English Standard Version
Galatians 4:12
12Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws. You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you.
Context of Galatians 4:12
10You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain. Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. 13You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.
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 their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, "If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?"
- Galatians 6:14But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
- Genesis 34:15Only on this condition will we agree with you—that you will become as we are by every male among you being circumcised.
- 1 Kings 22:4And he said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?" And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."
- Acts 21:21and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs.
- 1 Corinthians 9:20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.
- Philippians 3:7But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 2:5Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries