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

14You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you. On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus himself. 15Where, then, is your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. So then, have I become your enemy because I told you the truth? 17They court you eagerly, but not for good. They want to exclude you from me, so that you would pursue them. 18But it is always good to be pursued in a good manner — and not just when I am with you.

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 3:1You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
• 1 Kings 18:17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, the one ruining Israel?”
• 1 Kings 21:20Ahab said to Elijah, “So, my enemy, you’ve found me, have you?” He replied, “I have found you because you devoted yourself to do what is evil in the Lord’s sight.
• 1 Kings 22:8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king shouldn’t say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
• 2 Chronicles 24:20The Spirit of God enveloped Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood above the people and said to them, “This is what God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the Lord’s commands so that you do not prosper? Because you have abandoned the Lord, he has abandoned you.’”
• 2 Chronicles 25:16While he was still speaking to him, the king asked, “Have we made you the king’s counselor? Stop, why should you lose your life?” So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God intends to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my advice.”
• Psalms 141:5Let the righteous one strike me — it is an act of faithful love; let him rebuke me — it is oil for my head; let me not refuse it. Even now my prayer is against the evil acts of the wicked.
• Proverbs 9:8Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke the wise, and he will love you.
• John 7:7The world cannot hate you, but it does hate me because I testify about it — that its works are evil.
• John 8:45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.
• Galatians 2:5But we did not give up and submit to these people for even a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would be preserved for you.
• Galatians 5:7You were running well. Who prevented you from being persuaded regarding 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