Galatians 1:14
What does Galatians 1:14 mean?
A plain-English look at Galatians 1:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Galatians 1:14 means
Paul had excelled in “the Jews’ religion,” surpassing many peers and burning with zeal for ancestral traditions. This highlights two points: first, he was not driven by ignorance or failure within Judaism; he was a rising star. Second, his passion for tradition makes it unthinkable that he would invent a Gospel that relativizes those traditions and proclaims justification by grace. The contrast between his former zeal and his current message shows that only a divine unveiling could explain the shift. His credentials among his countrymen thus paradoxically become evidence that his new path was not of human design or desire.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000and I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of mine own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901and I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of mine own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And I went farther in the Jews' religion than a number of my generation among my countrymen, having a more burning interest in the beliefs handed down from my fathers.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and I was advancing in Judaism above many equals in age in mine own race, being more abundantly zealous of my fathers' deliverances,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And I made progress in the Jew's religion above many of my equals in my own nation, being more abundantly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890and advanced in Judaism beyond many [my] contemporaries in my nation, being exceedingly zealous of the doctrines of my fathers.
Context
Continuing his personal testimony, Paul piles up reasons why his Gospel could not have arisen from human sources. The narrative now turns from his human zeal to God’s sovereign action (verse 15), introducing the theme of divine calling by grace. From there, he will explain his immediate response and independence from Jerusalem (verses 16–17), which further supports the claim that his message did not come by instruction from earlier apostles or Jewish teachers.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Matthew 15:2
Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
- Matthew 15:6
he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition.
- Jeremiah 9:14
but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baalim, which their fathers taught them;
- Isaiah 57:12
I will declare thy righteousness; and as for thy works, they shall not profit thee.
- 1 Peter 1:8
whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
- Acts 26:9
I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
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