Read this verse in 6 Bible translations — from word-for-word to thought-for-thought.
New International Version · 1978 (rev. 2011)
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
36 words · Balance of accuracy and readability
King James Version · 1611
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
29 words · Formal / word-for-word
English Standard Version · 2001 (rev. 2016)
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
35 words · Essentially literal
New Living Translation · 1996 (rev. 2015)
Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
25 words · Thought-for-thought clarity
The Message · 2002
Do you think I speak this strongly in order to manipulate crowds? Or curry favor with God? Or get popular applause? If my goal was popularity, I wouldn't bother being Christ's slave.
32 words · Contemporary paraphrase
New American Standard Bible · 1971 (rev. 2020)
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
35 words · Most literal English translation
Bible Verse Randomizer offers Galatians 1:10 in 6 translations: New International Version, King James Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation, The Message, New American Standard Bible. Each uses a different translation philosophy — from word-for-word (KJV, ESV, NASB) to thought-for-thought (NIV, NLT) to paraphrase (MSG).
No single translation is "best" — it depends on your purpose. For deep study, use the ESV or NASB (word-for-word). For devotional reading, the NIV balances accuracy and readability. The NLT and MSG are excellent for understanding the general meaning in modern English. Comparing multiple translations helps grasp the full richness of the text.
Literal (formal equivalence) translations like KJV, ESV, and NASB translate word-for-word from the original Hebrew/Greek. Dynamic equivalence translations like NIV and NLT translate thought-for-thought for clarity. The MSG is a paraphrase that captures the spirit in contemporary language. Each approach has strengths — that's why comparing translations is valuable.
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