GAL 2:17 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=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) However, if we attempt to be made guiltless through the messiah, yet find that we’re sinners, does that mean that the messiah is a servant to sin? That could never be so!

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
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).

ULT But if, seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were also found to be sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be!

UST Furthermore, because we Jewish believers desired that God would make us righteous because of our relationship with the Messiah, it means that we ourselves, like non-Jews whom we called sinners, also disobeyed the laws and rituals that God gave Moses. But we certainly cannot conclude that it is the Messiah who causes us to sin. No, the Messiah certainly does not cause anyone to sin.

BLB But if seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also have been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? Never may it be!

AICNT But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!

OEB If, while seeking to be pronounced righteous through union with Christ, we were ourselves seen to be sinners, would that make Christ an agent of sin? Heaven forbid!

WEBBE But if while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? Certainly not!

WMBB But if while we sought to be justified in Messiah, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Messiah a servant of sin? Certainly not!

NET But if while seeking to be justified in Christ we ourselves have also been found to be sinners, is Christ then one who encourages sin? Absolutely not!

LSV And if, seeking to be declared righteous in Christ, we were also ourselves found sinners, [is] Christ then a servant of sin? Let it not be!

FBV For if, as we look to be made right in Christ, we ourselves prove to be sinners, does that then mean that Christ is in the service of sin?[fn] Of course not!

2:17 The idea here is that by giving up observance of the Jewish law we then become sinners, and Christ has led us into sin—a concept that Paul strongly rejects.

TCNT But if we ourselves have also been found to be sinners while seeking to be justified in Christ, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not!

T4T Furthermore, because we (exc) Jews desired that God would erase the record of our sins because of our relationship with Christ, it means that we realized that we ourselves were sinners like non-Jews, whom we called sinners, because we(exc) also were not obeying the Jewish rituals and laws. But ◄we(inc) certainly cannot conclude that it is Christ who causes us to sin./should we conclude that it is Christ who causes us to sin?► [RHQ] No, Christ certainly does not cause anyone to sin.

LEB But if while seeking to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also have been found to be sinners, then is Christ an agent of sin? May it never be!

BBE But if, while we were desiring to get righteousness through Christ, we ourselves were seen to be sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? In no way!

Moff If it is discovered that in our quest for justification in Christ we are "sinners" as well as the Gentiles, does that make Christ an agent of sin? Never!

Wymth But if while we are seeking in Christ acquittal from guilt we ourselves are convicted of sin, Christ then encourages us to sin! No, indeed.

ASV But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? God forbid.

DRA But if while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners; is Christ then the minister of sin? God forbid.

YLT And if, seeking to be declared righteous in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, [is] then Christ a ministrant of sin? let it not be!

Drby Now if in seeking to be justified in Christ we also have been found sinners, then [is] Christ minister of sin? Far be the thought.

RV But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a minister of sin? God forbid.

SLT And it; seeking to be justified in Christ, we were found also ourselves sinners, is Christ therefore the servant of sin? It may not be.

Wbstr But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? By no means.

KJB-1769 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

KJB-1611 But if while we seeke to be iustified by Christ, wee our selues also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sinne? God forbid.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps If then, whyle we seke to be made ryghteous by Christe, we our selues are founde sinners: is therfore Christe the minister of sinne? God forbyd.
(If then, while we seek to be made righteous by Christ, we ourselves are found sinners: is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbyd.)

Gnva If then while we seeke to be made righteous by Christ, we our selues are found sinners, is Christ therefore the minister of sinne? God forbid.
(If then while we seek to be made righteous by Christ, we ourselves are found sinners, is Christ therefore the minister of sin? God forbid. )

Cvdl Yf we then which seke to be made righteous by christ, shulde be yet founde synners or selues, is not Christ then the mynister of synne? God forbyd.
(If we then which seek to be made righteous by christ, should be yet found sinners or selves, is not Christ then the minister of sin? God forbyd.)

TNT Yf then whill we seke to be made rightewes by Christ we oure selves are founde synners is not then Christ the minister of synne? God forbyd.
(If then while we seek to be made rightewes by Christ we our selves are found sinners is not then Christ the minister of sin? God forbyd. )

Wycl And if we sechen to be iustified in Crist, we oure silf ben foundun synful men, whether Crist be mynystre of synne?
(And if we sechen to be justified in Christ, we our self been found sinful men, whether Christ be minister of sin?)

