And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly 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.
- BSB I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely 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 2:8Be careful that you don’t let anyone rob you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the elements of the world, and not after Christ.
- Acts 26:5having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
- Acts 22:3“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.
- Phil 3:4–6though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more:
- Matt 15:6he shall not honor his father or mother.’ You have made the commandment of God void because of your tradition.
- Acts 26:9“I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- Jer 9:14but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them.”
- 1 Pet 1:8whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory —
- Isa 57:12I will declare your righteousness; and as for your works, they will not benefit you.
- Matt 15:2–3“Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat bread.”
- Mark 7:3–13(For the Pharisees and all the Jews, don’t eat unless they wash their hands and forearms, holding to the tradition of the elders.
- Isa 29:13The Lord said, “Because this people draws near with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught;
- Jer 15:2It shall happen, when they tell you, ‘Where shall we go out?’ Then you shall tell them, ‘Yahweh says: “Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.