Galatians 4:16

Galatians 4:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
• New International Version (NIV)Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

Context of Galatians 4:16

14and though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God, as though I were Christ Jesus himself! 15Where then is your sense of happiness now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me! So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17They court you eagerly, but for no good purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly. 18However, it is good to be sought eagerly for a good purpose at all times, and not only when I am present with you.

Galatians 4:16 word by word

ὥστε ἐχθρὸς ὑμῶν γέγονα ἀληθεύων ὑμῖν;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Am Iγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• thereforeὥστεhōste · soG5620
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• enemyἐχθρόςechthros · enemyG2190
• because I tellἀληθεύωalētheuō · be truthfulG226

Cross-references for Galatians 4:16

• Galatians 3:1You foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell on you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed as crucified!
• 1 Kings 18:17When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster on Israel?”
• 1 Kings 21:20When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So, you have found me, my enemy!” Elijah replied, “I have found you, because you are committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord.
• 1 Kings 22:8The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things.”
• 2 Chronicles 24:20God’s Spirit energized Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why are you violating the commands of the Lord? You will not be prosperous! Because you have rejected the Lord, he has rejected you!’”
• 2 Chronicles 25:16While he was speaking, Amaziah said to him, “Did we appoint you to be a royal counselor? Stop prophesying or else you will be killed!” So the prophet stopped, but added, “I know that the Lord has decided to destroy you, because you have done this thing and refused to listen to my advice.”
• Psalms 141:5May the godly strike me in love and correct me! May my head not refuse choice oil! Indeed, my prayer is a witness against their evil deeds.
• Proverbs 9:8Do not reprove a mocker or he will hate you; reprove a wise person and he will love you.
• John 7:7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil.
• John 8:45But because I am telling you the truth, you do not believe me.
• Galatians 2:5But we did not surrender to them even for a moment, in order that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.
• Galatians 5:7You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth?

Commentaries on Galatians 4:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Am I therefore become your enemy - How is it that you are so much altered towards me, that you now treat me as an enemy, who formerly loved me with the most fervent affection? Is it because I tell you the truth; that very truth for which you at first so ardently loved me?Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Am I therefore become your enemy … - Is my telling you the truth in regard to the tendency of the doctrines which you have embraced, and the character of those who have led you astray, and your own error, a proof that I have ceased to be your friend? How apt are we to feel that the man who tells us of our faults is our enemy! How apt are we to treat him coldly, and to “cut his acquaintance,” and to regard him with dislike! The reason is, he gives us pain…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. 16At first, the Galatians gladly accepted Paul and his message when they became Christians. But now they were unsure about Paul and possibly even rejected him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. Translate, "Am I then become your enemy (an enemy in your eyes) by telling you the truth" (Ga 2:5, 14)? He plainly did not incur their enmity at his first visit, and the words here imply that he had since then, and before his now writing, incurred it: so that the occasion of his telling them the unwelcome truth, must have been at his second visit (Ac 18:23, see my Introduction). The fool and sinner hate a reprover. The righteous love faithful reproof…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 4:16

• Love
• Reproof
• Truth

In the dictionaries

• Doubt
• Flesh
• Observe
• Zealously
• 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