Luth Sollten wir aber, die da suchen durch Christum gerecht zu werden, auch noch selbst als Sünder erfunden werden, so wäre Christus ein Sündendiener. Das sei ferne!
(Shoulden we/us but, the there search_for through Christum just/fair to/for become, also still himself/itself as sinners invented become, so were Christ a sins(n)diener. The be distant!)

ClVg Quod si quærentes justificari in Christo, inventi sumus et ipsi peccatores, numquid Christus peccati minister est? Absit.[fn]
(That when/but_if seeking justificari in/into/on to_Christ/Messiah, found we_are and themselves sinners, is_it Christ/Messiah of_sin minister it_is? Absit. )

2.17 Quod si quærentes. Si nos revera cognovimus non posse justificari nos, nisi transeuntes ad Christum, nunquid patitur Christus relabi nos ad id quod eramus? Quod si pateretur, profecto minister nobis esset peccati, id est, prioris status nostri, sicut fuisset transeuntibus ad se minister justitiæ.

2.17 That when/but_if seeking. When/But_if us really we_knew not/no posse justificari us, except they_passes to Christ/Messiah, nunquid suffers Christ/Messiah relabi us to that that eramus? That when/but_if to_suffertur, profecto minister us was of_sin, that it_is, prioris status our, like would_have_been they_passibus to himself minister justice.

UGNT εἰ δὲ ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ, εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος? μὴ γένοιτο!
(ei de zaʸtountes dikaiōthaʸnai en Ⱪristōi, heurethaʸmen kai autoi hamartōloi, ara Ⱪristos hamartias diakonos? maʸ genoito!)

SBL-GNT εἰ δὲ ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος; μὴ γένοιτο·
(ei de zaʸtountes dikaiōthaʸnai en Ⱪristōi heurethaʸmen kai autoi hamartōloi, ara Ⱪristos hamartias diakonos; maʸ genoito;)

RP-GNT Εἰ δέ, ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν χριστῷ, εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἆρα χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος; Μὴ γένοιτο.
(Ei de, zaʸtountes dikaiōthaʸnai en ⱪristōi, heurethaʸmen kai autoi hamartōloi, ara ⱪristos hamartias diakonos; Maʸ genoito.)

TC-GNT Εἰ δέ, ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ, εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος; Μὴ γένοιτο.
(Ei de, zaʸtountes dikaiōthaʸnai en Ⱪristōi, heurethaʸmen kai autoi hamartōloi, ara Ⱪristos hamartias diakonos; Maʸ genoito. )

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:11–21: Paul corrected Peter in Antioch

In this section, Paul told his readers what the true gospel is. It is salvation by faith in Christ alone. Obeying the law is not part of the true gospel. Doing what the law demands does not justify anyone.

Paul told how Peter had deserted the true gospel. He wanted the Galatians to understand how they too were deserting the true gospel. They had started to think that it was necessary to obey the law to be justified. Paul wanted them to read about his rebuke to Peter so that they could recognize how their own situation was similar. They must completely reject justification through the law. He emphasized that justification is by faith in Christ alone.

This section also shows that Paul’s authority as an apostle was at least as great as Peter’s was. This section is also an indirect rebuke of the false teachers who had come to the Galatian churches and required the non-Jews to adopt Jewish traditions to be accepted as true Christians.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Paul rebukes Peter

Paul defended the truth of the gospel

Paul shows how Peter was wrong

Paragraph 2:14–21

In this paragraph, Paul asked Peter and the other Jewish believers to live according to the true gospel. This meant that they had to reject the idea that they were justified by obeying the law. Paul emphasized that justification is by faith in Christ alone. Peter’s actions had implied that it was also necessary to keep the law. That would make Christ’s death meaningless and nullify the grace of God.

In 2:14c, Paul began to speak directly to Peter. There are at least three ways to interpret where Paul’s direct speech to Peter ends:

It ends after verse 21. (NIV, NASB, CEV)
It ends after verse 14. In verses 15–21, what Paul said to Peter is indirect speech. (BSB, ESV, NET, RSV, JBP, GNT, NJB, GW, NCV)
It ends after verse 16. (NLT)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). In 2:15, it is possible that Paul began to also talk to the other people who were there. But he was still also talking to Peter. So Paul’s speech does not end until verse 21.Schreiner on page 150 says, “The first question to be asked is where Paul’s words to Peter, which began in 2:11, end. Since quotation marks are lacking in the original manuscripts, certainty eludes us. Possibly the words directed to Peter conclude after 2:14, 2:15, 2:16, 2:18, or 2:21. I personally argue that it makes most sense to see all of 2:14–21 as addressed to Peter. At least four pieces of evidence support this conclusion. (1) Verse 15 is not clearly set off from 2:11–14. (2) The first person plural pronouns in 2:15–17 most naturally refer to Jewish Christians and would speak to such people in Antioch. (3) Verse 17 may reflect the charges against Peter. (4) A new subject commences on 3:1, where the Galatians are addressed directly.”

