KJV: For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
YLT: for if any one doth think himself to be something -- being nothing -- himself he doth deceive;
Darby: For if any man reputes himself to be something, being nothing, he deceives himself;
ASV: For if a man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
δοκεῖ | thinks [himself] |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: δοκέω Sense: to be of opinion, think, suppose. |
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τις | anyone |
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: τὶς Sense: a certain, a certain one. |
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εἶναί | to be |
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active Root: εἰμί Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present. |
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τι | something |
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Neuter Singular Root: τὶς Sense: a certain, a certain one. |
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μηδὲν | nothing |
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular Root: μηδείς Sense: nobody, no one, nothing. |
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ὤν | being |
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: εἰμί Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present. |
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φρεναπατᾷ | he deceives |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: φρεναπατάω Sense: to deceive any one’s mind. |
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ἑαυτόν | himself |
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular Root: ἑαυτοῦ Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves. |
Greek Commentary for Galatians 6:3
Thinks he is a big number being nothing at all (neuter singular pronouns). He is really zero. [source]
Late compound word (πρην phrēn mind, απαταω apataō lead astray), leads his own mind astray. Here for first time. Afterwards in Galen, ecclesiastical and Byzantine writers. He deceives no one else. [source]
Sometimes rendered seems, 1 Corinthians 12:22; 2 Corinthians 10:9; Galatians 2:9; but think is Paul's usual meaning. Comp. Matthew 3:9; 1 Corinthians 11:16; Philemon 3:4. [source]
For the phrase see Acts 5:36; Acts 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:7; 1 Corinthians 10:19; Galatians 2:6; Galatians 6:15. [source]
N.T.oolxx, oClass. See the noun φεναπάτης deceiver Titus 1:10. Denoting subjective deception; deception of the judgment. The simple ἀπατᾶν to deceive, Ephesians 5:6; 1 Timothy 2:14; James 1:26, and often in lxx. Lightfoot thinks the compound verb may possibly have been coined by Paul. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Galatians 6:3
Let us work the good. For the distinctive force of ἐργάζεσθαι see on 3 John 1:5; and for ποιεῖν todo, see on John 3:21. Comp. Colossians 3:23where both verbs occur. Τὸ ἀγαθὸν is, of course, the morally good as distinguished from what is merely useful or profitable, but includes what is beneficent or kindly. See Philemon 1:14; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Thessalonians 3:6; Romans 5:7. Here, in a general sense, embracing all that is specified in Galatians 6:1, Galatians 6:2, Galatians 6:3, Galatians 6:10. [source]
Comp. Galatians 6:3; Acts 5:36; 2 Corinthians 12:11. To be in good standing as an evangelist or apostle, approved and commissioned by high authorities. [source]
Late and rare compound, in papyri, eccl. writers, here alone in N.T. “Mind-deceivers.” See note on Galatians 6:3 for πρεναπαταιν phrenapatāin Specially they of the circumcision (μαλιστα οι εκ της περιτομης malista hoi ek tēs peritomēs). Same phrase in Acts 11:2; Galatians 2:12; Colossians 4:11. Jews are mentioned in Crete in Acts 2:11. Apparently Jewish Christians of the Pharisaic type tinged with Gnosticism. [source]
N.T.oolxx, oClass. See on φρεναπατᾶν todeceive, Galatians 6:3. [source]
A few MSS. add αν an to indicate that he had not written (conclusion of second-class condition), clearly spurious. Not epistolary aorist nor a reference to 2 John as Findlay holds, but an allusion to a brief letter of commendation (Acts 18:27; 2 Corinthians 3:1; Colossians 4:10) sent along with the brethren in 3 John 1:5-7 or to some other itinerant brethren. Westcott wrongly thinks that τι ti is never used of anything important in the N.T. (Acts 8:9; Galatians 6:3), and hence that this lost letter was unimportant. It may have been brief and a mere introduction. Διοτρεπες Diotrephes This ambitious leader and sympathiser with the Gnostics would probably prevent the letter referred to being read to the church, whether it was 2 John condemning the Gnostics or another letter commending Demetrius and John‘s missionaries. Hence he sends Gaius this personal letter warning against Diotrephes. [source]