God’s Word Translation
Galatians 4:12
12Brothers and sisters, I beg you to become like me. After all, I became like you were. You didn’t do anything wrong to me.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. 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.
Context of Galatians 4:12
10You religiously observe days, months, seasons, and years! 11I’m afraid for you. Maybe the hard work I spent on you has been wasted. Brothers and sisters, I beg you to become like me. After all, I became like you were. You didn’t do anything wrong to me. 13You know that the first time I brought you the Good News I was ill. 14Even though my illness was difficult for you, you didn’t despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were God’s messenger or Christ Jesus himself.
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 I saw that they were not properly following the truth of the Good News. So I told Cephas in front of everyone, “You’re Jewish, but you live like a person who is not Jewish. So how can you insist that people who are not Jewish must live like Jews?”
- Galatians 6:14But it’s unthinkable that I could ever brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. By his cross my relationship to the world and its relationship to me have been crucified.
- Genesis 34:15We will give our consent to you only on one condition: Every male must be circumcised as we are.
- 1 Kings 22:4Then he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth in Gilead?” Jehoshaphat told the king of Israel, “I will do what you do. My troops will do what your troops do. My horses will do what your horses do.”
- Acts 21:21But they have been told that you teach all the Jews living among non-Jewish people to abandon Moses. They claim that you tell them not to circumcise their children or follow Jewish customs.
- 1 Corinthians 9:20I became Jewish for Jewish people. I became subject to the laws in Moses’ Teachings for those who are subject to those laws. I did this to win them even though I’m not subject to Moses’ Teachings.
- Philippians 3:7These things that I once considered valuable, I now consider worthless for Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 2:5If someone caused distress, I’m not the one really affected. To some extent—although I don’t want to emphasize this too much—it has affected 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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