DamascusG1154

Cross-references for Galatians 1:17

• Galatians 1:18Then, three years later, I did go to Jerusalem. I stayed there with Christ's apostle Peter for 15 days, so that he could teach me.
• Acts 9:20He immediately went to the Jewish meeting places and he taught people about Jesus. He told them that Jesus is the Son of God.
• 2 Corinthians 11:32When I was in Damascus, the ruler of that city sent soldiers to catch me. He was under the authority of King Aretas. The soldiers were watching carefully outside the city.

Commentaries on Galatians 1:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Neither went I up to Jerusalem - The aim of the apostle is to show that he had his call so immediately and pointedly from God himself, that he had no need of the concurrence even of the apostles, being appointed by the same authority, and fitted to the work by the same grace and Spirit, as they were. But I went into Arabia - That part of Arabia which was contiguous to Damascus, over which Aretas was then king. Of this journey into Arabia we have no other…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Neither went I up to Jerusalem - That is, I did not go there at once. I did not go to consult with the apostles there, or to be instructed by them in regard to the nature of the Christian religion. The design of this statement is to show that, in no sense, did he derive his commission from man. To them which were apostles before me - This implies that Paul then regarded himself to be an apostle. They were, he admits, apostles before he was; but he felt…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-24Verses 15-24 St. Paul was wonderfully brought to the knowledge and faith of Christ. All who are savingly converted, are called by the grace of God; their conversion is wrought by his power and grace working in them. It will but little avail us to have Christ revealed to us, if he is not also revealed in us. He instantly prepared to obey, without hesitating as to his worldly interest, credit, ease, or life itself. And what matter of thanksgiving and joy is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17Paul considered his role as an apostle equal to that of the original disciples (see 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:5–9; compare Acts 1:22; 10:41). Paul's journey to Arabia is not mentioned elsewhere. He likely developed his understanding of the good news about Jesus during that time. Paul was familiar with: the Scriptures (see Acts 22:3), the beliefs of the first Christians (see Acts 8:1), and what others had shared with him since he became a follower of Jesus.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. went I up--Some of the oldest manuscripts read, "went away." to Jerusalem--the seat of the apostles. into Arabia--This journey (not recorded in Acts) was during the whole period of his stay at Damascus, called by Luke (Ac 9:23), "many [Greek, a considerable number of] days." It is curiously confirmatory of the legitimacy of taking "many days" to stand for "three years," that the same phrase exactly occurs in the same sense in 1Ki 2:38, 39. This was a…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 1:17

• Arabia
• Arabians
• Damascus
• Minister, Christian
• Paul

In the dictionaries

• Arabia
• Damascus
• Jerusalem
• Arabia, Arabian
• Elijah
• Equal
• Faith
• Paul
• Acts of the Apostles
• Aretas

Commentaries on Galatians 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings