GAL 5:11 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) But, brothers and sisters, if I was still preaching the Jewish rules, why would I still be being persecuted? If I was still preaching that, then talking about dying on a post wouldn’t even be offensive.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, magenta:vocative.
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 brothers, if I still proclaim circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.

UST Fellow believers, as for me, were I to still declare that men must have someone circumcise them in order to be righteous, surely no one would still be persecuting me! This is because declaring that would abolish how offensive Jesus dying on the cross is.

BSB Now, brothers, if I {am} still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.

BLB Now, brothers, if I still proclaim circumcision, why still am I persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.

AICNT But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case, the offense of the cross has been removed.

OEB If I, friends, am still proclaiming circumcision, why am I still persecuted? It seems that the cross has ceased to be an obstacle!

WEBBE But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.

WMBB But I, brothers, if I still proclaim circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed.

NET Now, brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.

LSV And I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling-block of the Cross has been done away [with];

FBV As for me, brothers and sisters, if I were still advocating circumcision—why am I still persecuted? If that was true, it would remove the issue of the cross that offends people so much.

TCNT Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been done away with.

T4T But, my fellow believers, although someone claims that I am proclaiming that men must be circumcised, I certainly am not still proclaiming that. Remember that the Jews are still ◄persecuting me/causing me to suffer►. If I were still proclaiming that men must be circumcised in order for God to accept them, ◄the Jews would not be persecuting me./why would the Jews be persecuting me?► [RHQ] They would [RHQ] not be persecuting me/causing me to suffer because then the Jews would no longer be offended. They ◄are offended/do not want to accept what I teach► because I proclaim that Christ, the Messiah, died on the cross [MTY].

LEB Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.

BBE But I, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still attacked? then has the shame of the cross been taken away.

Moff I am "still preaching circumcision myself," am I? Then, brothers, why am I still being persecuted? And so the stumbling-block of the cross has lost its force, forsooth!

Wymth As for me, brethren, if I am still a preacher of circumcision, how is it that I am still suffering persecution? In that case the Cross has ceased to be a stumbling-block!

ASV But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? then hath the stumbling-block of the cross been done away.

DRA And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the scandal of the cross made void.

YLT And I, brethren, if uncircumcision I yet preach, why yet am I persecuted? then hath the stumbling-block of the cross been done away;

Drby But I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why am I yet persecuted? Then the scandal of the cross has been done away.

RV But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? then hath the stumblingblock of the cross been done away.
(But I, brethren/brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? then hath/has the stumbling-block of the cross been done away. )

SLT And I, brethren, if I yet proclaim circumcision, why am I. yet driven out? therefore the offence of the cross is left unemployed.

Wbstr And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then hath the offense of the cross ceased.

KJB-1769 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
(And I, brethren/brothers, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. )

KJB-1611 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why doe I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the crosse ceased.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps And brethren, if I yet preache circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the slaunder of the crosse ceassed.
(And brethren/brothers, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the slander of the cross ceased.)

Gnva And brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why doe I yet suffer persecution? Then is the slaunder of the crosse abolished.
(And brethren/brothers, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the slander of the cross abolished. )

Cvdl Brethren yf I yet preach circumcision, why do I suffre persecucion? then had the slaunder off the crosse ceassed.
(Brethren if I yet preach circumcision, why do I suffer persecution? then had the slander off the cross ceased.)

TNT Brethren yf I yet preache circucision: why do I then yet suffre persecucion? For then had the offence which the crosse geveth ceased.
(Brethren if I yet preach circumcision: why do I then yet suffer persecution? For then had the offence which the cross geveth ceased. )

Wycl And, britheren, if Y preche yit circumcisioun, what suffre Y yit persecucioun? thanne the sclaundre of the crosse is auoidid.
(And, brethren/brothers, if I preach yet circumcision, what suffer I yet persecution? then the sclaundre of the cross is avoidid.)

Luth Ich aber, liebe Brüder, so ich die Beschneidung noch predige, warum leide ich denn Verfolgung? So hätte das Ärgernis des Kreuzes aufgehöret.
(I but, love(v) brothers, so I the Beschneidung still preach, why suffer I because/than persecution? So would_have the annoyance the crosses(n)s on/in/togehöret.)

ClVg Ego autem, fratres, si circumcisionem adhuc prædico: quid adhuc persecutionem patior? ergo evacuatum est scandalum crucis.[fn]
(I however, brothers, when/but_if circumcision still beforedico: what still persecution patior? therefore evacuatum it_is scandal cross/frame. )

5.11 Ego autem. Imponebatur a pseudo, quod Paulus alibi circumcisionem prædicaret, sed non eis facile sententiam suam aperire vellet. Quid adhuc persecutionem. HIER. Persecutiones enim creberrimas sustinuit a Judæis, eo quod doceret eos, qui de gentibus crediderant in Christo, non debere circumcidi. Scandalum crucis. Scandalum erat Judæis prædicatio crucis, quia sabbatum et circumcisionem evacuabat. Si vero admitteret circumcisionem, non esset eis scandalum, et pacifici essent.

