GAL 1:20 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) and what I’m writing to you, I’m writing with God watching, so I’m not lying.

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

AICNT What I am writing to you, behold, before God, I am not lying.

OEB (As to what I am now writing to you, I call God to witness that I am speaking the truth).

WEBBE Now about the things which I write to you, behold,[fn] before God, I’m not lying.

1:20 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

WMBB (Same as above including footnotes)

NET I assure you that, before God, I am not lying about what I am writing to you!

LSV And the things that I write to you, behold, before God—I do not lie;

FBV (Let me assure you before God that I'm not lying about what I'm writing to you!)

TCNT (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.)

T4T God knows that what I am writing to you is completely true [LIT]!

LEB (Now the things which I am writing to you, behold, I assure you before God that I am not lying.)

BBE Now God is witness that the things which I am writing to you are true.

Moff (I am writing you the sheer truth, I swear it before God!)

Wymth In making these assertions I am speaking the truth, as in the sight of God.

ASV Now touching the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

DRA Now the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I lie not.

YLT And the things that I write to you, lo, before God — I lie not;

Drby Now what I write to you, behold, before [fn]God, I do not lie.

1.20 Elohim

RV Now touching the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

SLT And what I write to you, behold, before God, that I lie not.

Wbstr Now the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I lie not.

KJB-1769 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

KJB-1611 Now the things which I write vnto you, behold, before God I lye not.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps The thynges therfore which I write vnto you, beholde, before God I lie not.
(The things therefore which I write unto you, behold, before God I lie not.)

Gnva Nowe the things which I write vnto you, beholde, I witnes before God, that I lie not.
(Now the things which I write unto you, behold, I witness before God, that I lie not. )

Cvdl The thinges that I wryte vnto you, beholde, God knoweth, I lye not.
(The things that I write unto you, behold, God knoweth/knows, I lie not.)

TNT The thinges which I write beholde God knoweth I lye not.
(The things which I write behold God knoweth/knows I lie not. )

Wycl And these thingis which Y write to you, lo! tofor God Y lie not.
(And these things which I write to you, lo! tofor God I lie not.)

Luth Was ich euch aber schreibe, siehe, GOtt weiß, ich lüge nicht.
(What I you but write, see/look, God white, I lie(v) not.)

ClVg Quæ autem scribo vobis, ecce coram Deo, quia non mentior.
(Which however scribo to_you(pl), behold before to_God, because not/no mentior. )

UGNT ἃ δὲ γράφω ὑμῖν, ἰδοὺ, ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι.
(ha de grafō humin, idou, enōpion tou Theou hoti ou pseudomai.)

SBL-GNT ἃ δὲ γράφω ὑμῖν, ἰδοὺ ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι.
(ha de grafō humin, idou enōpion tou theou hoti ou pseudomai.)

RP-GNT Ἃ δὲ γράφω ὑμῖν, ἰδοὺ ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι.
(Ha de grafō humin, idou enōpion tou theou hoti ou pseudomai.)

TC-GNT Ἃ δὲ γράφω ὑμῖν, ἰδοὺ ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι.
(Ha de grafō humin, idou enōpion tou Theou hoti ou pseudomai. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:11–24: Paul received his message from Jesus himself

In this section, Paul stressed that the gospel that he preached came from Jesus Christ himself. No human being taught it to him. Therefore, his message had God’s authority. Paul’s purpose in writing this section was to convince the Galatians that the true gospel is the one that he preached.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Paul’s Message Comes from Christ (NLT)

Jesus Alone Gave Paul the Good News He Spreads (GW)

Paul’s Authority is from God (NCV)

God is the source of Paul’s authority and message

Paragraph 1:18–20

In this paragraph, Paul stated that even though he eventually went to Jerusalem, he stayed there only fifteen days. He wrote about this short visit to show that he did not receive his message and authority from the apostles in Jerusalem.

Although he chose not go to Jerusalem when God first revealed the gospel to him, he did meet with the leaders later.

1:20

I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie.

I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie. (NLT)
God is my witness that what I’m writing is not a lie. (GW)

In this verse, Paul wrote an oath. He used this oath to emphasize that what he had written about his visit to Jerusalem was true. He wanted to convince the Galatians that although he saw Peter and James, they did not teach him the gospel.

I assure you before God: The phrase before God is a natural way in some languages to emphasize that what was said is the truth. In other languages, it may be more understandable to translate this phrase as:

I declare before God (NLT)

God is my witness (GW)

And in the presence of God I swear (CEV)

is no lie: This clause also emphasizes that what Paul wrote concerning his visit to Jerusalem was true.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

these things I write are not lies (NCV)

what I am writing to you is true

I am telling the truth (CEV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

ἰδοὺ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἅ Δέ γράφω ὑμῖν ἰδού ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὅτι οὒ ψεύδομαι)

The word behold is an exclamation word which is used to draw attention to the words that follow. Use an exclamation that would be natural, in your language, to use in this context. Alternate translation: [observe]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / litotes

οὐ ψεύδομαι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἅ Δέ γράφω ὑμῖν ἰδού ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὅτι οὒ ψεύδομαι)

Here, Paul uses a phrase that expresses a strong positive meaning by using a negative word together with a word that is the opposite of the intended meaning. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning positively. Alternate translation: [I am telling you the truth]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ

before ¬the God

Here, the phrase before God is an oath. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an oath from your language that would be appropriate in this context, or you could make it clear in your translation that Paul is making an oath. Alternate translation: [I solemnly testify before God] or [in God’s presence I testify] or [I swear with God as my witness] or [I swear before God]

Parallel GAL 1:20

Section 1:11–24: Paul received his message from Jesus himself

Paragraph 1:18–20

1:20