The passage
      v1-2. Paul begins by announcing himself to his readers, "Paul, an apostle". By taking the title "apostle", Paul immediately asserts his authority. The letter is also form the "brethren", Paul's fellow missionaries, and is addressed to the churches in Galatia.
      v3-5. Paul uses his typical greeting, "grace and peace to you." "Grace" is God's free and unmerited favour toward us, and "peace" is the state of wholeness we possess in Christ as a consequence of God's grace. This blessing has its source in God - Father and Son. Paul reminds his readers of what Jesus has done; "he offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins." And the purpose of this action was to rescue us from this present age of shadows - this present evil age. All this is willed by God, so "may he be praised for ever more."
      v6-7. Paul now confronts the problem infecting the Galatian churches. Members of the congregation had succumbed to the preaching of a false gospel. Paul is amazed that his converts are so easily and quickly persuaded to accept a fraudulent ("different") gospel and so abandon the one "who called" them, namely God. They had been called into the grace of God which is found in Christ, but now they have turned from God's free grace to a different gospel, which is no gospel at all. The preachers of this "new" gospel may well have called it the "full gospel". It was a message which contained the "little extra", the little extra that guarantees a believer's standing before God and secures their full sanctification. The "extra" is what Paul calls "the works of the law" - complete submission to the law of Moses, even down to a Gentile believer being circumcised. For Paul, salvation, complete and full, is by grace through faith, and nothing more.
      v8-9. The true gospel is the one which Paul and his associates had preached to the Galatian churches. This was the message originally accepted by them. Those who present a different message are accursed.
      v10. The preachers of this "different gospel" had obviously implied that Paul was a "man-pleaser", someone who watered down the gospel message to make it easier to sell to the Gentiles, that is, he did not present the "full" gospel since it would undermine his success-rate. So, Paul asks his readers if his words so far are those of a soft-sell preacher.

It makes all the difference
      I always feel uneasy in the presence of someone who claims to have found that little extra in the Christian life, an extra that secures for them superior Christian standing.
      Of course, it gets called different things: "full sanctification"; "complete holiness"; "the higher life"...... For Pentecostals the little extra is Spirit baptism; for Baptists it is Believers' baptism by full immersion; for Adventists it is Sabbath observance; for Anglicans/Episcopalians it is confirmation, and so on. Without the little extra we are second-grade Christians; we have failed to make it. We obviously attend a church which does not preach the full gospel.
      It is no easy matter dealing with someone who confidently asserts they have an inside line on the Christian faith. We are all looking for the extra dimension in our lives and when we come across someone who claims to have found the secret, we are more than worried. We fear the value of our own understanding of the gospel. All of us have doubts, we are all struggling, and so to be confronted with the exuding confidence of someone who has "found it", is disturbing to say the least. They have the answers, we have the problems; they have found the secret, but we are still searching. We may send them packing, but if we do, we are left doubting our own faith. We may seek to understand their views more, but if we do we find ourselves adopting them. Narrow forms of Christianity which possess all the answers, whatever the brand, always seems more attractive than the simple gospel propounded by Paul and the apostles.
      All that we can ever hope for as a child of God rests on the free gift of God's grace available to us through faith in Christ Jesus. If we want more than that, we may end up with nothing.

      In the opening passage of his letter, 1:1-5, Paul dispenses with his usual thanksgiving and prayer on behalf of the church and begins with a condensed salutation that moves immediately to the issue at hand, 1:6-10. Some members of the Galatian churches had adopted "a different gospel" promoted by "certain people" (the judaizers) rather than "the gospel of Christ" promoted by Paul, a message that expedites the grace of God in the risen Christ. Because of the damage being caused by these false teachers, "let God's curse be on them."

The opening address

v1
      apostoloV (oV) "apostle" - Those chosen by Christ as his special messengers/witnesses - the twelve. On replacing Judas, the person chosen was someone who had been with Jesus from the beginning. Paul is a post-resurrection apostle serving as Christ's special messenger to the Gentiles. "From Paul the apostle", Cassirer.
      ouk apo + gen. "[sent] not from [men]" - Possibly expressing source, "my apostleship comes from no human source", Barclay, but also possibly agency; "was not commissioned by human authority", TNT.
      dia +gen. "by [man]" - by means of. Probably taking an agency sense, but again possibly instrumental. So, either "by", or "from". Whether or not Paul intends a distinction between the two preposition is unclear (dia is repeated for Christ and the Father), but his point is clear enough; "appointed and commissioned (Gk. "sent") .... not by men but by Jesus Christ and God the Father", Phillips. If a distinction is intended then the point is that Paul's apostleship "neither originated nor was mediated by human agency", George.
      alla "but" - Adversative. On the contrary, Paul's apostleship was from God. Paul is further underlining his authority.
      tou egeirantoV (egairw) aor. gen. par. "who raised [him from the dead]" - the one having raised. The participle is adjectival, describing the Father; "Father who raised ..." Paul may be alluding to the fact that he was commissioned by the risen Lord.

