Galatians 4:13

Galatians 4:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
• New International Version (NIV)As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you,
• English Standard Version (ESV)You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first,
• New King James Version (NKJV)You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.

Context of Galatians 4:13

11I’m afraid for you. Maybe the hard work I spent on you has been wasted. 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. You 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. 15What happened to your positive attitude? It’s a fact that if it had been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

Galatians 4:13 word by word

οἴδατε δὲ ὅτι δι᾽ ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν τὸ πρότερον,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ye knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• ·δέde · thenG1161
• howὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• infirmityἀσθένειαastheneia · weakness: weakG769
• of the fleshὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• of the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• I preached the gospelεὐαγγελίζομαιeuaggelizō · to speak good newsG2097
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• at the firstπρότερονproteron · previouslyG4386

Cross-references for Galatians 4:13

• 1 Corinthians 2:3When I came to you, I was weak. I was afraid and very nervous.
• 2 Corinthians 10:10I know that someone is saying that my letters are powerful and strong, but that I’m a weakling and a terrible speaker.
• 2 Corinthians 11:6Even though I’m not good with words, I know what I’m talking about. Timothy and I have made this clear to you in every possible way.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7especially because of the excessive number of revelations that I’ve had. Therefore, to keep me from becoming conceited, I am forced to deal with a recurring problem. That problem, Satan’s messenger, torments me to keep me from being conceited.
• 2 Corinthians 13:4He was weak when he was crucified, but by God’s power he lives. We are weak with him, but by God’s power we will live for you with his help.
• Galatians 1:6I’m surprised that you’re so quickly deserting Christ, who called you in his kindness, to follow a different kind of good news.
• Acts 16:6Paul and Silas went through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia because the Holy Spirit kept them from speaking the word in the province of Asia.

Commentaries on Galatians 4:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Ye know how through infirmity - The apostle seems to say that he was much afflicted in body when he first preached the Gospel to them. And is this any strange thing, that a minister, so laborious as St. Paul was, should be sometimes overdone and overcome by the severity of his labors? Surely not. This might have been only an occasional affliction, while laboring in that part of Asia Minor; and not a continual and incurable infirmity, as some have too…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Ye know how - To show them the folly of their embracing the new views which they had adopted, he reminds them of past times, and particularly of the strength of the attachment which they had evinced for him in former days. Through infirmity of the flesh - Greek “Weakness” ( ̓́ astheneian); compare the 1 Corinthians 2:3 note; 2 Corinthians 10:10; 2 Corinthians 12:7 notes.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. 13-14because of an illness: Paul might have had a long-term health issue, but we do not know what it was (see 2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul's condition was serious and seemed to cause problems or even upset the new church in Galatia. People often saw physical problems as a sign of God's judgment (see John 9:1–2; Acts 28:4). The Galatians looked beyond Paul's physical state and accepted him as God's messenger (literally angel; Greek angelos). as if I were Christ…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. how through infirmity--rather, as Greek, "Ye know that because of an infirmity of my flesh I preached," &c. He implies that bodily sickness, having detained him among them, contrary to his original intentions, was the occasion of his preaching the Gospel to them. at the first--literally, "at the former time"; implying that at the time of writing he had been twice in Galatia. See my Introduction; also see on Ga 4:16, and Ga 5:21. His sickness was…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 4:13

• Love
• Minister, Christian
• Paul

In the dictionaries

• Doubt
• Flesh
• Galatia
• Galatians, Epistle to
• Observe
• Paul
• Thorn in the flesh
• Zealously
• Chronology of the New Testament
• 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