Galatians 1 24

Galatians 1:24 kjv

And they glorified God in me.

Galatians 1:24 nkjv

And they glorified God in me.

Galatians 1:24 niv

And they praised God because of me.

Galatians 1:24 esv

And they glorified God because of me.

Galatians 1:24 nlt

And they praised God because of me.

Galatians 1 verses

Galatians 1 24 Meaning

Galatians 1:24 signifies that the churches in Judea, who had previously known Paul as a persecutor of Christians, upon hearing the remarkable news of his conversion and zealous preaching of the gospel, responded with profound gratitude and praise to God. They recognized this extraordinary transformation as an undeniable act of divine power and grace, giving glory to God for His wondrous work evident in Paul’s life and ministry. It highlights that Paul himself, as a living testimony, became an instrument through which God’s mighty deeds were observed and honored by believers.

Galatians 1 24 Context

Galatians 1:24 concludes a significant section (vv. 11-24) where Paul recounts his personal history following his conversion. This narrative serves a crucial polemical purpose in the epistle. False teachers, often called Judaizers, had infiltrated the Galatian churches, questioning Paul's apostolic authority and compelling Gentile converts to observe Jewish Law, particularly circumcision. Paul's primary argument is that his gospel and his apostleship came not from men or human traditions, but directly from Jesus Christ and God the Father (v. 1). To substantiate this, he outlines his early years post-conversion: his direct revelation of Christ in Arabia, a brief and formal visit to Jerusalem three years later (where he met only Peter and James), and then his ministry in Syria and Cilicia. During this time, the churches of Judea did not know him personally but had only heard reports about the astonishing transformation of their former persecutor. The powerful testimony that these Judean churches "glorified God in me" serves as profound validation. It indicates that even those established Jewish-Christian communities, without any direct instruction from Paul, acknowledged the authentic work of God through him, confirming his divine appointment and the genuine nature of his gospel—a gospel that clearly demonstrated God's miraculous transforming power, independently of human systems or endorsements. This testimony directly undercuts any claim that Paul's message or authority was derived from, or subordinate to, the Jerusalem apostles or any human institution.

Galatians 1 24 Word analysis

• And (καί - kai): A simple conjunction connecting the preceding thought—that the churches of Judea did not know Paul personally—with their response upon hearing about him. It indicates a consequential action.
• they (οἱ - hoi): Refers directly back to "the churches of Judea which were in Christ" (Gal 1:22). These were believing Jewish congregations.
• glorified (ἐδόξαζον - edoxazon): This is the imperfect indicative form of doxazō.
  • Meaning: To praise, magnify, honor, attribute glory, give reverence. It signifies an act of attributing weight, significance, or honor to God, acknowledging His inherent worth and manifest power.
  • Tense (Imperfect): The imperfect tense suggests a continuous, repeated, or customary action in the past. It implies that upon hearing the reports of Paul, they began to glorify God and continued to do so. This was not a one-time reaction but an ongoing recognition and response to God's profound work.
  • Root (doxa - δόξα): The noun doxa fundamentally means 'opinion, reputation,' but in the biblical context, especially regarding God, it conveys the manifest presence, power, and excellent character of God—His radiant splendor and inherent worth. To "glorify" God is to acknowledge and express recognition of this.
• God (τὸν Θεόν - ton Theon): The ultimate recipient of the praise. The churches recognized that the profound change in Paul's life was a direct work of the Almighty.
• in me (ἐν ἐμοί - en emoi): This is a pivotal phrase. En (ἐν) generally means "in" or "by."
  • Significance: It signifies that Paul himself, his very person, life, conversion, and subsequent ministry, became the occasion or instrument through which God's glory was manifested and perceived. It means "on account of me," "by means of me," or "because of what God had done in me." The praise was directed to God, not to Paul. Paul's transformed existence bore such compelling evidence of divine intervention that it moved others to glorify God. It's not about Paul being glorified, but God being glorified through Paul as His chosen vessel.

• Words-group Analysis:
  • "And they glorified God": This phrase emphasizes the appropriate spiritual response to witnessing God's miraculous power. It highlights that true transformation in an individual's life should direct attention and praise toward the divine Author of that change, rather than the person themselves.
  • "glorified God in me": This potent declaration highlights Paul's role as a living, irrefutable testimony to God's power and grace. His dramatic conversion from a zealous persecutor to a fervent preacher of Christ was so evident a work of God that it compelled believers, even those unfamiliar with him personally, to give praise to God for what He had accomplished through Paul. It demonstrates God's ability to redeem and powerfully use anyone, turning enemies into advocates for His glory.

Galatians 1 24 Bonus section

• This verse acts as external validation from an unexpected source for Paul’s apostleship and the genuine nature of his conversion, supporting his argument throughout Galatians that his gospel is divine, not human (Gal 1:1, 1:11-12).
• It showcases the supreme power of God's grace. It was not Paul’s merit or character, but God's sovereign act of grace that transformed him, compelling even distant believers to acknowledge God’s wondrous works.
• The emphasis "in me" ("ἐν ἐμοί") highlights that Paul's person and transformed life served as the vehicle or channel through which God’s glory shone forth. This aligns with Paul's constant emphasis on being a servant and instrument for God's purposes (cf. Rom 1:1; Phil 1:20-21).
• The Jewish-Christian churches of Judea, potentially influenced by legalistic tendencies themselves, found Paul’s story so compelling an act of God that it compelled them to worship God rather than critique him. This strengthens Paul’s credibility against those promoting circumcision and Mosaic Law in Galatia.

Galatians 1 24 Commentary

Galatians 1:24 serves as a powerful testament to the undeniable divine origin of Paul's apostleship and the gospel he preached. In the face of challenges to his authority, Paul concludes his historical defense (vv. 11-24) by citing the genuine and spontaneous response of the Judean churches. These churches, comprised of Jewish believers who likely would have held traditional views, glorified God upon hearing of Paul's conversion from their most fearsome persecutor to a devoted evangelist. This reaction implicitly validates his ministry and message. They recognized that only an extraordinary act of God could have effected such a radical change. The verse highlights that the visible impact of God's transforming grace in a life is a powerful witness that directs praise to God Himself. Paul's very existence became an occasion for God's glory to be seen and celebrated, underscoring that his work was entirely dependent on divine revelation and power, not human sanction or teaching. This deep truth profoundly counteracts any attempt to minimize his independent commission from Christ or to blend the liberating gospel with human religious requirements.Practical examples include: when former addicts become vibrant worship leaders, or those steeped in a culture of antagonism become Christ-like servants, observers glorify God for such evident, supernatural transformations.