Galatians 3:1

Galatians 3:1

O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

a. ASV: O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified?

b. YLT: O thoughtless Galatians, who did bewitch you, not to obey the truth -- before whose eyes Jesus Christ was described before among you crucified?

c. Classic Amplified: O you poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless Galatians! Who has fascinated or bewitched or cast a spell over you, unto whom—right before your very eyes—Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was openly and graphically set forth and portrayed as crucified?

1. “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth…”

a. O [Strong: 5599. o o a primary interjection; as a sign of the vocative case, O; as a note of exclamation, oh:--O.]

b. foolish [Strong: 453. anoetos an-o'-ay-tos from 1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of 3539; unintelligent; by implication, sensual:--fool(-ish), unwise.] [Vine: it signifies "senseless," an unworthy lack of understanding; sometimes it carries a moral reproach.] [Bullinger: unreflecting, never applying the mind to moral or religious truth.] [Thayer: not understood, unintelligible, not understanding, unwise, foolish.] [Zodhiates: anoetos; a-negative; noeo-to perceive lacking intelligence, foolish, one who does not govern his flesh.]

1). This is the same greek word used in a very strong rebuke within a powerful passage (Luke 24:14-35). It occurs after the resurrection of Christ and involves two disciples. These two disciples, according to the Greek definitions, did not seek the deeper things of God, never meditating on the Scriptures, which is why they did not recognize Jesus after his resurrection. If we never spend time in His word and in prayer we are according to Jesus “fools” and we will miss revelations that others who do spend time in His word receive. The Apostle Paul inspired by the spirit of God referred to these Galatians as “foolish”.

2). The Classic Amplified translation of a passage in Mark describes what our attitude and effort should be.

a). Mark 4:21-25 And He said to them, Is the lamp brought in to be put under a peck measure or under a bed, and not [to be put] on the lampstand?

4:22 Things are hidden temporarily only as a means to revelation.] For there is nothing hidden except to be revealed, nor is anything [temporarily] kept secret except in order that it may be made known.

4:23 If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him perceive and comprehend.

4:24 And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you—and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

4:25 For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away by force],

c. Galatians [Strong: 1052. Galates gal-at'-ace from 1053; a Galatian or inhabitant of Galatia:--Galatian.]

d. who [Strong: 5101. tis tis probably emphatic of 5100; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions):--every man, how (much), + no(-ne, thing), what (manner, thing), where (-by, -fore, -of, -unto, - with, -withal), whether, which, who(-m, -se), why.]

e. [hath] bewitched [Strong: 940. baskaino bas-kah'-ee-no akin to 5335; to malign, i.e. (by extension) to fascinate (by false representations):--bewitch.]

f. you [Strong: 5209. humas hoo-mas' accusative case of 5210; you (as the objective of a verb or preposition):--ye, you (+ -ward), your (+ own).]

g. [that ye should] not [Strong: 3361. me may a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations.]

h. obey [Strong: 3982. peitho pi'-tho a primary verb; to convince (by argument, true or false); by analogy, to pacify or conciliate (by other fair means); reflexively or passively, to assent (to evidence or authority), to rely (by inward certainty):--agree, assure, believe, have confidence, be (wax) conflent, make friend, obey, persuade, trust, yield.]

i. the [Strong: 3588. [te] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [te] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

j. truth [Strong: 225. aletheia al-ay'-thi-a from 227; truth:--true, X truly, truth, verity.]

2. “...before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?”

a. before [Strong: 2596. kata kat-ah' a primary particle; (prepositionally) down (in place or time), in varied relations (according to the case (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined):--about, according as (to), after, against, (when they were) X alone, among, and, X apart, (even, like) as (concerning, pertaining to touching), X aside, at, before, beyond, by, to the charge of, (charita-)bly, concerning, + covered, (dai-)ly, down, every, (+ far more) exceeding, X more excellent, for, from ... to, godly, in(-asmuch, divers, every, -to, respect of), ... by, after the manner of, + by any means, beyond (out of) measure, X mightily, more, X natural, of (up-)on (X part), out (of every), over against, (+ your) X own, + particularly, so, through(-oughout, -oughout every), thus, (un-)to(-gether, -ward), X uttermost, where(-by), with. In composition it retains many of these applications, and frequently denotes opposition, distribution, or intensity.]

b. whose [Strong: 3739. hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.] 

c. eyes [Strong: 3788. ophthalmos of-thal-mos' from 3700; the eye (literally or figuratively); by implication, vision; figuratively, envy (from the jealous side-glance):--eye, sight.]

d. Jesus [Strong: 2424. Iesous ee-ay-sooce' of Hebrew origin (3091); Jesus (i.e. Jehoshua), the name of our Lord and two (three) other Israelites:--Jesus.]

e. Christ [Strong: 5547. Christos khris-tos' from 5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:--Christ.]

f. [hath] evidently set forth [Strong: 4270. prographo prog-raf'-o from 4253 and 1125; to write previously; figuratively, to announce, prescribe:--before ordain, evidently set forth, write (afore, aforetime).]

g. crucified [Strong: 4717. stauroo stow-ro'-o from 4716; to impale on the cross; figuratively, to extinguish (subdue) passion or selfishness:--crucify.]

h. among [Strong: 1722. en en a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

i. you [Strong: 5213. humin hoo-min' irregular dative case of 5210; to (with or by) you:--ye, you, your(-selves).]