Paragraph 5:7–10

In this paragraph, Paul warned the Galatians about the false teachers. They were dangerous. But God would judge them.

5:7a

You were running so well: This clause is a metaphor. In this metaphor, Paul compared the Galatians’ life of faith in Christ to running a race. They are similar in that both had been done well. They had started well. Paul implied that the Galatians were no longer living the Christian life well.

Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

• Keep the metaphor. For example:

You were running the race so well. (New Living Translation (2004))

• Make the topic explicit. For example:

You were running well in your life with Christ.

• Make the topic explicit and change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

You were following Christ well in the same way that a person runs a race well.

• Translate the meaning without the metaphor. For example:

You were obeying Christ well.
-or-
You were doing so well! (Good News Translation)
-or-
You were progressing so well.

5:7b

Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?: This is a rhetorical question. Paul used this rhetorical question to rebuke the Galatians. He stated that they were no longer living according to the truth of the gospel.

Some ways to translate this rebuke are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Who stopped you from following the true way? (New Century Version)
-or-
Why did you permit someone to hinder you from obeying the truth?

• As an exclamation. For example:

You should not have stopped obeying the truth!

• As a statement. For example:

until someone made you turn from the truth (Contemporary English Version)

has obstructed you: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as obstructed means “prevent” or “stop someone.” In this metaphor of a race, it refers to someone getting in front of a runner and blocking his way. Some versions translate this verb in such a way as to reflect the racing idiom. For example:

cut in on you (New International Version)

Some other ways to translate this verb are:

stopped you (New Century Version)
-or-
prevented you (NET Bible)
-or-
interfered and held you back

the truth: The phrase the truth refers to the true gospel that Paul preached.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

the true gospel
-or-
the true message from God

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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