Galatians 4:16

Galatians 4:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
• New International Version (NIV)Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

Context of Galatians 4:16

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. 15What then has become of that sense of blessing and the joy that you once had [from your salvation and your relationship with Christ]? For I testify of you that, if possible, you would have torn out your own eyes and given them to me [to replace mine]. So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17These men [the Judaizers] eagerly seek you [to entrap you with honeyed words and attention, to win you over to their philosophy], not honorably [for their purpose is not honorable or worthy of consideration]. They want to isolate you [from us who oppose them] so that you will seek them. 18Now it is always pleasant to be eagerly sought after [provided that it is] for a good purpose, and not just when I am with you [seeking you myself—but beware of the others doing it].

Galatians 4:16 word by word

ὥστε ἐχθρὸς ὑμῶν γέγονα ἀληθεύων ὑμῖν;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Am Iγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• thereforeὥστεhōste · soG5620
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• enemyἐχθρόςechthros · enemyG2190
• because I tellἀληθεύωalētheuō · be truthfulG226

Cross-references for Galatians 4:16

• Galatians 3:1O you foolish and thoughtless and superficial Galatians, who has bewitched you [that you would act like this], to whom—right before your very eyes—Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified [in the gospel message]?
• 1 Kings 18:17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Are you the one who is bringing disaster on Israel?”
• 1 Kings 21:20Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord.
• 1 Kings 22:8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, because he never prophesies good news for me, but only evil.” But Jehoshaphat said, “May the king not say that [Micaiah only tells bad news].”
• 2 Chronicles 24:20Then the Spirit of God came over Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people and said to them, “This is what God has said: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord so that you cannot prosper? Because you have abandoned (turned away from) the Lord, He has also abandoned (turned away from) you.’ ”
• 2 Chronicles 25:16As he was talking, the king said to him, “Have we made you the king’s counselor? Stop! Why should you be put to death?” Then the prophet stopped and said, “I know that God has decided to destroy you because you have done this and have ignored my advice.”
• Psalms 141:5Let the righteous [thoughtfully] strike (correct) me—it is a kindness [done to encourage my spiritual maturity]. It is [the choicest anointing] oil on the head; Let my head not refuse [to accept and acknowledge and learn from] it; For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds.
• Proverbs 9:8Do not correct a scoffer [who foolishly ridicules and takes no responsibility for his error] or he will hate you; Correct a wise man [who learns from his error], and he will love you.
• John 7:7The world cannot hate you [since you are part of it], but it does hate Me because I denounce it and testify that its deeds are evil.
• John 8:45But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me [and continue in your unbelief].
• Galatians 2:5But we did not yield to them even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would continue to remain with you [in its purity].
• Galatians 5:7You were running [the race] well; who has interfered and prevented you from obeying the truth?

Commentaries on Galatians 4:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Am I therefore become your enemy - How is it that you are so much altered towards me, that you now treat me as an enemy, who formerly loved me with the most fervent affection? Is it because I tell you the truth; that very truth for which you at first so ardently loved me?Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Am I therefore become your enemy … - Is my telling you the truth in regard to the tendency of the doctrines which you have embraced, and the character of those who have led you astray, and your own error, a proof that I have ceased to be your friend? How apt are we to feel that the man who tells us of our faults is our enemy! How apt are we to treat him coldly, and to “cut his acquaintance,” and to regard him with dislike! The reason is, he gives us pain…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. 16At first, the Galatians gladly accepted Paul and his message when they became Christians. But now they were unsure about Paul and possibly even rejected him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Translate, "Am I then become your enemy (an enemy in your eyes) by telling you the truth" (Ga 2:5, 14)? He plainly did not incur their enmity at his first visit, and the words here imply that he had since then, and before his now writing, incurred it: so that the occasion of his telling them the unwelcome truth, must have been at his second visit (Ac 18:23, see my Introduction). The fool and sinner hate a reprover. The righteous love faithful reproof…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 4:16

• Love
• Reproof
• Truth

In the dictionaries

• Doubt
• Flesh
• Observe
• Zealously
• Galatians, Epistle to the

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