brother (fellow believer)

The Greek that is translated in English as “brother” or “brother and sister” (in the sense of fellow believers), is translated with a specifically coined word in Kachin: “There are two terms for brother in Kachin. One is used to refer to a Christian brother. This term combines ‘older and younger brother.’ The other term is used specifically for addressing siblings. When one uses this term, one must specify if the older or younger person is involved. A parallel system exists for ‘sister’ as well. In [these verses], the term for ‘a Christian brother’ is used.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae)

In Matumbi is is translated as alongo aumini or “relative-believer.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)

In Martu Wangka it is translated as “relative” (this is also the term that is used for “follower.”) (Source: Carl Gross)

In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is often translated as Mitchristen or “fellow Christians.”

See also brothers.

complete verse (Galatians 5:13)

Following are a number of back-translations of Galatians 5:13:

  • Uma: “The reason God called us was so that we are / could be free. But let’s not say like this: "If we are indeed free from the Law of Musa, we can just do whatever we want." Don’t, relatives! We must love each other and help each other.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then, you, my brothers, you were chosen by God so that he could free you, therefore you no longer must/ought-to follow the law. But this does not mean that because you are free, it is now possible for you to give-in/indulge in the cravings/greedy-desires of your bodies. No. But you ought to help each other because you love each other.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “So, brothers, it’s really true that we (incl.) have been chosen by God so that He might free us and it’s no longer necessary that we observe the Law. But in spite of that, we have not been freed so that the thing which is to control us is the evil desire in our body. It’s necessary that because our kindness for our companions is great, each one of us should be helpful to his fellow belivers.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “As for you, brothers, God has called you so you will be set-free. But you ought not to use your freedom as your excuse to fulfill your evil desires, but rather serve-one-another because of your loving-one-another.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “My brethren, because of God’s determined-plan, you are now outside/released from the enslavement of those laws that were entrusted to Moises. But even though it’s now like that, don’t think that it’s now possible/acceptable to indulge whatever disgusting desire of the body, but rather, through the big-size of your valuing of your companion, be serving one another.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Listen, my dear brethren, God called you in order that no more you should fear the punishment which the law says. But do not say that you can now do the evil that lights on your hearts. No, not at all. Because you love your brethren, each of you, now help each other.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Galatians 5:13

Again Paul turns his attention to his readers, addressing them as my brothers (see the remarks on 1.11). You is emphatic, accenting the difference between the Galatians and those referred to in verse 12.

Paul asserts that the Galatians were called to be free. The implicit agent is either God or Christ, but in accordance with Pauline usage, God would seem to be a better choice. Called to be free may be rendered in some languages as “called to no longer be slaves.” As in Gal. 5.8, the verb call may be equivalent in some languages to “urge” or “strongly invite.”

It seems that Paul pauses abruptly and adds a warning against the abuse of freedom in order to avoid any misunderstanding on the part of his readers: Do not let this freedom become an excuse for letting your physical desires control you. Actually, Paul does not use a verb with the noun freedom (literally, “not this freedom” et cetera), but the objective form of the noun indicates that a verb is understood, and Good News Translation supplies become (compare Phillips “be careful that freedom does not become”). Other verbs are supplied in other translations (Revised Standard Version “do not use your freedom”; New English Bible “do not turn your freedom”; Jerusalem Bible “be careful, or this liberty will provide an opening”). In some languages one cannot speak of freedom as doing or becoming anything. However, the circumstance of being free may be related to what follows in this verse, and so one may translate “But because you are free in this way, do not think that you can now let yourselves be controlled by what your bodies desire,” or “… what you desire in your bodies.”

The word translated excuse is used only by Paul among New Testament writers. It was originally a military term meaning “a base of operations.” In this verse it means primarily “occasion” or “opportunity to do something.” In some languages become an excuse may be rendered as “become your reason for,” or “become the way in which you justify.”

The word translated physical desires is “flesh.” This is a difficult word to translate, simply because it is used to refer to many things. A literal translation (as in Revised Standard Version and New American Bible) should be ruled out, since it would not depict what Paul is talking about. In the light of verses 14 and 15, the Good News Translation rendering seems to be justified. However, many commentators take the position that “flesh” here has the same meaning as in verse 16 (where Good News Translation renders it human nature). It refers to that aspect of the human self which refuses to acknowledge God and which leads to the doing of evil instead of good. This is reflected in some translations (for example, Phillips, New English Bible “your lower nature”).

