New Living Translation
Galatians 5:11
11Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended.
Galatians 5:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
- New International Version (NIV)Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.
Context of Galatians 5:11
9This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! 10I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you. Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. 12I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves. 13For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
Read all of Galatians 5Galatians 5:11 word by word
Ἐγὼ δέ, ἀδελφοί, εἰ περιτομὴν ἔτι κηρύσσω, τί ἔτι διώκομαι; ἄρα κατήργηται τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- Iκηρύσσωkērussō · to preachG2784
- yetἔτιeti · stillG2089
- circumcisionπεριτομήperitomē · circumcisionG4061
- whyτίςtis · which?G5101
- do Iδιώκωdiōkō · to pursueG1377
- thenἄραara · thereforeG686
- isκαταργέωkatargeō · to abateG2673
- the offenceὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the offenceσκάνδαλονskandalon · stumbling blockG4625
- of the crossσταυρόςstauros · crossG4716
Cross-references for Galatians 5:11
- Galatians 2:3And they supported me and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile.
- Acts 16:3so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek.
- Galatians 4:29But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit.
- Galatians 6:12Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save.
- Acts 21:21But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They’ve heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs.
- Acts 22:21“But the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’”
- Acts 23:13There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy.
- 1 Corinthians 15:30And why should we ourselves risk our lives hour by hour?
- 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.
- Isaiah 8:14He will keep you safe. But to Israel and Judah he will be a stone that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare.
- Romans 9:32Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.
- 1 Corinthians 1:18The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
- 1 Peter 2:8And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
Commentaries on Galatians 5:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11If I yet preach circumcision - it is very likely that some of the false apostles, hearing of Paul's having circumcised Timothy, Acts 16:3, which must have been done about this time, reported him as being an advocate for circumcision, and by this means endeavored to sanction their own doctrine. To this the apostle replies: Were it so, that I am a friend to this measure, is it likely that I should suffer persecution from the Jews? But I am every where…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11And I, brethren - Paul here proceeds to vindicate himself from giving countenance to the doctrines which they had advanced there. It is evident that the false teachers in Galatia appealed to Paul himself, and alleged that he insisted on the necessity of circumcision, and that they were teaching no more than he taught. On what they founded this is unknown. It may have been mere slander; or it may have arisen from the fact that he had circumcised Timothy…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 The life of a Christian is a race, wherein he must run, and hold on, if he would obtain the prize. It is not enough that we profess Christianity, but we must run well, by living up to that profession. Many who set out fairly in religion, are hindered in their progress, or turn out of the way. It concerns those who begin to turn out of the way, or to tire in it, seriously to inquire what hinders them. The opinion or persuasion, ver. #(8), was…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11If I am still preaching: This likely refers to Paul's preaching as an enthusiastic supporter of Judaism before he converted to Christianity (1:13–14; Acts 7:58–8:3). As a Christian, Paul never preached that non-Jews must be circumcised. Why am I still being persecuted? If Paul had been promoting a religion based on laws, the devoted Jews would not have been persecuting him everywhere he went. These leaders were angry because Paul taught that people did…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. Translate, "If I am still preaching (as I did before conversion) circumcision, why am I still persecuted?" The Judaizing troubler of the Galatians had said, "Paul himself preaches circumcision," as is shown by his having circumcised Timothy (Ac 16:3; compare also Ac 20:6; 21:24). Paul replies by anticipation of their objection, As regards myself, the fact that I am still persecuted by the Jews shows plainly that I do not preach circumcision; for it is…Read the comment
Topics related to Galatians 5:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Galatians 5
- 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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