5.11 I however. Imponebatur from pseudo, that Paulus alibi circumcision to_preacht, but not/no to_them facile opinion his_own to_open would_like. What still persecution. HIER. Persecutiones because creberrimas endured from To_the_Jews, by_him that to_teach them, who/which from/about nations crediderant in/into/on to_Christ/Messiah, not/no to_have_to circumcidi. Scandalum cross/frame. Scandalum was To_the_Jews preaching cross/frame, because sabbath and circumcision evacuabat. When/But_if indeed/however adwould_send circumcision, not/no was to_them scandal, and peaceful they_would_be.

UGNT ἐγὼ δέ, ἀδελφοί, εἰ περιτομὴν ἔτι κηρύσσω, τί ἔτι διώκομαι? ἄρα κατήργηται τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ.
(egō de, adelfoi, ei peritomaʸn eti kaʸrussō, ti eti diōkomai? ara kataʸrgaʸtai to skandalon tou staurou.)

SBL-GNT ἐγὼ δέ, ἀδελφοί, εἰ περιτομὴν ἔτι κηρύσσω, τί ἔτι διώκομαι; ἄρα κατήργηται τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ.
(egō de, adelfoi, ei peritomaʸn eti kaʸrussō, ti eti diōkomai; ara kataʸrgaʸtai to skandalon tou staurou.)

RP-GNT Ἐγὼ δέ, ἀδελφοί, εἰ περιτομὴν ἔτι κηρύσσω, τί ἔτι διώκομαι; Ἄρα κατήργηται τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ.
(Egō de, adelfoi, ei peritomaʸn eti kaʸrussō, ti eti diōkomai; Ara kataʸrgaʸtai to skandalon tou staurou.)

TC-GNT Ἐγὼ δέ, ἀδελφοί, εἰ περιτομὴν ἔτι κηρύσσω, τί ἔτι διώκομαι; Ἄρα κατήργηται τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ.
(Egō de, adelfoi, ei peritomaʸn eti kaʸrussō, ti eti diōkomai; Ara kataʸrgaʸtai to skandalon tou staurou. )

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:1–12: Remain in the freedom you have in Christ

In this section, Paul tried to persuade the Galatians believers not to yield to the pressure from the false teachers to get circumcised. He warned them that if they became circumcised in order to receive God’s approval, then they would have rejected the grace and freedom that God had given them. They would become slaves again. He encouraged them to refuse circumcision and remain free.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Keep your freedom (NCV)

Do not become slaves again

Paragraph 5:11–12

In this paragraph, Paul concluded his discussion about circumcision. He made it clear that he was not preaching that people should be circumcised to be made right with God. He strongly condemned the false teachers who did teach this.

5:11a–b

if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?: This is a rhetorical question. Paul used this rhetorical question to prove that he did not preach that a person needs to be circumcised.

The word if introduces a statement that is not true. If Paul were still preaching circumcision, then he would not be persecuted. But since he was being persecuted, the Galatians should know that he did not preach circumcision.

It appears that the false teachers had accused Paul of being inconsistent. They perhaps said that in some circumstances he still taught circumcision.

Some ways to translate this proof are:

As a rhetorical question. In this rhetorical question, it may be necessary to make it clearer that Paul does not preach circumcision. For example:
if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? (NLT)
As statement followed by a rhetorical question. For example
I do not teach that a man must be circumcised. If I teach circumcision, why am I still being attacked? (NCV)
Some people say that I am still preaching that it is necessary to be circumcised. But if that were true, why am I still being persecuted?
As statement followed by a tag question. For example:
if I still preached that circumcision is necessary, I would not still be persecuted, would I?
As a statement. For example:
if I still preached circumcision, then I would not still be persecuted.
if I were continuing to preach that people must be circumcised, then I would not be persecuted. However, I am still being persecuted. So you can be sure I am not preaching circumcision.

Use whichever form is natural in your language for Paul to prove that he did not preach circumcision.

