Originally Posted by armourbearer

Galatians 1:6.

The middle verb "metatithesthe" may be taken in an active or passive sense, so there is no grammatical necessity to understand it one way or the other. The translator must make a theological decision. The AV understands the verb to be speaking passively, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel." The emphasis is not on the Galatians departing, but on the fact that they are being removed by following the teachings of others. Perkins comments (commentary in loc.), "he frames his reproof with great wariness and circumspection; for he saith not, Ye of yourselves do remove to another gospel, but ye are removed: and thus he blames them but in part, and lays the principal blame on others." Poole's commentary observes, "The term removed, also, mollifies the reproof, the apostle thereby rather charging their apostasy upon their seducers, than upon them who were seduced."

The passive rendering provides a unique insight into the nature of the letter being written to the Galatians: it does not condemn the Galatians as ones who have already apostatised, but as ones who are still in a process of deception as a result of heeding false teachers. This insight is confirmed in chap. 5:10, where the apostle says, "I have confidence in you through the Lord that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be." It is the false teachers who are being exposed in the epistle to the Galatians, whilst the Galatians themselves are being warned from following the false teachers in order to preserve them from final apostasy. One should not miss the connection with the earlier statement in 1:6, which laid the emphasis upon the removal as being "from him that called you." This thought is reiterated in 5:8, "This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you." It is because of Who has called the Galatians into the grace of Christ that the apostle has confidence "through the Lord" that they will not finally depart from the gospel which he has preached to them.

Now it should be noticed that the modern versions translate the middle as an active verb, not because it is grammatically required, but because of their theological understanding which perceives the apostle to be laying the blame squarely upon the Galatians themselves rather than upon the false teachers. The NKJV and NASB commit the error once, only indicating that the Galatians are turning away from the effectual call of the grace of Christ. NKJV, "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel." NASB, "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel." The NIV and ESV commit the error twice, adding the words "turning to" in the last clause of the verse. NIV, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel." ESV, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel."

Given the influential nature of Gal. 1:6, 7, for the theological understanding of the epistle, the decision by modern versions to render "metatithesthe" actively, and to interpret Paul as laying the weight of blame upon the Galatians themselves, must be regarded as irresponsible at the least.