New American Standard Bible 1995

Galatians 4:8-20

8However at that time, 1when you did not know God, you were 2slaves to 3those which by nature are no gods. 9But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be 4known by God, 5how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless 6 7elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? 10You 8observe days and months and seasons and years. 11I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored 9over you in vain.

12I beg of you, 10brethren, 11become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; 13but you know that it was because of a 12bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the 13first time; 14and that which was a 14trial to you in my 15bodily condition you did not despise or 16loathe, but 17you received me as an angel of God, as 18Christ Jesus Himself. 15Where then is 19that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16So have I become your enemy 20by 21telling you the truth? 17They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable 22manner, and 23not only when I am present with you. 19 24My children, with whom 25I am again in labor until 26Christ is formed in you-- 20but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for 27I am perplexed about you.

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Notes

1. Galatians 4:8 1 Cor 1:21; Eph 2:12; 1 Thess 4:5; 2 Thess 1:8 ↩
2. Galatians 4:8 Gal 4:3 ↩
3. Galatians 4:8 2 Chr 13:9; Is 37:19; Jer 2:11; 1 Cor 8:4f; 10:20 ↩
4. Galatians 4:9 1 Cor 8:3 ↩
5. Galatians 4:9 Col 2:20 ↩
6. Galatians 4:9 Or rudimentary teachings or principles ↩
7. Galatians 4:9 Gal 4:3 ↩
8. Galatians 4:10 Rom 14:5; Col 2:16 ↩
9. Galatians 4:11 Or for ↩
10. Galatians 4:12 Gal 6:18 ↩
11. Galatians 4:12 2 Cor 6:11, 13 ↩
12. Galatians 4:13 Lit weakness of the flesh ↩
13. Galatians 4:13 Or former ↩
14. Galatians 4:14 Or temptation ↩
15. Galatians 4:14 Lit flesh ↩
16. Galatians 4:14 Lit spit out at ↩
17. Galatians 4:14 Matt 10:40; 1 Thess 2:13 ↩
18. Galatians 4:14 Gal 3:26 ↩
19. Galatians 4:15 Lit the congratulation of yourselves ↩
20. Galatians 4:16 Amos 5:10 ↩
21. Galatians 4:16 Or dealing truthfully with you ↩
22. Galatians 4:18 Or thing ↩
23. Galatians 4:18 Gal 4:13f ↩
24. Galatians 4:19 1 John 2:1 ↩
25. Galatians 4:19 1 Cor 4:15 ↩
26. Galatians 4:19 Eph 4:13 ↩
27. Galatians 4:20 2 Cor 4:8 ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Galatians 4