Letting your physical desires control you may be rendered as “permitting yourselves to be ruled by what your bodies desire,” “letting yourselves obey whatever your bodies tell you to do,” or “… urge you to do.”

The last part of the verse is an alternative to the abuse of freedom. Here the Galatians are exhorted to engage in mutual service.

As in Gal. 5.6, love is either God’s love for man as shown in Jesus Christ or the believers’ love for one another. If the former, a proper translation would be “let God’s love make you serve one another,” or “because God loves you, you should serve one another”; but note verse 14, which focuses on love for others. Such love defines the quality or the motivation of the service rendered (Knox “serving one another in a spirit of charity”; New American Bible “out of love, place yourselves at one another’s service”). One may also translate “because you love one another, help one another,” or “show your love for one another by helping one another.” (For a discussion of “love,” see under 2.20.)

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Galatians 5:13

Section 5:13–26

Let the Spirit of God lead you

In this section, Paul talked about what freedom means. He no longer focused on how a person is made righteous. He focused on how a person who has received the righteousness of Christ should live.

Paul told the Galatians that choosing to live their lives in the power of the Holy Spirit would keep them from living sinful lives. It would keep them from living as slaves to the law. A life lived in the Spirit is a life of love for each other.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Follow closely the Spirit of God
-or-
Obey God’s Spirit, not your sinful desires

Paragraph 5:13–15

In this paragraph, Paul stated that the freedom that the Galatians had in Christ did not mean that they could do whatever they wished. Their freedom did not permit them to live sinful lives. Instead, they should lovingly serve each other.

5:13a

For: Paragraph 5:13–15 is an explanation of the previous section. It connects back to the statement in 5:1 that “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” The Greek introduces this explanation and connection with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For.

Some English versions do not translate this conjunction. In some languages, it will not be necessary to use a conjunction here either.

brothers: As in 5:11a, the word brothers refers to “spiritual brothers.” They were Paul’s “fellow believers.” The word includes both men and women. It does not refer to Paul’s biological brothers.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

brothers and sisters (NET Bible)
-or-
fellow believers
-or-
my friends (Good News Translation)

were called to freedom: The verb called means that God “strongly invited,” “summoned,” or “chose” the Galatians to be free from religious laws. God chose/invited the Galatians to be his people, and he wants them to live in freedom. In some languages, it may be necessary to make some of this information explicit. For example:

were called ?to be God’s people, and he wants you? to be free

In some languages, the word called is only used when someone calls another person to come to a physical location. It cannot be used when someone asks another person to do something or be something. If your language is like that, you may have to use another verb, as in the examples below.

The verb were called is a passive verb. Some ways to translate this clause are:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

You were indeed called to be free (God’s Word)
-or-
you were chosen to be free (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
You were told to be free

• Use an active verb. For example:

God called you to be free (New Century Version)
-or-
God told you that he wants you to be free ?from religious laws? .
-or-
God’s plan is that you be free.
-or-
God called you ?to be his people, and he wants you? to be free ?from religious laws?

The verb called also occurs in 1:6b.

5:13b

but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as opportunity for the flesh means “occasion/time to do whatever your body desires.” Freedom from the law does not give a person an excuse to live a sinful, wicked life.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
now that you are free, do not think that you can do whatever you desire

flesh: The word flesh refers to human nature. That human nature is full of sin.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

sinful nature
-or-
your sinful self
-or-
what your body desires

See flesh, Meaning 5 in the Glossary.

5:13c

Rather: There is a contrast between 5:13b and 5:13c. The contrast is between the command to not use your freedom “as an opportunity for the flesh” and the command to serve one another in love. Languages have different ways to indicate this negative-positive type of contrast. Some of the ways are:

• With the conjunction “but.”

• With a conjunction other than “but.” This is a common way in English to show this type of contrast. For example:

Rather (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version)
-or-
On the contrary
-or-
Instead (Good News Translation)

• With no conjunction. For example:

b do not use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful self. c Serve each other with love. (New Century Version)

serve one another in love: This clause states how the Galatians should use their freedom. They are to serve each other. This means that they are to help one another. And they are to help one another in love. This means “lovingly” or “in a loving manner” or “because you love one another.”

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

serve each other with love (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
love and help each other
-or-
help one another because you love one another

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