Galatians 1 10

Galatians 1:10 kjv

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10 nkjv

For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10 niv

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10 esv

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10 nlt

Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant.

Galatians 1 verses

Galatians 1 10 Meaning

Galatians 1:10 states Paul's unwavering commitment to God's approval over human favor. It is a rhetorical declaration that establishes his genuine motive for proclaiming the Gospel. Paul asserts that if he were primarily motivated by gaining human acceptance or pleasing people, he would be unable to faithfully serve Christ. This verse highlights the essential dichotomy: one cannot simultaneously serve Christ fully and seek the applause or affirmation of human beings, especially concerning the truth of the Gospel. His singular allegiance to Christ necessitates a rejection of any compromise for popular opinion.

Galatians 1 10 Context

Galatians 1:10 is embedded within the intensely personal and theological defense that Paul mounts in the opening chapter of his letter to the Galatians. He is vehemently defending the authentic, divine origin of the Gospel he preaches, which emphasizes salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone, without the need for adherence to the Mosaic Law (specifically circumcision). False teachers, known as Judaizers, had infiltrated the Galatian churches, claiming that Gentile converts needed to be circumcised and observe Jewish customs to be truly saved or perfected in Christ.

Paul had forcefully stated in the preceding verses (Gal 1:6-9) that anyone, even an apostle or an angel, preaching a different gospel than what they received would be cursed (anathema). Verse 10 serves as Paul's rhetorical justification for such a strong stance. He preempts any accusation that his boldness or his Gospel's exclusivity is born out of human manipulation or an attempt to curry favor. Historically, apostles like Paul were often evaluated based on their patronage and support systems. By affirming that he serves God alone, Paul divorces himself from such human allegiances and expectations, thereby reinforcing the Gospel's independent divine authority and his role as God's faithful messenger. This was also a subtle polemic against the Judaizers, who might have been seeking to impress or please influential Jewish leaders or those who held onto the traditions of Judaism.

Galatians 1 10 Word Analysis

• For (γὰρ, gar): A conjunction indicating that this verse provides the reason or explanation for Paul's preceding powerful assertion and anathema against those who preach a false gospel (Gal 1:8-9). It explains his motivation.
• am I now seeking (ἀρτι ἄνθρωπον πείθω, arti anthrōpon peithō):
  • now (ἀρτι, arti): Emphasizes the present moment, indicating a rhetorical shift in Paul's life from his past (as a Pharisee, persecuting Christians to gain human approval, e.g., Acts 26:10).
  • seeking... approval (πείθω, peithō): Often translated "to persuade," "to convince," or "to gain favor/win over." Here, it signifies attempting to conciliate or cater to human opinion and thereby gain their acceptance or support.
• of man, or of God? (ἀνθρώπους ἢ τὸν θεόν, anthrōpous ē ton Theon): Presents a stark, mutually exclusive dichotomy. There is no middle ground or dual allegiance when it comes to the ultimate authority and source of approval. This choice reflects foundational theological priorities.
• Or am I striving to please man? (ἢ ζητῶ ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκειν, ē zētō anthrōpois areskein):
  • striving to please (ζητῶ ἀρέσκειν, zētō areskein): ζητῶ (zētō) means "to seek earnestly," "to aim at." ἀρέσκειν (areskein) means "to be pleasing to," "to satisfy," or "to conform to." While peithō is about winning someone over, areskein implies living to satisfy or fulfill the desires or expectations of others, potentially compromising truth.
  • This question further clarifies and reinforces the preceding one, emphasizing a deep-seated motivation rather than a mere tactical approach. It’s about fundamental allegiance.
• If I were still pleasing man (εἰ ἔτι ἀνθρώποις ἤρεσκον, ei eti anthrōpois ēreskon):
  • still (ἔτι, eti): Crucial adverb implying a past state. Paul implicitly acknowledges that prior to his conversion, as a zealous Pharisee (Gal 1:13-14), he was indeed driven by seeking the approval of fellow Jews and their leaders. His conversion marked a complete paradigm shift.
  • pleasing (ἤρεσκον, ēreskon): Imperfect tense, suggesting continuous or habitual action in the past.
• I would not be a servant of Christ (Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἂν ἤμην, Christou doulos ouk an ēmēn):
  • servant (δοῦλος, doulos): A "bondservant" or "slave." This is a profound self-designation for Paul (cf. Rom 1:1; Phil 1:1). It implies absolute submission, complete loyalty, and sole ownership. A slave serves one master. This term stands in direct antithesis to being a "pleaser of man."
  • of Christ (Χριστοῦ, Christou): Denotes the ultimate master, Jesus the Messiah. This singular devotion is the highest calling and precludes any rival allegiances.

Galatians 1 10 Bonus Section

• Paul's use of rhetorical questions is a powerful literary device throughout his letters, particularly effective here in establishing the irrefutable truth of his motivation without needing an explicit answer. The listener/reader is forced to consider the obvious choice.
• The tension between pleasing God and pleasing man is a recurring theme in Scripture, from the prophets of the Old Testament confronting kings and nations, to Jesus teaching His disciples about not seeking worldly honor (John 5:41-44).
• The choice between "peithō" (persuading/gaining favor) and "areskein" (pleasing/conforming) demonstrates a nuance in Paul's language, emphasizing that both external attempts to win over and internal desires to conform to human expectations are antithetical to true servitude to Christ.
• This verse stands as an eternal challenge to preachers, leaders, and every believer: is our primary motivation driven by what God approves, or by what gains human commendation? Compromise on truth for popular appeal disqualifies one from authentic Christ-like service.

Galatians 1 10 Commentary

Galatians 1:10 is a pivotal verse, articulating Paul's deeply personal motivation and apostolic authority. Faced with accusations from Judaizers—who likely impugned his character and questioned the legitimacy of his Gospel, perhaps suggesting he made it palatable for Gentiles to gain followers—Paul rhetorically turns the tables. He asks piercing questions that demand a clear, uncompromising answer: Is his primary loyalty to men or to God? The implied answer, reinforced by his life's testimony, is unequivocally God.

This verse reveals a foundational principle for ministry and Christian living: The call to follow Christ is exclusive. If a messenger of Christ is concerned with winning human approval or adjusting the divine message to fit human preferences, he ceases to be a genuine servant of Christ. The integrity of the Gospel and the authenticity of its preacher depend on a sole allegiance to God. Paul's own journey from persecutor (seeking favor with religious authorities) to persecuted apostle vividly illustrates this transition. His unwavering stand on salvation by grace alone, regardless of the discomfort it caused or the opposition it generated, was a direct outflow of his being a doulos (slave) of Christ. To genuinely serve Christ means embracing unpopularity, rejection, and even suffering for the truth of His word.