Galatians 1:15
(KJV) But when
it pleased God, who separated
me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
(1611 KJV) But when it pleased
God, who separated me from my
mothers wombe, and called me by his grace,
(1587 Geneva Bible) But when it
pleased God (which had
separated me from my mothers wombe, and called me by his grace)
(1526 Tyndale) But whe it pleased
God which seperated me from my
mothers wombe and called me by his grace
Counterfeit Versions
(AMP) But when He, Who had chosen and set me apart
[even] before I was born and had called me by His grace (His undeserved favor
and blessing), saw fit and was pleased
(Douay Rheims - 1899 American Edition) But when it
pleased him, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
(ESV) But when he who had set me apart before I was
born, and who called me by his grace,
(NEW AMERICAN BIBLE-Roman Catholic) But when [God],
who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace, was
pleased
(NET) But when the one who set me apart from birth and
called me by his grace was pleased
(RSV) But when he who had set me apart before I was
born, and had called me through his grace,
Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
οτε δε ευδοκησεν ο
θεος ο αφορισας με εκ κοιλιας μητρος μου και καλεσας δια της
χαριτος αυτου
Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
οτε δε ευδοκησεν [ο θεος] ο αφορισας με εκ κοιλιας
μητρος μου και καλεσας δια της χαριτος αυτου
Corrupted Manuscripts
This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
P 46 - circa 200 AD
Manuscripts Which Agree With the Textus
Receptus For This Verse
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus -
Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
D 06 - Paris: Claromontanus - Sixth century
K 018 - Ninth century
L 020 - Ninth century
P 025 - Ninth century
Published Critical Greek Texts with
Corruptions
Reads “he” instead of “God”
Lachmann, Karl - 1842 (in the margin or in brackets)
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871
Westcott and Hort - 1881 (in the margin or in
brackets)
Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in
1941 (in the margin or in brackets)
Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition (in the
margin or in brackets)
Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition (in the
margin or in brackets)
United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition (in the
margin or in brackets)
Weiss, Bernhard - 1894
Affected Teaching
Here is an interesting verse stating that God was
pleased when He had separated Paul or selected Him from his mother’s womb. God
knows who His elect are even before they are born. God had chosen all His elect
before the foundations of the world. (Eph 1:4 KJV) According as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before him in love: Even though those of us who are saved,
became saved at different times in our lives, yet, all the Elect of God were
chosen before the foundation of the world. All of the Elect were set apart in
our mother’s womb even if we do not get saved until later in life. This
salvation is our calling by grace and grace alone. It is interesting that Paul
injects that he was saved from his mother’s womb and I believe the reason is
that the Judaizers had emphasized works to coincide with grace for salvation. If
a person is in the womb, then what works can they do to facilitate their
salvation? The answer is obvious, they can do none and this is why this verse is
included because it shows that grace is the only vehicle by which a person can
be saved, even in the womb where no works can be done. How could the Judaizers
debate works with a person who was saved from the womb without works? This is
the wisdom of the Scriptures. Some of the modern versions exchange “God” for
“he” which leaves it open as to who “he” is. It is the Greek word "theos" which
means "God" not "the one or him." God is the one who sets the
believer apart for salvation. John 6:37 (KJV) All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Even the Jehovah’s Witness bible go it right on this one. This is another attack
on the doctrine of God concerning salvation.