[1] 1:1 apostle A follower of Jesus chosen to represent him in a special way. During his earthly ministry, Jesus named twelve men as apostles, to whom he gave the specific responsibility and authority to represent him and proclaim his message throughout the world. Later, he appeared to Paul and gave him a similar commission, especially to non-Jewish people. Barnabas, Paul's missionary companion, and James, the brother of Jesus, are also called apostles, as well as several others in the New Testament. Some of these occurrences of the word, however, have the more general sense of "messenger" or "emissary."

[2] 1:2 church Literally, "assembly" or "community," the people who have been brought together as God's family through their common faith in Jesus Christ. The word often refers to a group of believers who meet together or who live in the same area, but it is also used to mean the worldwide community of all believers in Christ.

[3] 1:2 Galatia Probably the area where Paul began churches on his first missionary trip. See Acts 13 and 14.

[4] 1:5 glory A word that refers to the special qualities of God. Often it means brightness, referring to the way he appears to people. Sometimes it means majesty or power, referring to a kind of greatness that cannot be compared to anything in human experience. It can also include the ideas of honor, fame or respect, especially in expressions of praise.

[5] 1:5 Amen A Hebrew word meaning "That's right," "True," or "Yes." It is used to express strong agreement with what has been said.

[6] 1:6 grace The love and kindness that God shows in his complete willingness to give people favors he does not owe them and blessings they don't deserve.

[7] 1:6 Good News In the gospels this is usually the news about the coming of God's kingdom (see above) or its representative Jesus Christ. In other places it is, more specifically, the news or message of God's grace-that he has made a way through Jesus Christ for people to be made right with him and enjoy his blessings now and forever.

[8] 1:11 Good News In the gospels this is usually the news about the coming of God's kingdom (see above) or its representative Jesus Christ. In other places it is, more specifically, the news or message of God's grace-that he has made a way through Jesus Christ for people to be made right with him and enjoy his blessings now and forever.

[9] 1:13 persecute To hurt, cause trouble for, or do bad things to someone, especially because of their beliefs.

[10] 1:13 church Literally, "assembly" or "community," the people who have been brought together as God's family through their common faith in Jesus Christ. The word often refers to a group of believers who meet together or who live in the same area, but it is also used to mean the worldwide community of all believers in Christ.

[11] 1:14 ancestors Literally, "fathers," meaning a person's parents, grandparents, and all the other people that person is descended from. In the New Testament it usually refers to people who lived during Old Testament times.

[12] 1:15 grace The love and kindness that God shows in his complete willingness to give people favors he does not owe them and blessings they don't deserve.

[13] 1:17 apostle A follower of Jesus chosen to represent him in a special way. During his earthly ministry, Jesus named twelve men as apostles, to whom he gave the specific responsibility and authority to represent him and proclaim his message throughout the world. Later, he appeared to Paul and gave him a similar commission, especially to non-Jewish people. Barnabas, Paul's missionary companion, and James, the brother of Jesus, are also called apostles, as well as several others in the New Testament. Some of these occurrences of the word, however, have the more general sense of "messenger" or "emissary."

[14] 1:18 Peter The text says "Cephas," the Aramaic name for Peter, one of Jesus' twelve apostles. Also in 2:7.

[15] 1:22 groups of believers Literally, "churches" or "assemblies." See "church" in the Word List.

[16] 2:2 message See "Good News."

[17] 2:3 Greek A non-Jewish person anywhere throughout the first century world who was influenced by Greek language and culture.

[18] 2:3 circumcise, circumcision Cutting off the foreskin of the male sex organ, which was done to every Jewish baby boy. It was a mark of the agreement God made with Abraham. Read Gen. 17:9-14.

[19] 2:5 Good News In the gospels this is usually the news about the coming of God's kingdom (see above) or its representative Jesus Christ. In other places it is, more specifically, the news or message of God's grace-that he has made a way through Jesus Christ for people to be made right with him and enjoy his blessings now and forever.

[20] 2:8 apostle A follower of Jesus chosen to represent him in a special way. During his earthly ministry, Jesus named twelve men as apostles, to whom he gave the specific responsibility and authority to represent him and proclaim his message throughout the world. Later, he appeared to Paul and gave him a similar commission, especially to non-Jewish people. Barnabas, Paul's missionary companion, and James, the brother of Jesus, are also called apostles, as well as several others in the New Testament. Some of these occurrences of the word, however, have the more general sense of "messenger" or "emissary."

