Amplified Bible
Galatians 4:12
12Believers, I beg of you, become as I am [free from the bondage of Jewish ritualism and ordinances], for I have become as you are [a Gentile]. You did me no wrong [when I first came to you; do not do it now].
Galatians 4:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
- New International Version (NIV)I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all.
Context of Galatians 4:12
10[For example,] you observe [particular] days and months and seasons and years. 11I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [to the point of exhaustion] over you in vain. Believers, I beg of you, become as I am [free from the bondage of Jewish ritualism and ordinances], for I have become as you are [a Gentile]. You did me no wrong [when I first came to you; do not do it now]. 13On the contrary, you know that it was because of a physical illness that I [remained and] preached the gospel to you the first time; 14and even though my physical condition was a trial to you, you did not regard it with contempt, or scorn and reject me; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus Himself.
Read all of Galatians 4Galatians 4:12 word by word
Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ, ὅτι κἀγὼ ὡς ὑμεῖς.¶ Ἀδελφοί, δέομαι ὑμῶν· οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Galatians 4:12
- Galatians 2:14But when I saw that they were not being straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I told Cephas (Peter) in front of everyone, “If you, being a Jew, live [as you have been living] like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how is it that you are [now virtually] forcing the Gentiles to live like Jews [if they want to eat with you]?”
- Galatians 6:14But far be it from me to boast [in anything or anyone], except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
- Genesis 34:15But we will consent to you only on this condition: if you will become like us, in that every male among you consents to be circumcised,
- 1 Kings 22:4And Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
- Acts 21:21Now they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are living among the Gentiles to turn away from [the Law of] Moses, advising them not to circumcise their children or to live according to the [Mosaic] customs.
- 1 Corinthians 9:20To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews [for Christ]; to men under the Law, [I became] as one under the Law, though not being under the Law myself, so that I might win those who are under the Law.
- Philippians 3:7But whatever former things were gains to me [as I thought then], these things [once regarded as advancements in merit] I have come to consider as loss [absolutely worthless] for the sake of Christ [and the purpose which He has given my life].
- 2 Corinthians 2:5But if someone has caused [all this] sorrow, he has caused it not to me, but in some degree—not to put it too severely—[he has distressed and grieved] all of you.
Commentaries on Galatians 4:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Be as I am - Thoroughly addicted to the Christian faith and worship, from the deepest conviction of its truth. For I am as ye are - I was formerly a Jew, and as zealously addicted to the rites and ceremonies of Judaism as ye are, but I am saved from that mean and unprofitable dependence: "Be therefore as I am now; who was once as you now are." Others think the sense to be this: "Be as affectionate to me as I am to you; for ye were once as loving to me as…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am - There is great brevity in this passage, and no little obscurity, and a great many different interpretations have been given of it by commentators. The various views expressed may be seen in Bloomfield‘s Crit. Dig. Locke renders it, “Let you and I be as if we were all one, Think yourselves to be very me; as I in my own mind put no difference at all between you and myself.” Koppe explains it thus: Imitate my example…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 The apostle desires that they would be of one mind with him respecting the law of Moses, as well as united with him in love. In reproving others, we should take care to convince them that our reproofs are from sincere regard to the honour of God and religion and their welfare. The apostle reminds the Galatians of the difficulty under which he laboured when he first came among them. But he notices, that he was a welcome messenger to them. Yet…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12become like me: Paul was a devoted Jew. He stopped trying to earn righteousness and accepted God's free grace in Jesus Christ. Now, Paul asks these Gentiles to follow his example instead of adopting the Jewish practices he left behind. Paul's advice throughout the rest of the letter (4:12–6:10) comes from this single command. You have done me no wrong: Similarly, the Galatians should not mistreat Paul now but should continue to warmly accept his ministry…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. be as I am--"As I have in my life among you cast off Jewish habits, so do ye; for I am become as ye are," namely, in the non-observance of legal ordinances. "The fact of my laying them aside among Gentiles, shows that I regard them as not at all contributing to justification or sanctification. Do you regard them in the same light, and act accordingly." His observing the law among the Jews was not inconsistent with this, for he did so only in order to…Read the comment
Topics related to Galatians 4:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Galatians 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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