Galatians 3:1
What does Galatians 3:1 mean?
A plain-English look at Galatians 3:1 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Galatians 3:1 means
Paul confronts the Galatians with sharp language because they have been charmed away from clear truth. The gospel had been preached to them so plainly that Christ’s crucifixion stood before them as if publicly displayed. To turn from that is not a small confusion but a spiritual delusion. The cross shows both the cost of sin and the sufficiency of Jesus’ work. For people who once saw that clearly to now seek righteousness by law-keeping is irrational. Paul’s question exposes that someone or something has distorted their vision, making them doubt the finished work of Christ and look elsewhere for acceptance with God.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified?
KJV
King James Version · 1611O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949O foolish Galatians, by what strange powers have you been tricked, to whom it was made clear that Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862O thoughtless Galatians, who did bewitch you, not to obey the truth--before whose eyes Jesus Christ was described before among you crucified?
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752O senseless Galatians, who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth: before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been set forth, crucified among you?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890O senseless Galatians, who has bewitched you; to whom, as before your very eyes, Jesus Christ has been portrayed, crucified [among you]?
Context
Paul begins a new section moving from his personal defense of the gospel (chapters 1–2) to a direct appeal to the Galatians’ experience and Scripture. He opens with a rebuke to jar them awake. The immediate context is their drift toward law observance as necessary for standing with God. What follows are a series of probing questions (verses 2–5) that recall how they first received the gospel, followed by Scripture-based arguments from Abraham and the law (verses 6–29). Verse 1 sets the tone: a pastoral but urgent effort to pull them back to Christ crucified.
v.1This passage
v.2This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Revelation 2:20
But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
- Ephesians 5:15
Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise;
- 2 Corinthians 11:13
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ.
- Galatians 2:14
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Cephas before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
- Acts 8:9
But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who beforetime in the city used sorcery, and amazed the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
- Hebrews 11:8
By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
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