Galatians 1:15

“But when the one who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace was pleased”
Galatians 1:15 · direct translation from the Greek

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Paul says God set him apart from his mother's wombPurpose

With the Greek beneath

Butδὲwhenὅτεthe one whoὁset me apartἀφορίσας μεfromἐκmy mother’sμητρός μουwombκοιλίαςandκαὶcalled meκαλέσαςthroughδιὰhis graceτῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦwas pleasedεὐδόκησεν

Allusion · Isaiah 49:1

Go to Isaiah 49:1

Both texts speak of someone called by God from his mother’s womb: the servant in Isaiah 49:1, Paul in Galatians 1:15 (also Jeremiah 1:5).

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

κοιλίαςkoiliasG2836בֶּטֶןbetenH990“womb”
μητρόςmētrosG3384אִמִּimiH517“mother”
καλέσαςkalesasG2564קְרָאָkeraaH7121“call”

Galatians 1:15, word by word

set me apartἀφορίσαςaphorisas

set apart, separate

Separate, set apart; also mark off by boundaries.

Where else “aphorisas” appears

my mother’sμητρόςmētros

mother

The woman who gives birth to a child and raises it.

Where else “mētros” appears

wombκοιλίαςkoilias

womb

The place where a mother carries her child before birth.

Where else “koilias” appears

called meκαλέσαςkalesas

call to life

God inviting someone to a new life.

Where else “kalesas” appears

his graceχάριτοςcharitos

grace

A kindness God gives that no one earns, above all salvation.

Where else “charitos” appears

was pleasedεὐδόκησενeudokēsen

decide gladly

To decide something gladly.

Where else “eudokēsen” appears

Translation note· on the manuscripts

Many manuscripts read “when it pleased God, who set me apart.” It recalls Isaiah 49:1 and Jeremiah 1:5.

The context

14and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my people, being far more zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

15 · This verse (above)

16to reveal his Son in me, so that I might proclaim the good news of him among the nations, at once I did not consult with flesh and blood,

Read all of Galatians 1

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