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 fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain. 12I beg of you, brothers and sisters, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; 14and you did not despise that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition, nor express contempt, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. 15Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I testify about you that, if 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

• that it was becauseδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• bodilyσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• illnessἀσθένειαastheneia · weakness: weakG769
• that I preachedεὐαγγελίζομαιeuaggelizō · to speak good newsG2097
• firstπρότεροςproteros · beforeG4387

Cross-references for Galatians 4:13

• 1 Corinthians 2:3I also was with you in weakness and fear, and in great trembling,
• 2 Corinthians 10:10For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.”
• 2 Corinthians 11:6But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7Because of the extraordinary greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself!
• 2 Corinthians 13:4For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we too are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.
• Galatians 1:6I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel,
• Acts 16:6They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, after being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in 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