If you choose option (2), your translation should still show that Paul is indirectly speaking to Peter in 2:15–21. For example, at the beginning of 2:15, the JBP says:

And then I went on to explain that (JBP)

2:17a–c

But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not!: In Greek, 2:17 is a complex sentence. Before you translate this complex sentence, it is important to understand its grammatical structure.

The main part of this verse is the rhetorical question at the end of the verse: does that make Christ a minister of sin? This rhetorical question begins with an if clause. In the middle of this if clause, there is an embedded clause: while we seek to be justified in Christ.

Your translation may be easier to understand if you put this embedded clause first. For example:

We are endeavoring/seeking to be justified in Christ. But if, while doing that, we too are found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!

The parts of this verse are explained below.

2:17a

But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ,

But if, while we are seeking to be made right with God by believing in Christ,
While we are looking/trying to have God make us right/straight with him because of our faith in Christ,
We want God to make us right with him by our faith in Christ.

But: There is a contrast between the clause “not Gentile ‘sinners’” (in 2:15) and “if…we ourselves are found to be sinners” (here in 2:17). The BSB indicates this contrast with the conjunction But.

This contrast is between two clauses that are separated by several verses. So some English versions do not indicate this contrast with a conjunction. In some languages, no conjunction will be necessary here either.

while we seek to be justified in Christ: The Greek word that the BSB translates as while we seek means “we are seeking/looking.” It implies success.

The clause to be justified in Christ has the same meaning as “we may be justified by faith in Christ” (2:16d). It means that God makes us right with him because we believe in Christ.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ (NLT)

we try to be put right with God by our union with Christ (GNT)

we want God to consider us righteous because of our faith in Christ

2:17b

we ourselves are found to be sinners,

we also are found/discovered to be sinners,
they regard/count us also to be sinners,
While doing that, we have become sinners like the Gentiles in the eyes of some Jews.

we ourselves are found to be sinners: The pronoun we refers to Paul, Peter, Barnabas, and other Jews who became Christians.

There are several ways to interpret this clause. Two of the main interpretations are centered on the Greek word that the BSB translates as are found:

It has a passive meaning. Peter, Paul, and other Jewish Christians were found to be sinners by other Jews who still followed the law. One example of this was when the men from James arrived in Antioch and found Peter and other Jews eating with Gentiles. They found that they were not obeying the law. The men from James found/considered Peter and other Jewish Christians to be sinners just as the Gentiles were sinners.This interpretation is sometimes called the post-conversion view. According to Moo, “Neither interpretation is without its problems” (p. 164), but the post-conversion view has fewer problems. Of this interpretation, Schreiner says, “In the first view, the charge leveled against Paul and other Jewish Christians is unfounded. They were accused of being sinners since they had abandoned the Torah, but Paul was not a sinner, since he had died and been raised with Christ” (p. 167).
It has a reflexive meaning. Peter, Paul, and other Jewish Christians found themselves to be sinners. This happen when they were searching to be right before God and they realized that the law would not save them. They realized that they themselves were sinners just like the Gentiles.This interpretation is sometimes called the pre-conversion view. Of this interpretation, Schreiner says, “The second view…argues that the charges are in fact true. Paul accepts in the ‘if’ clause the reality of the charge. In other words, Peter and Paul had been found to be sinners in seeking to be justified in Christ, and they recognized that they were no better than Gentiles” (pp. 167–168). For example:
we discovered that we are sinners too (CEV)

Most English versions are ambiguous, and it is not possible to tell which interpretation they follow. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This interpretation suits the context of 2:16 and also the previous paragraph about the men from James.

According to interpretation (1), some Jews accused Peter and Paul of being sinners because they had abandoned the law of Moses. But their accusation was not true. Peter and Paul were not sinners in God’s eyes. Paul did not agree with their accusation, but he included it to show that its conclusion was not logical.

