[B-Greek] Galatians 1:6-7

Charles Johnson cpj5117 at gmail.com
Tue Jun 9 18:22:10 EDT 2009


I have a question about how certain clauses are connected in Galatians
1:6-7. I'm looking particularly at the clause in v.7 beginning with ει μη.
Many versions seem to render it as a subordinate clause under ο ουκ εστιν
αλλο. Leedy's NT diagrams in Bibleworks agree. I see that several versions
indicate that relationship and some others appear to be more ambiguous. So,
understanding that I'm probably wrong, I thought I would propose an
alternate solution.

I cannot make good logical sense out of "which is not another [gospel],
except there are some who trouble you...." I further struggle with the idea
of placing a subordinate clause under what appears to be a parenthetical
statement. Rather, would it be possible to connect the ει μη back to θαυμαζω
in v. 6? The distinctive force of ει μη as "except" makes good sense in this
arrangement. The paraphrase would be as follows:

"I [would be] amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by
the grace of Christ for a different gospel (not that there is another),
except [I know] there are some who trouble you...."

The words in brackets are my amplifications. In other words, Paul is saying
he would be amazed except that he knows about this dangerous threat. Using
the naked indicative in the main clause highlights his amazement. Is my idea
a possibility?



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