Galatians 4:17

Galatians 4:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
• New International Version (NIV)Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them.

Context of Galatians 4:17

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. 16Can it be that I have become your enemy for telling you the truth? These people ⌞who distort the Good News⌟ are devoted to you, but not in a good way. They don’t want you to associate with me so that you will be devoted only to them. 18(Devotion to a good cause is always good, even when I’m not with you.) 19My children, I am suffering birth pains for you again until Christ is formed in you.

Galatians 4:17 word by word

ζηλοῦσιν ὑμᾶς οὐ καλῶς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκκλεῖσαι ὑμᾶς θέλουσιν, ἵνα αὐτοὺς ζηλοῦτε.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• They zealously affectζηλόωzēloō · be eagerG2206
• youσύsu · youG4771
• notοὐou · noG3756
• wellκαλῶςkalōs · wellG2573
• yeaἀλλάalla · butG235
• they wouldθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• excludeἐκκλείωekkleiō · to excludeG1576
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for Galatians 4:17

• Galatians 6:12These people who want to make a big deal out of a physical thing are trying to force you to be circumcised. Their only aim is to avoid persecution because of the cross of Christ.
• Matthew 23:15“How horrible it will be for you, experts in Moses’ Teachings and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You cross land and sea to recruit a single follower, and when you do, you make that person twice as fit for hell as you are.
• Romans 10:2I can assure you that they are deeply devoted to God, but they are misguided.
• Romans 16:18People like these are not serving Christ our Lord. They are serving their own desires. By their smooth talk and flattering words they deceive unsuspecting people.
• 1 Corinthians 11:2I praise you for always thinking about me and for carefully following the traditions that I handed down to you.
• 2 Corinthians 11:3However, I’m afraid that as the snake deceived Eve by its tricks, so your minds may somehow be lured away from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
• Philippians 2:21Everyone else looks after his own interests, not after those of Jesus Christ.
• 2 Peter 2:3In their greed they will use good-sounding arguments to exploit you. The verdict against them from long ago is still in force, and their destruction is not asleep.
• 1 Corinthians 4:8You already have what you want! You’ve already become rich! You’ve become kings without us! I wish you really were kings so that we could be kings with you.

Commentaries on Galatians 4:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17They zealously affect you, but not well - It is difficult for common readers to understand the meaning of these words: perhaps it would be better to translate ̔ , these false teachers endeavor to conciliate your esteem, but not in honest or true principles; they work themselves into your good graces; they wish you to place all your affection upon themselves. They would exclude you - They wish to shut you out from the affection of your apostle, that you…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17They zealously affect you - See 1 Corinthians 12:31 (Greek); 1 Corinthians 14:39. The word used here ( ́ Zēloō), means to be “zealous” toward, that is, for or against any person or thing; usually, in a good sense, to be eager for. Here it means, that the false teachers made a show of zeal toward the Galatians, or professed affection for them in order to gain them as their followers. They were full of ardor, and professed an extraordinary concern for…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. 17Those people are zealous for you: The Greek word here can mean have a positive meaning, like "eagerness," or a negative meaning, like "jealousy" and "envy." they want to isolate you from us: The Judaizers (Jewish Christians insisting on following Jewish laws) might have been so eager because they envied the Galatians’ devotion to Paul and instead wanted the Galatians to be devoted to them (compare 2 Corinthians; see also Luke 11:46–52). Another…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. They--your flatterers: in contrast to Paul himself, who tells them the truth. zealously--zeal in proselytism was characteristic especially of the Jews, and so of Judaizers (Ga 1:14; Mt 23:15; Ro 10:2). affect you--that is, court you (2Co 11:2). not well--not in a good way, or for a good end. Neither the cause of their zealous courting of you, nor the manner, is what it ought to be. they would exclude you--"They wish to shut you out" from the kingdom…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 4:17

• Affections
• Love
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Doubt
• Flesh
• Observe
• Zealously
• Affect; Affection
• Galatians, Epistle to the
• zeal, zealous

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