v2
      oiJ adelfoi "the brothers" - Presumably Paul's fellow workers / missionaries, rather than believers in general.
      taiV ekklhsiaiV (a) "to the churches" - to the assemblies (of Galatia). Dative of indirect object with something like "greetings" assumed; "greetings to the churches in Galatia", Cassirer. Note, "churches" plural, ie. Paul is addressing numerous congregations. "Greetings to the congregations in Galatia from myself and the other members of my missionary team."

v3
      There is no verb, but obviously a wish is intended; "may grace and peace rest upon you", Cassirer.
      cariV (iV ewV) "Grace" - A common greeting in letters of the time so Paul may not intend anything of substance in his use of the word in the terms of "God's unconditional goodwill toward his people", Barnes.
      eirhnh (h) "peace" - A common Jewish greeting in the sense of "may God's peace (his favour = peace) rest upon you".
      uJmin pro. "to you" - Dative of advantage, "for you", or locative, place/sphere "upon you".
      apo + gen. "from" - from, by. Again possibly expressing origin/source, "derived from", but also possibly agency, "bestowed by". As in v1, both the Father and the Son are together in the blessing; "from the Father and the Son."

v4
      tou dontoV (didwmi) aor. gen. part. "who gave [himself]" - The participle forms an adjectival clause describing "the Lord Jesus Christ" in the terms of the one "who gave himself for our sins." Here we have a classic atonement statement in the terms of Mark 10:45. "The gospel is about Jesus Christ's gracious self-giving for our sake, and that self-giving must be understood as an apocalyptic rescue mission", Hayes.
      uJper "for [our sins]" - on behalf of. In the NT usually taking an instrumental sense, "on behalf of / for the benefit of". Christ's sacrifice was for our benefit in that it addressed our sins. Possibly causal, "because of our sins", also possibly just relational; "who offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins", Bligh.
      oJpwV + subj. "to [rescue us]" - in order that [he might rescue]. This construction forms a purpose clause; "His purpose was to rescue (lit. "remove") us from the present evil world", Barclay.
      ek "from" - out of, from.
      tou aiwnoV (wn wnoV) "the [present evil] age" - the age. The age that we are now part of, as opposed to the age to come. "The present (lit. "imminent") age with all its evils", Lightfoot.
      kata + acc. "according to" - That the cross was according to God's divine plan reminds us that it was not an afterthought implemented following the failure of his covenant with Israel.

v5
      Paul concludes his salutation with an ascription of praise to God. Again, there is no verb so it must be assumed. "Glory be to him for ever and ever, Amen", Barclay.
      w|/ "to whom" - Referring to "our God and Father", v4.
      hJ doxa "glory" - the glory. "God's power in action", Martyn.
      eiV "for" - to, into, toward. "Into eternity", so "for ever and ever."
      touV aiwnaV (wn wnoV) gen. "ever" - The genitive is intensive, see Turner. "To the uttermost depths of eternity", Bligh.
      amhn "Amen" - Used to express confirmation; "may it be so".

Paul explains his reason for writing, 1:6-10
      Paul now gets into the issue at hand, the adoption of a "different" gospel by some members of the Galatians churches.

v6
      qaumazw pres. "I am astonished" - I marvel at. "I am surprised", Barclay. Probably with a bit of directed anger; "I am astonished at you", Martyn.
      oJti "that" - Here introducing a dependent statement of stating.
      ouJtwV tacewV "so quickly" - Obviously a temporal sense is intended, presumably so quickly moving from the gospel that Paul had preached to the Galatians. Possibly so quickly adopting the "different gospel" promoted by the Judaizers.
      metatiqesqe (metatiqhmi) pres. "deserting" - you are turning, changing, transferring, deserting, defecting. Middle voice, being reflective, expresses the sense "transferring yourself". "The words is used for changing sides in politics, warfare and philosophical disputes", Bligh. "I am amazed that you have so quickly transferred your allegiance", Phillips.
      tou kalesantoV (kalew) aor. part. "the one who called [you]" - [from] the one having called, summoned. Participle as a substantive. It is unclear who is "the one calling", but most likely God in Christ through the gospel is intended, although there is an outside possibility that Paul is referring to himself as the apostle who proclaimed God's Word to the Galatians. "The God who called you", Barclay.
      en + dat. "by [the grace (of Christ)" - in [grace]. A local/spacial sense may be intended, "the sphere in which" (this sense can extend to movement toward, "to/toward the sphere of", or "entrance into the sphere of", ie., = eiV, "into the merciful kindness of", Junkins), or an instrumental sense, "the means by which", as NIV. A causal sense, "because of", is possible, but unlikely. The sense of the prepositional phrase is clouded by the fact that "of Christ" (+ "of Jesus Christ", "of God", ....) is a variant. The shorter reading seems more likely with the implication that it is "God's grace", the grace (covenant mercy) of the one who calls us. So, "in grace" probably means "to/into/in the sphere of God's grace", Martyn, Betz, Garlington, Dumbrell, Fung, Guthrie, although possibly "by means of God's grace", George, Burton, Bruce, Lightfoot, Longenecker. Dunn cheats with "the grounds on which and the means by which"!!!
      eiV "[and are turning] to" - to. Probably, having deserted ..... they have gone over into ....The verb "are turning" has been supplied. Obviously something opposite to "deserting" is intended, eg., "I am amazed at you for ..... and for your readiness to go over to a different gospel", Cassirer.
      eJteron pro. "a different [gospel]" - another [gospel]. Pronoun as an adjective limiting "gospel". The gospel adopted by the nomist (law-bound) Galatian believers is a gospel of another kind. Central to Galatians is "the truth of the gospel", 2:5, 14, a truth distorted by the Judaizers by their sanctification through obedience teachings.
      euaggelion (on) "gospel" - important message. The word meaning "important message", as in the sense of a message carried from a battlefront, serves as a short-hand word for the divine message concerning the fulfilment of the Abrahamic covenant in Christ - "the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand / near / upon us."

