exegetical · Gal 1:15–17 · ✓ Approved

The call and Arabia

Says The printed text of 1:15 has no ὁ θεός: when the one who set him apart from his mother’s womb and called him by his grace was pleased. The BSB’s “God” follows the longer reading (see — / ὁ θεός). He was pleased “to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles”. Paul did not then consult flesh and blood, nor go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before him, but went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. The echoes of the call from the womb in Jeremiah 1:5 and Isaiah 49:1 are stated from the BSB in Gal 1:15 → Jer 1:5 and Gal 1:15 → Isa 49:1; no Greek Old Testament form is claimed. The Damascus stay is pointed to in Gal 1:17 → 2 Cor 11:32–33.

Uncertain Burton, Wesley, and Calvin read “in me” of a revelation given to Paul himself; Lightfoot reads it of a revelation made through him to others. On Arabia, Chrysostom reads a turning to teach; Lightfoot and Burton read a time of retirement. These are their readings; no verdict is given here.

Claims

SaysThe printed text of 1:15 has no ho theos: when the one who set Paul apart from his mother’s womb and called him by his grace was pleased to reveal his Son in him so that he might preach him among the Gentiles. The BSB’s God follows the longer reading. He did not consult flesh and blood, nor go up to Jerusalem, but went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. The echoes in Jeremiah 1:5 and Isaiah 49:1 are stated from the BSB only.
UncertainBurton, Wesley, and Calvin read in me of a revelation given to Paul himself; Lightfoot reads it of a revelation made through him to others. On Arabia, Chrysostom reads a turning to teach; Lightfoot and Burton read a time of retirement. These are their readings; no verdict is given here.

Citations

BSB public domain Gal 1:15–17
SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Gal 1:15–17
Burton, Galatians (ICC) public domain p. 50 (leaf n143)
Burton, Galatians (ICC) public domain p. 51 (leaf n144)
Wesley, Notes NT (1755) public domain p. 493 (leaf n506)
Calvin, Galatians (Pringle) public domain p. 42 (leaf n55)
Lightfoot, Galatians public domain p. 83 (leaf n102)
Chrysostom, Galatians (NPNF1 13) public domain p. 12 (leaf n33)
Lightfoot, Galatians public domain p. 88 (leaf n107)
Burton, Galatians (ICC) public domain p. 56 (leaf n149)

Sources Bible Scholarship & Tool CC BY 4.0 BSB public domain SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Burton, Galatians (ICC) public domain Wesley, Notes NT (1755) public domain Calvin, Galatians (Pringle) public domain Lightfoot, Galatians public domain Chrysostom, Galatians (NPNF1 13) public domain RP2018 Unlicense TR (Scrivener 1894) public domain

2026-11-13

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