I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
Parallel translations
- WEB I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
- KJV And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
- NKJV And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
- NASB and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.
- NLT I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul was advancing beyond his peers in Judaism, intensely devoted to ancestral traditions. His credentials in the very system the agitators promoted were impeccable.
Overview
Paul stresses his exceptional zeal for 'the traditions of my fathers' to show he understood law-keeping from the inside. He was no ignorant outsider but a leading exponent of the system. This makes his abandonment of works-righteousness all the more telling: he found something greater in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Col 2:8See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
- Acts 26:5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion.
- Acts 22:3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I am just as zealous for God as any of you here today.
- Phil 3:4–6though I myself could have such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
- Matt 15:6he need not honor his father or mother with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.
- Acts 26:9So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- Jer 9:14Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts and gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them.”
- 1 Pet 1:8Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
- Isa 57:12I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not profit you.
- Matt 15:2–3“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
- Mark 7:3–13Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially.
- Isa 29:13Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men.
- Jer 15:2If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ became a curse for us to redeem us from the law's curse, that we might receive the Spirit and be sons — justified by faith in him, not by works.
How Galatians 1:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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