Some ways to translate this clause are:

Use a passive clause. For example:
we ourselves have also been found to be sinners (NET)
Use an active clause. For example:
hey found/regarded us also to be sinners
some Jews considered us also to be sinners

found: Here, the word found means “considered” or “regarded.” Jews who followed the law “regarded” Jewish Christians as sinners. This word does not mean “found” in the sense of lost and then found.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

considered/regarded

counted

looked upon

sinners: Here the word sinners refers to someone who does not follow all the Jewish laws. One example is Peter. The men from James found Peter to be a sinner because he ate with Gentiles. He also probably ate their food. These things were against Jewish laws. The Jews considered Peter and the other Jewish believers to be sinners, but they were not sinners in God’s eyes.

To make this meaning clear, it may be necessary to add some information. For example:

sinners in the eyes of some Jews

found by some Jews to be sinners

2:17c

does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not!

then does Christ encourage us to sin? Never!
then does Christ lead us to sin? No, never!
If that were true, that would mean that Christ made us sinners. But it is not true!

does that make Christ a minister of sin?: The phrase a minister of sin refers to someone who “serves sin” or “works for sin.” A person who works for sin is someone who encourages other people to sin.

This clause is a rhetorical question. Paul used this rhetorical question to emphasize that Christ does not serve sin. He does not encourage people to sin.

Some ways to translate this rhetorical question are:

As a rhetorical question. For example:
does that mean that Christ encourages us to sin? (GW)
Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? (NLT)
Does this mean that Christ is the one who makes us sinners? (CEV)
As a statement. For example:
This does not in any way mean that Christ encourages us to sin.

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to emphasize that Christ does not serve sin.

Certainly not!: The Greek clause that the BSB translates as Certainly not is a strong response, “No!” to the rhetorical question.

Some ways to translate this are:

Never!

Absolutely not!

No, no, no!

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

δὲ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ εὑρέθημεν καί αὐτοί ἁμαρτωλοί ἆρα Χριστός ἁμαρτίας διάκονος Μή γένοιτο)

Here Paul uses the word But to introduce new information into his ongoing explanation of why justification is through faith in Christ and not through obeying the law of Moses. Here, Paul is anticipating and answering a possible objection to justification by faith. The word But introduces this. Use a natural form in your language for doing this.

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-condition-fact

εἰ

Paul is speaking as if this were a hypothetical possibility, but he means that it is actually true. If your language does not state something as a condition if it is certain or true, and if your readers might misunderstand and think that what Paul is saying is not certain, then you can translate his words as an affirmative statement. Alternate translation: [since]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ

seeking ˓to_be˒_justified in Christ

The phrase justified in Christ means “made righteous in God’s sight because of being united with Christ by believing in what he has done.” This phrase means the same thing as the phrase justified by faith in Christ in [2:16](../02/16.md). See how you translated the phrase “justified by faith in Christ” there and, if it would help your readers, consider stating more fully here what the phrase to be justified in Christ means.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ

˓to_be˒_justified in Christ

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. If you must state who did the action, Paul implies that God will do it. Alternate translation: [for God to justify us through our faith in Christ] or [for God to justify us because of our faith in Christ]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

εὑρέθημεν

˱we˲_˓were˒_found

Here, we could be: (1) inclusive if Paul is still addressing Peter. If you decide that this verse is a continuation of the quotation that began in [2:14](../02/14.md) then we is inclusive because Paul is still addressing Peter and would be including Peter and the Jewish Christians in Antioch. Your language may require you to mark these forms. (2) exclusive if you decide that Paul’s quotation of his words to Peter ended at the end [2:14](../02/14.md).

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / rpronouns

αὐτοὶ

Paul uses the word ourselves for emphasis. Use a way that is natural in your language to indicate this emphasis.

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί

˱we˲_˓were˒_found (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ εὑρέθημεν καί αὐτοί ἁμαρτωλοί ἆρα Χριστός ἁμαρτίας διάκονος Μή γένοιτο)

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.

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἁμαρτωλοί & ἁμαρτίας

sinners & ˱of˲_sin

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of sin or being a sinner, you could express the meaning in some other way that is natural in your language.

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος

consequently_‹is› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰ Δέ ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ εὑρέθημεν καί αὐτοί ἁμαρτωλοί ἆρα Χριστός ἁμαρτίας διάκονος Μή γένοιτο)

The phrase is Christ then a minister of sin is a rhetorical question. Paul is not asking for information, but is using the question form to emphasize the truth of what he is saying. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate his words as a statement or an exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way.

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

μὴ γένοιτο