[21] 2:12 circumcise, circumcision Cutting off the foreskin of the male sex organ, which was done to every Jewish baby boy. It was a mark of the agreement God made with Abraham. Read Gen. 17:9-14.

[22] 2:13 hypocrite A person with wrong motives who pretends to be good.

[23] 2:14 Good News In the gospels this is usually the news about the coming of God's kingdom (see above) or its representative Jesus Christ. In other places it is, more specifically, the news or message of God's grace-that he has made a way through Jesus Christ for people to be made right with him and enjoy his blessings now and forever.

[24] 2:16 law This usually refers to God's law as it is represented in the Mosaic Law, the rules he gave to the Israelites through Moses (See Ex. 34:29-32). Sometimes it may mean the principle of law rather than a specific law or set of laws.

[25] 2:16 trusting in Or, "the faithfulness of."

[26] 2:16 because we trusted in Or, "through the faithfulness of."

[27] 2:20 faith in Or, "the faithfulness of."

[28] 2:21 grace The love and kindness that God shows in his complete willingness to give people favors he does not owe them and blessings they don't deserve.

[29] 3:2 Spirit See "Holy Spirit."

[30] 3:2 law This usually refers to God's law as it is represented in the Mosaic Law, the rules he gave to the Israelites through Moses (See Ex. 34:29-32). Sometimes it may mean the principle of law rather than a specific law or set of laws.

[31] 3:5 miracle An amazing act done by the power of God.

[32] 3:6 Scripture Part of the Scriptures or "Holy Writings"-the Old Testament.

[33] 3:6 Abraham The most respected ancestor of the Jewish people. Through him God promised to make a great nation and bless all the people of the earth. Read Gen. 12:1-3.

[34] 3:6 Quote from Gen. 15:6.

[35] 3:8 Good News In the gospels this is usually the news about the coming of God's kingdom (see above) or its representative Jesus Christ. In other places it is, more specifically, the news or message of God's grace-that he has made a way through Jesus Christ for people to be made right with him and enjoy his blessings now and forever.

[36] 3:8 Quote from Gen. 12:3.

[37] 3:10 Quote from Deut. 27:26.

[38] 3:11 Quote from Hab. 2:4.

[39] 3:12 the only way . commands See Lev. 18:5.

[40] 3:13 hung on a tree Deut. 21:22-23 says that when a person was killed for doing wrong, his body was hung on a tree to show shame. Paul means the cross of Jesus was like that.

[41] 3:13 Quote from Deut. 21:23.

[42] 3:16 Abraham The most respected ancestor of the Jewish people. Through him God promised to make a great nation and bless all the people of the earth. Read Gen. 12:1-3.

[43] 3:16 Descendant Literally, "seed," which could also mean "family." In that case, it would refer to the one family of God in Christ.

[44] 3:16 Scripture Part of the Scriptures or "Holy Writings"-the Old Testament.

[45] 3:17 law This usually refers to God's law as it is represented in the Mosaic Law, the rules he gave to the Israelites through Moses (See Ex. 34:29-32). Sometimes it may mean the principle of law rather than a specific law or set of laws.

[46] 3:19 mediator A person who helps one person talk to or give something to another person.

[47] 3:20 But . God is one Literally, "But the mediator is not of one, but God is one."

[48] 3:21 law This usually refers to God's law as it is represented in the Mosaic Law, the rules he gave to the Israelites through Moses (See Ex. 34:29-32). Sometimes it may mean the principle of law rather than a specific law or set of laws.

[49] 3:22 Scripture Part of the Scriptures or "Holy Writings"-the Old Testament.

[50] 3:22 faith in Or, "the faithfulness of."

[51] 3:26-27 baptize To perform the act of baptism. See "baptism."

[52] 3:28 Greek A non-Jewish person anywhere throughout the first century world who was influenced by Greek language and culture.

[53] 3:29 Abraham The most respected ancestor of the Jewish people. Through him God promised to make a great nation and bless all the people of the earth. Read Gen. 12:1-3.

[54] 4:3 rules Or, "powers." Also in verse 9.

[55] 4:6 Spirit See "Holy Spirit."

[56] 4:6 Abba An Aramaic word that was used by Jewish children as a name for their fathers.

[57] 4:13 Good News In the gospels this is usually the news about the coming of God's kingdom (see above) or its representative Jesus Christ. In other places it is, more specifically, the news or message of God's grace-that he has made a way through Jesus Christ for people to be made right with him and enjoy his blessings now and forever.

