ἕτερον δὲ τῶν ἀποστόλων οὐκ εἶδον εἰ μὴ Ἰάκωβον τὸν ἀδελφὸν τοῦ κυρίου. (Galatians 1:19)
Paul’s Personal Testimony and Apostolic Distinction
This brief verse from Paul’s autobiographical defense in Galatians offers more than a factual statement about his travels — it is a masterclass in Greek syntax. Paul carefully crafts a statement to defend his independence from the Twelve, yet acknowledges one crucial exception: James, the brother of the Lord.
The Greek here demonstrates several elegant syntactic features, especially the partitive genitive, exception clauses with εἰ μή, and apposition. Let’s look deeper into the grammatical richness embedded in this verse.
Partitive Genitive: τῶν ἀποστόλων
The phrase ἕτερον δὲ τῶν ἀποστόλων employs the partitive genitive, a common construction in Koine Greek used with pronouns or adjectives like ἕτερος (another) to express a part of a whole.
- ἕτερον – Accusative Masculine Singular, meaning “another”
- τῶν ἀποστόλων – Genitive Masculine Plural: “of the apostles”
This structure literally means: “another (one) of the apostles”. It emphasizes that Paul saw no one else belonging to the group of apostles, which sets the stage for the exception.
Double Negation and the εἰ μή Clause
The core verb is εἶδον — “I saw.” What’s striking is how Paul negates and then makes a singular exception:
οὐκ εἶδον εἰ μὴ Ἰάκωβον
“I did not see [anyone], except James.”
1. οὐ + εἶδον
– οὐ is the regular negation for indicative moods.
– εἶδον is 1st person singular aorist active indicative of ὁράω, “I saw.”
2. εἰ μή – “Except”
This is a classical idiom in Greek for expressing exceptions. It’s used after a negative statement to highlight the only instance being acknowledged.
– εἰ μή = “if not,” functioning as “except.”
Thus, the entire structure reads:
“But I saw no other of the apostles, except James.”
Apposition and Identification: Ἰάκωβον τὸν ἀδελφὸν τοῦ κυρίου
This portion uses apposition, where one noun phrase further identifies another:
- Ἰάκωβον – Accusative Masculine Singular: “James”
- τὸν ἀδελφὸν τοῦ κυρίου – “the brother of the Lord,” in apposition to “James”
Apposition is common in Greek and adds specificity. This was necessary since multiple men named James appear in the New Testament. Paul distinguishes this James as the brother of the Lord, not one of the Twelve.
Theology in Syntax: Apostolic Independence and Authority
Paul’s grammar supports his argument: he did not depend on the Twelve for his gospel. The use of οὐκ … εἰ μή forcefully limits his contact, preserving his claim to divine revelation rather than apostolic inheritance.
And yet, he names James — not merely any believer, but one with a recognized title: “the brother of the Lord”. His inclusion functions both as an exception and a subtle endorsement of James’ unique position in the Jerusalem church.
Reading the Precision
Every word in Galatians 1:19 carries the weight of Paul’s apostolic defense. Through partitive genitive, precise exception clause, and appositional identification, Paul maintains his independence while honoring a single witness. The Greek is tight, clear, and effective — just like Paul’s argument.
