complete verse (Galatians 6:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of Galatians 6:4:

  • Uma: “It is better that each of us discern our own deeds, whether they are good or not. If they are good, we can be glad about it. Let’s not look at the behavior of others.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “You each one ought to observe very well your own deeds. If your deeds are truly good you can be happy about yourselves. Don’t (let that be) what you take pleasure in (the fact) that your deeds are better than the deeds of your companion.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “It would be better if each one thoroughly checks up on his own behavior. And if it’s good, then it is a reason for him to be happy. However, he must not use to measure his own behavior the behavior of his companion,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “It is therefore necessary that each one consider himself to confirm whether what he is doing is right. Because if it is right, he can be-made-happy because of what he himself is doing without comparing it to what his companions are doing.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “What’s good is that we should ensure-the-truth-about our own deeds. If we make sure that our deeds really are good, well that’s what we are to be happy about. We are not just to be happy when we observe that our own deeds are better than what is being done by others.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Each one of you judge whether you are walking good or not. The person who judges that he is doing what is good can be happy. But it should not be that he is happy because his fellow-man does not do as good as he does.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Galatians 6:4

This verse seems to connect logically with verses 2 and 3 taken together. A man’s pride must be based on his own achievement and condition, not in comparison with others, especially the weaker ones.

The word translated judge is seemingly one of Paul’s favorite words; it means to “test” or “discriminate,” hence “examine” (Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, Knox; compare Phillips “learn to assess properly”).

Conduct is literally “work,” but primarily in this context it means “deed” or “action,” related to or as proof of character.

Each one should judge his own conduct may be rendered as “Each one must look at what he has done and decide whether it has been good,” or “Each person must think about his own behavior (or “… about how he has acted”) and decide whether he has done good or bad.”

If it is good may then be rendered as “if what he has done is good,” or “if his deeds are good.”

He can be proud is literally “he will have reason for boasting.” The word “boast” may not be the right one in this instance, for it implies excessive or unjustified claims about oneself. Perhaps “he can have some reason for self-satisfaction” or a similar expression would approximate what Paul is saying (Phillips “he can then be glad when he has done something worth doing”). He can be proud in the sense of having “self-satisfaction” may be expressed in some instances as “he can thank himself.”

Someone else translates “the other one,” and should be understood as a generic statement, referring to “anyone else” (New English Bible) rather than to a specific individual.

The final part of this verse, without having to compare it with what someone else has done, must often be rendered as a completely separate sentence, for example, “He should not compare what he has done with what someone else has done,” or “He should not judge what he has done by judging what others have done.”

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .