English Standard Version
Galatians 1:10
10For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Galatians 1:10 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
Context of Galatians 1:10
8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. 11For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. 12For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Read all of Galatians 1Galatians 1:10 word by word
ἄρτι γὰρ ἀνθρώπους πείθω ἢ τὸν θεόν; ἢ ζητῶ ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκειν; εἰ ἔτι ἀνθρώποις ἤρεσκον, Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἂν ἤμην.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- do Iπείθωpeithō · to persuadeG3982
- nowἄρτιarti · nowG737
- menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- orἤē · orG2228
- Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- do I seekζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
- to pleaseἀρέσκωareskō · to pleaseG700
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
- I shouldεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notοὐou · noG3756
- ·ἄνan · ifG302
- the servantδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
- of ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
Cross-references for Galatians 1:10
- Acts 4:19But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,
- Acts 5:29But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.
- 2 Corinthians 5:9So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:4but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.
- 1 Samuel 21:7Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsmen.
- Matthew 28:14And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble."
- Acts 12:20Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food.
- Romans 2:8but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
- 1 John 3:9No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
- 2 Corinthians 12:19Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved.
- Matthew 22:16And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.
- Romans 15:1We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
- 1 Corinthians 10:33just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
- Ephesians 6:6not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
- Colossians 3:22Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
- James 4:4You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Commentaries on Galatians 1:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Do I now persuade men, or God? - The words may be rendered to court or solicit the favor of God as the after clause sufficiently proves. This acceptation of is very common in Greek authors. While the apostle was a persecutor of the Christians, he was the servant of men, and pleased men. When he embraced the Christian doctrine, he became the servant of God, and pleased Him. He therefore intimates that he was a widely different person now from what he had…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10For do I now persuade men, or God? - The word “now” ( ̓́ arti) is used here, evidently, to express a contrast between his present and his former purpose of life. Before his conversion to Christianity, he impliedly admits, that it was his object to conciliate the favor of people; that he derived his authority from them Acts 9:1-2; that he endeavored to act so as to please them and gain their good esteem. But “now” he says, this was not his object. He had a…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-14Verses 10-14 In preaching the gospel, the apostle sought to bring persons to the obedience, not of men, but of God. But Paul would not attempt to alter the doctrine of Christ, either to gain their favour, or to avoid their fury. In so important a matter we must not fear the frowns of men, nor seek their favour, by using words of men's wisdom. Concerning the manner wherein he received the gospel, he had it by revelation from Heaven. He was not led to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10The tone and content of this letter show that Paul did not seek to win people's approval. The Judaizers likely criticized Paul for trying to please people by focusing only on faith and grace, not including the law, which they saw as the whole message. Being Christ’s servant means staying true to Christ, no matter how others react (see Acts 5:29; Ephesians 6:5–6; 1 Thessalonians 2:3–6).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. For--accounting for the strong language he has just used. do I now--resuming the "now" of Ga 1:9. "Am I now persuading men?" [Alford], that is, conciliating. Is what I have just now said a sample of men-pleasing, of which I am accused? His adversaries accused him of being an interested flatterer of men, "becoming all things to all men," to make a party for himself, and so observing the law among the Jews (for instance, circumcising Timothy), yet…Read the comment
Topics related to Galatians 1:10
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries