GAL 6:12 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Ὅσοι
2. hosos
3. As many as
4. -
5. 37450
6. R····NMP
7. as_many_as
8. as_many_as
9. S
10. Y58
11. 127868
1. θέλουσιν
2. thelō
3. are wanting
4. -
5. 23090
6. VIPA3··P
7. ˓are˒ wanting
8. ˓are˒ wanting
9. -
10. Y58; F127873; F127886; F127892
11. 127869
1. εὐπροσωπῆσαι
2. euprosōpeō
3. to appear good
4. good
5. 21460
6. VNAA····
7. ˓to˒ appear_good
8. ˓to˒ appear_good
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127870
1. ἐν
2. en
3. in
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127871
1. σαρκί
2. sarka
3. +the flesh
4. -
5. 45610
6. N····DFS
7. ˓the˒ flesh
8. ˓the˒ flesh
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127872
1. οὗτοι
2. houtos
3. these
4. -
5. 37780
6. R····NMP
7. these
8. these
9. -
10. Y58; R127869
11. 127873
1. ἀναγκάζουσιν
2. anagkazō
3. are compelling
4. -
5. 3150
6. VIPA3··P
7. ˓are˒ compelling
8. ˓are˒ compelling
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127874
1. ὑμᾶς
2. su
3. you all
4. -
5. 47710
6. R···2A·P
7. you_all
8. you_all
9. -
10. Y58; R127711
11. 127875
1. περιτέμνεσθαι
2. peritemnō
3. to be being circumcised
4. -
5. 40590
6. VNPP····
7. ˓to_be_being˒ circumcised
8. ˓to_be_being˒ circumcised
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127876
1. μόνον
2. monon
3. only
4. -
5. 34400
6. D·······
7. only
8. only
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127877
1. ἵνα
2. hina
3. in order that
4. -
5. 24430
6. C·······
7. in_order_that
8. in_order_that
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127878
1. μή
2. mē
3. -
4. -
5. 33610
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. -
11. 127879
1. τῷ
2. ho
3. for the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DMS
7. ˱for˲ the
8. ˱for˲ the
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127880
1. σταυρῷ
2. stauros
3. stake
4. -
5. 47160
6. N····DMS
7. stake
8. cross
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127881
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. of the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMS
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127882
1. Χριστοῦ
2. χristos
3. chosen one messiah
4. messiah
5. 55470
6. N····GMS
7. chosen_one/messiah
8. Messiah
9. WN
10. Y58; Person=Jesus
11. 127883
1. Ἰησοῦ
2. iēsous
3. Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa)
4. -
5. 24240
6. N····GMS
7. Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa)
8. Jesus
9. UN
10. Person=Jesus; Y58
11. 127884
1. μή
2. mē
3. not
4. don't
5. 33610
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127885
1. διώκωνται
2. diōkō
3. they may be being persecuted
4. persecuted
5. 13770
6. VSPP3··P
7. ˱they˲ ˓may_be_being˒ persecuted
8. ˱they˲ ˓may_be_being˒ persecuted
9. -
10. Y58; R127869
11. 127886
1. διώκονται
2. diōkō
3. -
4. -
5. 13770
6. VIPM3··P
7. ˱they˲ ˓are˒ persecuting
8. ˱they˲ ˓are˒ persecuting
9. -
10. -
11. 127887

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 6:11–18: Paul repeated his warning not to listen to false teachers

This section is Paul’s conclusion to his letter. In this section he again contrasted circumcision and true faith. Those who teach that believers must be circumcised have a false basis for boasting. The only true basis for boasting is Christ’s death on the cross. Through the cross, believers are new creations in Christ. That is what matters. The Galatians should follow these truths. They must not follow false teachers who want to add circumcision to faith.

