New Living Translation
Galatians 4:12
12Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws. You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you.
Galatians 4:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
- New International Version (NIV)I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all.
Context of Galatians 4:12
10You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years. 11I fear for you. Perhaps all my hard work with you was for nothing. Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to live as I do in freedom from these things, for I have become like you Gentiles—free from those laws. You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. 13Surely you remember that I was sick when I first brought you the Good News. 14But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself.
Read all of Galatians 4Galatians 4:12 word by word
Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ, ὅτι κἀγὼ ὡς ὑμεῖς.¶ Ἀδελφοί, δέομαι ὑμῶν· οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Galatians 4:12
- Galatians 2:14When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?
- Galatians 6:14As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.
- Genesis 34:15But here is a solution. If every man among you will be circumcised like we are,
- 1 Kings 22:4Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.”
- Acts 21:21But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They’ve heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs.
- 1 Corinthians 9:20When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law.
- Philippians 3:7I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.
- 2 Corinthians 2:5I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me.
Commentaries on Galatians 4:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Be as I am - Thoroughly addicted to the Christian faith and worship, from the deepest conviction of its truth. For I am as ye are - I was formerly a Jew, and as zealously addicted to the rites and ceremonies of Judaism as ye are, but I am saved from that mean and unprofitable dependence: "Be therefore as I am now; who was once as you now are." Others think the sense to be this: "Be as affectionate to me as I am to you; for ye were once as loving to me as…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am - There is great brevity in this passage, and no little obscurity, and a great many different interpretations have been given of it by commentators. The various views expressed may be seen in Bloomfield‘s Crit. Dig. Locke renders it, “Let you and I be as if we were all one, Think yourselves to be very me; as I in my own mind put no difference at all between you and myself.” Koppe explains it thus: Imitate my example…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. 12become like me: Paul was a devoted Jew. He stopped trying to earn righteousness and accepted God's free grace in Jesus Christ. Now, Paul asks these Gentiles to follow his example instead of adopting the Jewish practices he left behind. Paul's advice throughout the rest of the letter (4:12–6:10) comes from this single command. You have done me no wrong: Similarly, the Galatians should not mistreat Paul now but should continue to warmly accept his ministry…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. be as I am--"As I have in my life among you cast off Jewish habits, so do ye; for I am become as ye are," namely, in the non-observance of legal ordinances. "The fact of my laying them aside among Gentiles, shows that I regard them as not at all contributing to justification or sanctification. Do you regard them in the same light, and act accordingly." His observing the law among the Jews was not inconsistent with this, for he did so only in order to…Read the comment
Topics related to Galatians 4:12
In the dictionaries
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries