UTN uW Translation Notes:

Galatians 3 Chapter Introduction

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Equality in Christ

All Christians are equally united to Christ. Ancestry, gender, and status do not matter. All are equal with each other. All are equal in the eyes of God.

Translation Issues in This Chapter

Rhetorical Questions

Paul uses many different rhetorical questions in this chapter. He uses them to convince the Galatians of their wrong thinking. (See: figs-rquestion)

Translation Issues in This Chapter

“Those of faith are children of Abraham”

Bible scholars are divided on what this means. Some believe Christians inherit the promises that God gave to Abraham, so Christians replace the physical descendants of Israel. Others believe Christians spiritually follow Abraham, but they do not inherit all of the promises that God gave to Abraham. In light of Paul’s other teachings and the context here, Paul is probably writing about the Jewish and Gentile Christians sharing the same faith as Abraham did. (See: spirit and figs-metaphor)

“the law”

The phrase “the law” is a singular noun that refers to a group of laws that God gave Israel by dictating them to Moses. This phrase occurs in [chapters 2–5](../02/01.md), and quite frequently in chapters two and three. Every time this phrase occurs in Galatians it refers to the group of laws that God dictated to Moses at Mount Sinai. You should translate this phrase the same way each time it occurs. (See: grammar-collectivenouns)