Galatians 4:19

Galatians 4:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
• New International Version (NIV)My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
• English Standard Version (ESV)my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!
• New King James Version (NKJV)My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,

Context of Galatians 4:19

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]. My little children, for whom I am again in [the pains of] labor until Christ is [completely and permanently] formed within you— 20how I wish that I were with you now and could change my tone, because I am perplexed in regard to you. 21Tell me, you who are bent on being under the Law, do you not listen to [what] the Law [really says]?

Galatians 4:19 word by word

τέκνα μου, οὓς πάλιν ὠδίνω μέχρις οὗ μορφωθῇ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• little childrenτεκνίονteknion · childrenG5040
• of whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• I travail in birthὠδίνωōdinō · be in laborG5605
• againπάλινpalin · againG3825
• untilἄχριachri achris · untilG891
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• be formedμορφόωmorphoō · to formG3445
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• youσύsu · youG4771

Cross-references for Galatians 4:19

• 1 Corinthians 4:14I do not write these things to shame you, but to warn and advise you as my beloved children.
• 1 Timothy 1:2to Timothy, my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
• Philemon 1:10I appeal to you for my [own spiritual] child Onesimus, whom I have fathered [in the faith] while a captive in these chains.
• James 1:18It was of His own will that He gave us birth [as His children] by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures [a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes].
• 1 John 2:1My little children (believers, dear ones), I am writing you these things so that you will not sin and violate God’s law. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate [who will intercede for us] with the Father: Jesus Christ the righteous [the upright, the just One, who conforms to the Father’s will in every way—purpose, thought, and action].
• 1 John 5:21Little children (believers, dear ones), guard yourselves from idols—[false teachings, moral compromises, and anything that would take God’s place in your heart].
• Numbers 11:11So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have placed the burden of all these people on me?
• Isaiah 53:11As a result of the anguish of His soul, He shall see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge [of what He has accomplished] the Righteous One, My Servant, shall justify the many [making them righteous—upright before God, in right standing with Him], For He shall bear [the responsibility for] their sins.
• Luke 22:44And being in agony [deeply distressed and anguished; almost to the point of death], He prayed more intently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down on the ground.
• Philippians 1:8For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus [whose great love fills me].
• Philippians 2:17But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith [for preaching the message of salvation], still I rejoice and share my joy with you all.
• Colossians 2:1For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those [believers] at Laodicea, and for all who [like yourselves] have never seen me face to face.
• Colossians 4:12Epaphras, who is one of you and a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. [He is] always striving for you in his prayers, praying with genuine concern, [pleading] that you may [as people of character and courage] stand firm, [spiritually mature] and fully assured in all the will of God.
• Hebrews 5:7In the days of His earthly life, Jesus offered up both [specific] petitions and [urgent] supplications [for that which He needed] with fervent crying and tears to the One who was [always] able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission toward God [His sinlessness and His unfailing determination to do the Father’s will].
• Revelation 12:1And a great sign [warning of an ominous and frightening future event] appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
• Romans 8:29For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers.

Commentaries on Galatians 4:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19My little children - · My beloved children. As their conversion to God had been the fruit of much labor, prayers, and tears, so he felt them as his children, and peculiarly dear to him, because he had been the means of bringing them to the knowledge of the truth; therefore he represents himself as suffering the same anxiety and distress which he endured at first when he preached the Gospel to them, when their conversion to Christianity was a matter of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19My little children - The language of tender affection, such as a parent would use toward his own offspring; see the note at 1 Corinthians 4:15; compare Matthew 18:3; John 13:33; 1 John 2:1, 1 John 2:12-13; 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:21. The idea here is, that Paul felt that he sustained toward them the relation of a father, and he had for them the deep and tender feelings of a parent. Of whom I travail in birth again - For whose welfare I am deeply anxious: and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-20Verses 19-20 The Galatians were ready to account the apostle their enemy, but he assures them he was their friend; he had the feelings of a parent toward them. He was in doubt as to their state, and was anxious to know the result of their present delusions. Nothing is so sure a proof that a sinner has passed into a state of justification, as Christ being formed in him by the renewal of the Holy Spirit; but this cannot be hoped for, while men depend on the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19The Galatians were like Paul's spiritual children (see 1 Corinthians 4:14–15; Philemon 1:10). Bringing them to Christ was like giving birth to children and experiencing labor pains. It was difficult but rewarding. Now, Paul felt his work was not finished. until Christ is formed in you: Paul uses the picture of giving birth to explain something important. If the Galatians continued to trust in Christ as Paul had taught them, Christ's image would grow in…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. My little children--(1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 2:1; 1Jo 2:1). My relation to you is not merely that of one zealously courting you (Ga 4:17, 18), but that of a father to his children (1Co 4:15). I travail in birth--that is, like a mother in pain till the birth of her child. again--a second time. The former time was when I was "present with you" (Ga 4:18; compare Note, see on Ga 4:13). Christ be formed in you--that you may live nothing but Christ, and think nothing…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 4:19

• Love
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Christ, Messiah
• Doubt
• Flesh
• Galatians, Epistle to
• Observe
• Zealously
• Child; Children
• Form
• 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