5:11a

Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision,

¶ As for me, brothers, if I am still preaching that circumcision is necessary/important,
¶ My dear fellow believers, some people said that I still preach that a person must be circumcised to become right with God. If that were true,
¶ My dear friends, I am not teaching that men must be circumcised in order to be right with God. If I were teaching that,

brothers: As in 1:11a, the word brothers refers to “spiritual brothers.” They were Paul’s “fellow believers.” The word includes both men and women. It does not refer to Paul’s biological brothers.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

brothers and sisters (NET)

fellow believers

my friends (NRSV)

In some languages, it will be natural to put this word first in the verse. See the Display for an example.

if I am: In 5:11, Paul switched from talking about the false teachers to talking about himself. He used the emphatic form of the pronoun I in Greek to focus on his actions.

Some other ways to begin this verse are:

But as for me…, if I (GNT)

As for me, if I

if I myself

preaching circumcision: The clause preaching circumcision means “announcing or proclaiming that a person must be circumcised in order for God to accept him.”

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

preach that circumcision is necessary (GNT)

preach that people need to be circumcised (CEV)

preach that a person must be circumcised to be made right with God

5:11b

why am I still being persecuted?

why are people still persecuting me?
how is it that people/Jews are still persecuting me?
I would not be made to suffer as I do.

why am I still being persecuted: The verb being persecuted means “made to suffer because of one’s religious beliefs.” This verb first occurred in 1:13b.

This verb is passive. Some ways to translate it are:

Use a passive verb. For example:
why am I still being made to suffer
how is it that I am still persecuted
Use an active verb. For example:
why are the Jews persecuting me

5:11c

In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.

Then, the cross would not be offensive anymore.
If what they said were true, then people/Jews would not be offended by the message of the cross.
If I were teaching such a message, then no one would be upset that I teach that Jesus died on the cross to save us.

In that case: The phrase In that case is the translation of one Greek conjunction. This conjunction introduces what would happen if it were true that Paul still preached circumcision.

Some other ways to connect 5:11c to the rest of the verse are:

In such a case

If that were true (GNT)

If I still taught circumcision (NCV)

the offense of the cross has been abolished: The Greek word that the BSB translates as offense is often translated “stumbling block” (as in the RSV) or “stumbling stone.” It is a figure of speech that refers to something that causes opposition, disapproval, anger, or revulsion. The message of the cross does that.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

the cross wouldn’t be offensive anymore (GW)

no one would be offended that I preach about Christ’s death on the cross

my preaching about the cross would not be a problem (NCV)

cross: Here the word cross is a figure of speech called a metonymy. The cross represents the gospel message. This message teaches that the only thing that a person needs to do to be saved is to believe that Christ died on the cross for his sins. The true gospel does not include circumcision.

Some ways to translate cross are:

Christ’s death on the cross

the message of Christ’s death

salvation through the cross of Christ alone

the gospel of Christ’s death on the cross for salvation

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ἀδελφοί

brothers

See how you translated the same use of brothers in [1:2](../01/02.md). Alternate translation: [brothers and sisters]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / hypo

ἐγὼ & εἰ περιτομὴν ἔτι κηρύσσω, τί ἔτι διώκομαι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐγώ Δέ ἀδελφοί εἰ περιτομήν ἔτι κηρύσσω τί ἔτι διώκομαι Ἄρα κατήργηται τό σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ)

Paul is using a hypothetical situation to help emphasize that he does not proclaim circumcision. Use the natural form in your language for expressing a hypothetical situation. Alternate translation: [suppose I still do proclaim circumcision. Then why am I still being persecuted]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

περιτομὴν & κηρύσσω

Here, proclaim circumcision refers to telling people that they must be circumcised in order to be saved. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [proclaim the need to be circumcised] or [proclaim that everyone must be circumcised]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

περιτομὴν

See how you translated circumcision in [5:6](../05/06.md).

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τί ἔτι διώκομαι

why still ˱I˲_˓am_being˒_persecuted

Paul is not asking for information, but is using the question form here to emphasize 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. Alternate translation: [I should not still be persecuted!]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

τί ἔτι διώκομαι & κατήργηται τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ

why still ˱I˲_˓am_being˒_persecuted & ˓has_been˒_nullified (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐγώ Δέ ἀδελφοί εἰ περιτομήν ἔτι κηρύσσω τί ἔτι διώκομαι Ἄρα κατήργηται τό σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ)

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. Alternate translation: [why are people still persecuting me … I would have removed the stumbling block of the cross]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἄρα κατήργηται τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ

This sentence gives both the result of proclaiming circumcision and the reason why someone who proclaimed circumcision would not be persecuted. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [I would not be persecuted because proclaiming circumcision would remove the stumbling block of the cross]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ

Paul is using the possessive form to describe the stumbling block that is the cross. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: [the stumbling block, that is, the cross]

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὸ σκάνδαλον

Here, stumbling block refers to something that offends people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the offense]

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τοῦ σταυροῦ

˱of˲_the cross