Paul ended his letter with a blessing/prayer.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Final Warning and Benediction (ESV)

Paul’s Final Advice (NLT)

Paul Summarizes His Teachings About Circumcision (GW)

6:12–13

In these verses, Paul stated that the false teachers were only thinking about themselves and how they could avoid persecution for the cross of Christ. This is the exact opposite of what Paul said about himself in 5:11. The false teachers were preaching circumcision to avoid persecution. If Paul had preached circumcision, he could have avoided persecution as well, but since he refused to do so, he was persecuted. There was no godly zeal in what the false teachers were doing.

6:12a–b

(reordered) Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. (NLT)

Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised: In some languages, it will be more natural to change the order of the clauses in 6:12a–b. For example:

^aThose who ^bare trying to force you to be circumcised ^awant to look good to others. (NLT)

6:12a

Those who want to make a good impression outwardly

Those who want to make a good impression outwardly
Some people want to show their goodness by the way their bodies appear.
Those people who want to look good to others,

Those: The word that the BSB translates as Those is literally “as many as.” This word refers to the people who were deceiving the Galatians.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

Those people

And as for those people

Some people

who want to make a good impression outwardly: This clause refers to the false teachers. They put on a good outward appearance in order that other people would think well of them and accept them. Here outwardly refers generally to external matters and specifically to circumcision. The false teachers wanted other Jews to think well of them. They themselves were circumcised, and they tried to force other people to get circumcised. They focused on the physical and external rather than the spiritual.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

want to look good to others (NLT)

who want to show off and boast about external matters (GNT)

they want to show their goodness by the way their bodies appear to others

6:12b

are trying to compel you to be circumcised.

are trying to force you to get circumcised.
They are trying to force you to get circumcised.
they are trying to force you to get/be circumcised.

are trying to compel you to be circumcised: This clause also refers to the false teachers. They were trying to force the Galatian believers to get circumcised. The word compel is the same word that Paul used in 2:3a and 2:14d.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

who are trying to force you to be circumcised (GNT)

Such persons are insisting that you be circumcised (SSA)

6:12c

They only do this to avoid persecution

They only do this so that they will not be persecuted
They do this only so that people will not cause them to suffer
The only reason they do this is because they do not want the Jews to persecute them.

They only do this to avoid persecution: In Greek this phrase is more literally “they only do this that they might not be persecuted.” In Greek this phrase contains the verb “persecuted,” which the BSB translates with the noun persecution. The verb “persecuted” means “causing people to suffer” because of their religious beliefs. The false teachers were afraid that the Jews would persecute them if they did not force believers to be circumcised. The false teachers were more concerned about avoiding persecution than about preaching the truth of the gospel.

The verb “persecuted” is passive. Some ways to translate this clause are:

Use a passive verb. For example:
They don’t want to be persecuted (NLT)
They are afraid they will be attacked (NCV)
Use an active verb. For example:
They do not want the Jews to persecute them
And they don’t want to get into trouble (CEV)
Their only aim is to avoid persecution (GW)

This verb also occurs in 1:13b and 5:11b.

They only do this to: These words introduce the false teachers’ purpose in forcing the Galatians to be circumcised. They forced the Galatians to be circumcised so that they (the false teachers) would not be persecuted.

Some other ways to introduce this purpose are:

They only do this so that

Their only purpose is

In some languages, it may be natural to translate this as the reason. For example:

The only reason they do this is (NIV)

6:12d

for the cross of Christ.

for teaching the cross of Christ.
for preaching only about Christ’s death on the cross.
They know that if they tell people to believe only on Christ’s death on the cross for salvation, they will be persecuted.

for the cross of Christ: This phrase refers to preaching only one thing: Christ died on a cross as the sacrifice for our sins. It refers to the complete gospel message of salvation by faith in Christ instead of by obeying the law. The false teachers were evidently preaching two things: people had to believe in the Messiah and also be circumcised.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

for preaching about the cross of Christ (CEV)

for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save (NLT)

because they only tell people about Christ’s death on the cross for salvation

The word the cross also occurs in 5:11c with the same meaning.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

