Galatians 1:14

Galatians 1:14 in other versions

• King James Version (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.
• New International Version (NIV)I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

Context of Galatians 1:14

12I didn’t receive it from any person. I wasn’t taught it, but Jesus Christ revealed it to me. 13You heard about the way I once lived when I followed the Jewish religion. You heard how I violently persecuted God’s church and tried to destroy it. You also heard how I was far ahead of other Jews in my age group in following the Jewish religion. I had become that fanatical for the traditions of my ancestors. 15But God, who appointed me before I was born and who called me by his kindness, was pleased 16to show me his Son. He did this so that I would tell people who are not Jewish that his Son is the Good News. When this happened, I didn’t talk it over with any other person.

Galatians 1:14 word by word

καὶ προέκοπτον ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ ὑπὲρ πολλοὺς συνηλικιώτας ἐν τῷ γένει μου περισσοτέρως ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τῶν πατρικῶν μου παραδόσεων.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• profitedπροκόπτωprokoptō · to advanceG4298
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the Jews’ religionὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the Jews’ religionἸουδαϊσμόςIoudaismos · JudaismG2454
• aboveὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• manyπολύςpolus polos · muchG4183
• my equalsσυνηλικιώτηςsunēlikiōtēs · contemporaryG4915
• mine ownἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• nationγένοςgenos · family: descendantG1085
• beingὑπάρχωhuparchō · be alreadyG5225
• more exceedinglyπερισσῶςperissōs · excessivelyG4057
• zealousζηλωτήςzēlōtēs · zealotG2207
• of the traditionsπατρικόςpatrikos · paternalG3967
• fathersπαράδοσιςparadosis · traditionG3862

Cross-references for Galatians 1:14

• Isaiah 29:13The Lord says, “These people worship me with their mouths and honor me with their lips. But their hearts are far from me, and their worship of me is ⌞based on⌟ rules made by humans.
• Isaiah 57:12I’ll tell you about your righteous ways and what you have done, but they won’t help you.
• Acts 22:3“I’m a Jew. I was born and raised in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia and received my education from Gamaliel here in Jerusalem. My education was in the strict laws handed down by our ancestors. I was as devoted to God as all of you are today.
• Acts 26:5They’ve known me for a long time and can testify, if they’re willing, that I followed the strictest party of our religion. They know that I lived my life as a Pharisee.
• Philippians 3:4although I could have confidence in my physical qualifications. If anyone else thinks that he can trust in something physical, I can claim even more.
• Jeremiah 15:2When they ask you where they should go, say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: Those who are destined to die will die. Those who are destined to die in wars will die in wars. Those who are destined to die in famines will die in famines. Those who are destined to die in captivity will die in captivity.’
• Matthew 15:2“Why do your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
• Mark 7:3(The Pharisees, like all other Jewish people, don’t eat unless they have properly washed their hands. They follow the traditions of their ancestors.
• Colossians 2:8Be careful not to let anyone rob you ⌞of this faith⌟ through a shallow and misleading philosophy. Such a person follows human traditions and the world’s way of doing things rather than following Christ.
• 1 Peter 1:8Although you have never seen Christ, you love him. You don’t see him now, but you believe in him. You are extremely happy with joy and praise that can hardly be expressed in words

Commentaries on Galatians 1:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14And profited in the Jews' religion - The apostle does not mean that he became more exemplary in the love and practice of the pure law of God than any of his countrymen, but that he was more profoundly skilled in the traditions of the fathers than most of his fellow students were, or, as the word may mean his contemporaries.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14And profited - Made advances and attainments. Paul made advances not only in the knowledge of the Jewish religion, but he also surpassed others in his zeal in defending its interests. He had had better advantages than most of his countrymen; and by his great zeal and characteristic ardor he had been able to make higher attainments than most others had done. Above many my equals - Margin, Equal in years. This is the true sense of the original. It means…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. 14zealous for the traditions of my fathers: Paul was very passionate about following the Jewish religious traditions he learned from his ancestors (see Mark 7:6–13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. profited--Greek, "I was becoming a proficient"; "I made progress." above--beyond. my equals--Greek, "Of mine own age, among my countrymen." traditions of my fathers--namely, those of the Pharisees, Paul being "a Pharisee, and son of a Pharisee" (Ac 23:6; 26:5). "MY fathers," shows that it is not to be understood generally of the traditions of the nation.Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 1:14

• Bigotry
• Ignorance
• Paul
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Equal
• Faith
• Tradition
• Christianity
• Countryman
• Criticism of the Bible
• Discrepancies, Biblical
• Galatians, Epistle to the
• Jew, Jewess, Jewish
• Laodiceans, Epistle to the

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