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,
• New King James Version (NKJV)My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,
• New Living Translation (NLT)Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.

Context of Galatians 4:19

17They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 18It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. 21Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?

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 make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children.
• 1 Timothy 1:2To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
• Philemon 1:10I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.
• James 1:18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
• 1 John 2:1My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
• 1 John 5:21Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
• Numbers 11:11Moses said to the Lord, "Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me?
• Isaiah 53:11Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
• Luke 22:44And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
• Philippians 1:8For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
• Philippians 2:17Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
• Colossians 2:1For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,
• Colossians 4:12Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
• Hebrews 5:7In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.
• Revelation 12:1And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
• Romans 8:29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

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