3:23 Now before faith 5 came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners 6 until the coming faith would be revealed.
1 tn Or “to me”; the Greek preposition ἐν (en) can mean either, depending on the context.
2 tn This pronoun refers to “his Son,” mentioned earlier in the verse.
3 tn Or “I did not consult with.” For the translation “I did not go to ask advice from” see L&N 33.175.
4 tn Grk “from flesh and blood.”
5 tn Or “the faithfulness [of Christ] came.”
6 tc Instead of the present participle συγκλειόμενοι (sunkleiomenoi; found in Ì46 א A B D* F G P Ψ 33 1739 al), C D1 0176 0278 Ï have the perfect συγκεκλεισμένοι (sunkekleismenoi). The syntactical implication of the perfect is that the cause or the means of being held in custody was confinement (“we were held in custody [by/because of] being confined”). The present participle of course allows for such options, but also allows for contemporaneous time (“while being confined”) and result (“with the result that we were confined”). Externally, the perfect participle has little to commend it, being restricted for the most part to later and Byzantine witnesses.
tn Grk “being confined.”
7 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
8 sn That is, if Paul still teaches observance of the Mosaic law (preaches circumcision), why is he still being persecuted by his opponents, who insist that Gentile converts to Christianity must observe the Mosaic law?
9 sn The offense of the cross refers to the offense to Jews caused by preaching Christ crucified.
10 tn Or “nullified.”