Galatians 4:8-20

Heirs of Promise Are Not to Return to Law

4:8 Formerly when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods at all. ¹  4:9 But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless ²  basic forces? ³  Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? ⁴  4:10 You are observing religious ⁵  days and months and seasons and years. 4:11 I fear for you that my work for you may have been in vain. 4:12 I beg you, brothers and sisters, ⁶  become like me, because I have become like you. You have done me no wrong!

Personal Appeal of Paul

4:13 But you know it was because of a physical illness that I first proclaimed the gospel to you, 4:14 and though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. ⁷  Instead, you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God, ⁸  as though I were Christ Jesus himself! ⁹  4:15 Where then is your sense of happiness ¹⁰  now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me! 4:16 So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? ¹¹ 

4:17 They court you eagerly, ¹²  but for no good purpose; ¹³  they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly. ¹⁴  4:18 However, it is good ¹⁵  to be sought eagerly ¹⁶  for a good purpose ¹⁷  at all times, and not only when I am present with you. 4:19 My children – I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you! ¹⁸  4:20 I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice, ¹⁹  because I am perplexed about you.

[4:8]  ¹ tn Grk “those that by nature…” with the word “beings” implied. BDAG 1070 s.v. φύσις 2 sees this as referring to pagan worship: “Polytheists worship…beings that are by nature no gods at all Gal 4:8.”

[4:9]  ² tn Or “useless.” See L&N 65.16.

[4:9]  ³ tn See the note on the phrase “basic forces” in 4:3.

[4:9]  ⁴ tn Grk “basic forces, to which you want to be enslaved…” Verse 9 is a single sentence in the Greek text, but has been divided into two in the translation because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence.

[4:10]  ⁵ tn The adjective “religious” has been supplied in the translation to make clear that the problem concerns observing certain days, etc. in a religious sense (cf. NIV, NRSV “special days”). In light of the polemic in this letter against the Judaizers (those who tried to force observance of the Mosaic law on Gentile converts to Christianity) this may well be a reference to the observance of Jewish Sabbaths, feasts, and other religious days.

[4:12]  ⁶ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.

[4:14]  ⁷ tn Grk “your trial in my flesh you did not despise or reject.”

[4:14]  ⁸ tn Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.

[4:14]  ⁹ tn Grk “as an angel of God…as Christ Jesus.” This could be understood to mean either “you welcomed me like an angel of God would,” or “you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God.” In context only the second is accurate, so the translation has been phrased to indicate this.

[4:15]  ¹⁰ tn Or “blessedness.”

[4:16]  ¹¹ tn Or “have I become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?” The participle ἀληθεύων (alhqeuwn) can be translated as a causal adverbial participle or as a participle of means (as in the translation).

[4:17]  ¹² tn Or “They are zealous for you.”

[4:17]  ¹³ tn Or “but not commendably” (BDAG 505 s.v. καλῶς 2).

[4:17]  ¹⁴ tn Or “so that you would be zealous.”

[4:18]  ¹⁵ tn Or “commendable.”

[4:18]  ¹⁶ tn Or “to be zealous.”

[4:18]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “But it is always good to be zealous in good.”

[4:19]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “My children, for whom I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you.” The relative clauses in English do not pick up the emotional force of Paul’s language here (note “tone of voice” in v. 20, indicating that he is passionately concerned for them); hence, the translation has been altered slightly to capture the connotative power of Paul’s plea.

[4:20]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “voice” or “tone.” The contemporary English expression “tone of voice” is a good approximation to the meaning here.