[58] 4:17 Those people The false teachers who were bothering the believers in Galatia. See Gal. 1:7.

[59] 4:21 law This usually refers to God's law as it is represented in the Mosaic Law, the rules he gave to the Israelites through Moses (See Ex. 34:29-32). Sometimes it may mean the principle of law rather than a specific law or set of laws.

[60] 4:22 Scripture Part of the Scriptures or "Holy Writings"-the Old Testament.

[61] 4:22 Abraham The most respected ancestor of the Jewish people. Through him God promised to make a great nation and bless all the people of the earth. Read Gen. 12:1-3.

[62] 4:24 Mount Sinai The mountain located somewhere on the Sinai Peninsula (the eastern part of modern-day Egypt) where God gave his laws to Moses and the Israelites. Also called Mount Horeb. See Ex. 19 and 20.

[63] 4:27 woman . alone This means her husband has left her.

[64] 4:29 Spirit See "Holy Spirit."

[65] 4:30 Quote from Gen. 21:10.

[66] 5:2 circumcise, circumcision Cutting off the foreskin of the male sex organ, which was done to every Jewish baby boy. It was a mark of the agreement God made with Abraham. Read Gen. 17:9-14.

[67] 5:3 law This usually refers to God's law as it is represented in the Mosaic Law, the rules he gave to the Israelites through Moses (See Ex. 34:29-32). Sometimes it may mean the principle of law rather than a specific law or set of laws.

[68] 5:4 grace The love and kindness that God shows in his complete willingness to give people favors he does not owe them and blessings they don't deserve.

[69] 5:5 Spirit See "Holy Spirit."

[70] 5:9 yeast The part of bread dough that makes it rise. Sometimes it is used as a symbol of bad influence.

[71] 5:9 "Just . rise" A proverb meaning that a small thing (like a little wrong teaching) can make a big problem or that just one person can have a bad influence on the whole group.

[72] 5:12 castration To cut off part of the male sex organs. Paul uses a word that means "to cut off" in place of "circumcision," which means "to cut around," to show how angry he is at the false teachers for forcing non-Jewish men to be circumcised.

[73] 5:14 your neighbor Or, "others." Jesus' teaching in Lk. 10:25-37 makes clear that this includes anyone in need.

[74] 5:14 Quote from Lev. 19:18.

[75] 5:16 Spirit See "Holy Spirit."

[76] 5:18 law Here, a law system, like the law of Moses.

[77] 5:20 witchcraft Using magic or the power of Satan.

[78] 5:21 God's kingdom The "reign" or "rule" of God over all humanity-a time of great blessing for those who submit to him by accepting Jesus as the Christ (appointed king), who represents God's kingdom on earth, being the perfect example of submission to the will of God. When people give control of their lives to Jesus, they become a part of God's kingdom and begin to enjoy the blessings he has promised his people from the beginning. (Note that in Matthew this term also translates the Greek phrase, "the kingdom of the heavens," which was used by Jews as a way to avoid saying the divine name.)

[79] 6:1 Spirit See "Holy Spirit."

[80] 6:7 harvest what you plant This means that life is like farming. Farmers get from their fields only what they plant.

[81] 6:8 Spirit See "Holy Spirit."

[82] 6:12 circumcise, circumcision Cutting off the foreskin of the male sex organ, which was done to every Jewish baby boy. It was a mark of the agreement God made with Abraham. Read Gen. 17:9-14.

[83] 6:12 persecute To hurt, cause trouble for, or do bad things to someone, especially because of their beliefs.

[84] 6:12 cross Paul uses the cross as a picture of the Good News, the story of Christ's death to pay for people's sins. The cross (Christ's death) was God's way to save people. Also in verse 14.

[85] 6:13 law This usually refers to God's law as it is represented in the Mosaic Law, the rules he gave to the Israelites through Moses (See Ex. 34:29-32). Sometimes it may mean the principle of law rather than a specific law or set of laws.

[86] 6:14 is dead Literally, "has been crucified."

[87] 6:15 this new life . God Or, "being the new people God has made."

[88] 6:16 all of God's people Literally, "the Israel of God."

[89] 6:17 scars . show Many times Paul was beaten by people who tried to stop him from teaching about Christ. The scars were from these beatings.

[90] 6:18 grace The love and kindness that God shows in his complete willingness to give people favors he does not owe them and blessings they don't deserve.

[91] 6:18 Amen A Hebrew word meaning "That's right," "True," or "Yes." It is used to express strong agreement with what has been said.

© Copyright 2004 World Bible Translation Center.