Galatians 1 23

Galatians 1:23 kjv

But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

Galatians 1:23 nkjv

But they were hearing only, "He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy."

Galatians 1:23 niv

They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."

Galatians 1:23 esv

They only were hearing it said, "He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."

Galatians 1:23 nlt

All they knew was that people were saying, "The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!"

Galatians 1 verses

Galatians 1 23 Meaning

Galatians 1:23 conveys that the Christian communities in Judea, who had no prior personal encounter with Paul after his conversion, were nonetheless well aware of his dramatic transformation. They heard the astonishing report that Paul, the infamous persecutor who had once brutally attacked the church, was now actively proclaiming the very Christian faith he previously sought to destroy. This verse highlights the profound and publicly known turnaround in Paul's life, serving as an independent confirmation of God's mighty work.

Galatians 1 23 Context

Galatians chapter 1 introduces Paul's fierce defense of the Gospel of grace against the Judaizers, who insisted that Gentile Christians must be circumcised and adhere to the Mosaic Law to be saved. Paul's core argument is that his gospel came directly from divine revelation, not from human teachings or any apostolic authority in Jerusalem. Verses 13-24 detail Paul's personal history post-conversion, emphasizing his initial independence from the Jerusalem apostles to establish the direct, heavenly origin of his message. Verse 23 is a critical component of this autobiography, demonstrating that the churches in Judea, far from influencing or authenticating Paul's message, received reports of his radical change through hearsay. This independence underscored the divine nature of his apostleship and his Gospel, countering any claim that he was a disciple of the Jerusalem apostles. Historically, Paul (formerly Saul) was infamous throughout Judea as a violent persecutor of the burgeoning Christian movement, and his dramatic conversion was an astounding, widely-reported event.

Galatians 1 23 Word analysis

• but (ἀλλὰ - alla): A strong adversative conjunction. It marks a sharp contrast, here emphasizing that their knowledge of Paul was based on reports rather than direct endorsement or initial tutelage.
• they were only hearing (μόνον ἀκούοντες ἦσαν - monon akouontes ēsan):
  • only (μόνον - monon): Emphasizes the singular manner of their reception of information – by report alone, not by personal acquaintance, sponsorship, or common ministry at this early stage. This reinforces Paul's claim of independent commission.
  • were hearing (ἀκούοντες ἦσαν - akouontes ēsan): The imperfect tense of "to hear" (participle with the imperfect of "to be") indicates a continuous or ongoing state of receiving reports. News of Paul's conversion and ministry had been circulating.
• that 'He who once persecuted us' (ὅτι Ὁ διώκων ἡμᾶς ποτε - hoti Ho diōkōn hēmas pote):
  • He who persecuted (Ὁ διώκων - Ho diōkōn): The use of the article "the" with the present active participle frames "the persecutor" as an established identity, widely recognized. The verb diōkō signifies not mere opposition but an active, aggressive, often violent pursuit, chasing down to harm or destroy.
  • us (ἡμᾶς - hēmas): Refers to the believers, the collective body of Christ—the Church.
  • once (ποτε - pote): A temporal adverb marking a past time. It starkly contrasts with the "now" that follows, highlighting the dramatic shift.
• is now preaching (νῦν εὐαγγελίζεται - nyn euangelizetai):
  • now (νῦν - nyn): This adverb provides an immediate and striking contrast to "once," emphasizing the radical transformation from persecutor to preacher in the present.
  • preaching (εὐαγγελίζεται - euangelizetai): From euangelizō, meaning "to proclaim good news" or "to evangelize." It denotes the active, public declaration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the antithesis of his former destructive actions.
• the faith (τὴν πίστιν - tēn pistin): In this context, "the faith" refers to the objective body of Christian truth, doctrine, or the gospel message itself, rather than subjective personal belief. It signifies the established tenets of the Christian faith.
• which he once tried to destroy (ἣν ποτε ἐπόρθει - hēn pote epqrthei):
  • tried to destroy (ἐπόρθει - epqrthei): From porthoō, a strong verb meaning "to lay waste," "to devastate," "to plunder," or "to utterly destroy (a city or community)." This underscores the extreme violence and thoroughness with which Paul sought to eradicate Christianity. His actions were not just verbal arguments but efforts to dismantle the nascent church through arrests, imprisonment, and even executions.
  • once (ποτε - pote): Again, this emphasizes the clear distinction between his past destructive intent and his present constructive proclamation.

Galatians 1 23 Bonus section

• The public notoriety of Paul's former actions adds significant weight to his testimony and apostolic claims. If his persecution of the church had been minor or obscure, his conversion might have been dismissed. Instead, his well-known ferocity makes his conversion and subsequent evangelism an undeniable miracle.
• This verse provides an important lens through which to understand God's redemptive work. It demonstrates that no one is beyond God's power to save and transform. Even the most hardened opponent of the faith can become its most fervent advocate.
• The fact that these believers were "glorifying God" for Paul's conversion (Gal 1:24) signifies the positive reception of the news, highlighting that God’s glory was evident in such a dramatic turnaround, lending indirect credence to the divine origin of Paul’s apostleship in the eyes of others.

Galatians 1 23 Commentary

Galatians 1:23 stands as powerful testimony to the radical, transforming grace of God and the authentic divine calling of Paul. The verse’s primary function in Paul’s argument is to provide objective evidence of his independence from the Jerusalem church in the initial stages of his ministry. The Judean believers had no prior personal relationship with Paul as a Christian or an apostle; their knowledge came from verifiable reports circulating among communities. This hearsay was not a judgment but an acknowledgement of a remarkable, publicly observed truth: the man infamous for trying to "destroy" the church was now zealously "preaching the faith." This ironic reversal speaks volumes about the supernatural power behind Paul's conversion. It demonstrates that his Gospel was not adapted from human sources or authority, but flowed directly from his encounter with the resurrected Christ (as described in Acts and his own letters), so powerfully that it completely inverted his life's direction. The divine irony underscores that God takes the very weapons intended for the Church’s destruction—Paul's zeal and energy—and repurposes them mightily for its advancement, showcasing His sovereign power to use even former enemies for His glory.