εὐπροσωπῆσαι

˓to˒_appear_good

Paul’s readers would have understood that he was referring to making a good impression on legalistic Jews who did not believe in Jesus. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [to make a good impression on the Jews]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἐν σαρκί

in ˓the˒_flesh

Here, the flesh refers to someone’s outward physical appearance, specifically the appearance of someone who has been circumcised in order to impress the Jews. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [with regard to physical appearance]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

ἵνα

in_order_that

Here, so that introduces a purpose clause. Use a natural way in your language for introducing a purpose clause. Alternate translation: [for the purpose that]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

μὴ διώκωνται

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅσοι θέλουσιν εὐπροσωπῆσαι ἐν σαρκί οὗτοι ἀναγκάζουσιν ὑμᾶς περιτέμνεσθαι μόνον ἵνα τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ μή διώκωνται)

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. The context indicates that the Jews might do the action. Alternate translation: [the Jews might not persecute them]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ

˱for˲_the cross ˱of˲_the Messiah Jesus

Here, the cross refers to believing in Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [for believing in what Christ Jesus did when he died on the cross]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. As many as
2. -
3. 37450
4. S
5. hosos
6. R-····NMP
7. as_many_as
8. as_many_as
9. S
10. Y58
11. 127868
1. are wanting
2. -
3. 23090
5. thelō
6. V-IPA3··P
7. ˓are˒ wanting
8. ˓are˒ wanting
9. -
10. Y58; F127873; F127886; F127892
11. 127869
1. to appear good
2. good
3. 21460
5. euprosōpeō
6. V-NAA····
7. ˓to˒ appear_good
8. ˓to˒ appear_good
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127870
1. in
2. -
3. 17220
5. en
6. P-·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127871
1. +the flesh
2. -
3. 45610
5. sarka
6. N-····DFS
7. ˓the˒ flesh
8. ˓the˒ flesh
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127872
1. these
2. -
3. 37780
5. houtos
6. R-····NMP
7. these
8. these
9. -
10. Y58; R127869
11. 127873
1. are compelling
2. -
3. 3150
5. anagkazō
6. V-IPA3··P
7. ˓are˒ compelling
8. ˓are˒ compelling
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127874
1. you all
2. -
3. 47710
5. su
6. R-···2A·P
7. you_all
8. you_all
9. -
10. Y58; R127711
11. 127875
1. to be being circumcised
2. -
3. 40590
5. peritemnō
6. V-NPP····
7. ˓to_be_being˒ circumcised
8. ˓to_be_being˒ circumcised
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127876
1. only
2. -
3. 34400
5. monon
6. D-·······
7. only
8. only
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127877
1. in order that
2. -
3. 24430
5. hina
6. C-·······
7. in_order_that
8. in_order_that
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127878
1. they may
2. persecuted
3. 13770
5. diōkō
6. V-SPP3··P
7. ˱they˲ ˓may_be_being˒ persecuted
8. ˱they˲ ˓may_be_being˒ persecuted
9. -
10. Y58; R127869
11. 127886
1. not
2. don't
3. 33610
5. mē
6. D-·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127885
1. be being persecuted
2. persecuted
3. 13770
5. diōkō
6. V-SPP3··P
7. ˱they˲ ˓may_be_being˒ persecuted
8. ˱they˲ ˓may_be_being˒ persecuted
9. -
10. Y58; R127869
11. 127886
1. for the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····DMS
7. ˱for˲ the
8. ˱for˲ the
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127880
1. stake
2. -
3. 47160
5. stauros
6. N-····DMS
7. stake
8. cross
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127881
1. of the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····GMS
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y58
11. 127882
1. chosen one messiah
2. messiah
3. 55470
4. WN
5. χristos
6. N-····GMS
7. chosen_one/messiah
8. Messiah
9. WN
10. Y58; Person=Jesus
11. 127883
1. Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa)
2. -
3. 24240
4. UN
5. iēsous
6. N-····GMS
7. Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa)
8. Jesus
9. UN
10. Person=Jesus; Y58
11. 127884

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear GAL 6:12

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)