New Living Translation
Galatians 1:10
10Obviously, 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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of Galatians 1:10
8Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. 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. 11Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. 12I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from 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 replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him?
- Acts 5:29But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.
- 2 Corinthians 5:9So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:4For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.
- 1 Samuel 21:7Now Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief herdsman, was there that day, having been detained before the Lord.
- Matthew 28:14If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.”
- Acts 12:20Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they sent a delegation to make peace with him because their cities were dependent upon Herod’s country for food. The delegates won the support of Blastus, Herod’s personal assistant,
- Romans 2:8But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.
- 1 John 3:9Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.
- 2 Corinthians 12:19Perhaps you think we’re saying these things just to defend ourselves. No, we tell you this as Christ’s servants, and with God as our witness. Everything we do, dear friends, is to strengthen you.
- Matthew 22:16They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites.
- Romans 15:1We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves.
- 1 Corinthians 10:33I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
- Ephesians 6:6Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.
- Colossians 3:22Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.
- James 4:4You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself 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
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