v7
      o} ouk estin "which is really no gospel at all" - which is not. The clause serves as a corrective - there is only one gospel so the message of the Judaizers is no gospel. "There is really only one true message", CEV.
      allo pro. "-" - another. Probably not taking its usual meaning of "another of several" = "which is not another gospel". Possibly pleonastic (redundant), "serving to introduce ei mh", Ridderbos.
      ei mh "evidently" - except, unless, but. Serving to limit the previous statement; "although there are some who are promoting another gospel, a perversion of the gospel of Christ."
      tineV pro. "some people [are]" - [there are] certain. A little more definite than "some people", so "certain people", Barclay.
      oi tarassonteV (tarassw) pres. part. "throwing [you] into confusion" - ones shaking, troubling, disturbing [you]. The participle is adjectival describing "some"; There are some who are troubling you." The present tense is durative, expressing ongoing action. "Trouble" in the sense of undertaking "seditious activity", Guthrie.
      oi .... qelonteV (qelw) pres. part. "[and] are trying" - desiring, wishing, willing. Again the participle is adjectival describing "some"; there are some ........ who are wishing. A desiring which is "not unwitting or unconscious", Ridderbos; they actually "intend" to undermine the gospel proclaimed by Paul, Martyn.
      metastreyai (metastrefw) aor. inf. "to pervert" - to pervert, change about, turn around to the opposite. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the participle "trying". "To change the gospel of Christ into its opposite", Martyn.

v8
      alla "but" - Adversative; "but even if we or an angel ...", Barclay.
      ean + subj. "even if" - if [we should preach]. Conditional sentence 3rd. class, where the condition is a possibility, "if, as the case may be".
      aggeloV (oV) "[or] an angel [from heaven]" - Paul is making the point that the gospel is immutable, and does so with a bit of exaggeration - it is unlikely that an angel from heaven would convey a false message from God. Of course, he may have in mind Satan, a fallen angel.
      ex + gen. "from" - out of, from [heaven]. The prepositional phrase "out of heaven" is adjectival, modifying "angel".
      para + acc. "other than" - besides, beyond. Again possibly "in addition to" the one preached by Paul, but better "beyond [that which]", Bruce, so "in departure from", or better "as opposed to", "at variance with", Fung, "contrary to what we proclaimed to you", NRSV.
      euhggelisameqa (euaggelizw) aor. "we preached" - Paul probably uses the plural to include the other members of the missionary team that evangelized Galatia.
      estw (eimi) pres. imp. "let him be" - let be. "Let him be eternally condemned", George.
      anaqema (a) "eternally condemned" - accursed, for destruction. Used of something devoted for destruction, so possibly of "excommunication", Williams, but more likely of divine disapproval, as opposed to divine favour.

v9
      proeirhkamen (proeipon) perf. "we have already said" - we have previously said, said beforehand. The perfect expresses the idea that what Paul has said in the past applies to the present and for all time.
      arti palin "[so] now [I say] again" - now again. The grammar implies that Paul is restating what he had said on an earlier occasion when he was with the Galatians, not just repeating what he has just said in v8 since "now (a temporal statement) I say again" separates v9 from v8 in time; "even as we have said on a previous occasion", Wuest. This is probably putting too much weight on the grammar. It is more likely that Paul is simply reinforcing the point he made in v8. "I've said it once, I'll say it again", Peterson.
      ei + ind. "if" - if [anyone preaches]. "A gospel" is supplied, although the verb euaggelizomai probably carries the intended sense "preach the gospel". Conditional sentence, 1st class, where the condition is assumed to be a reality, "if, as the case is" - in v8 the condition was 3rd class.
      tiV "anybody" - Someone or something indefinite, although probably with the more identifiable group referred to in v7 in mind. "Whoever", Moffatt.
      parelabete (paralambanw) aor. "[what] you accepted" - [that which] your received. "Which you received" replaces the "which was preached to you" of v8. "What you received originally", Patterson; "the one you have already heard", Phillips