Galatians 4:8-20

Common English Bible

Paul’s concern for the Galatians

⁸ At the time, when you didn’t know God, you were enslaved by things that aren’t gods by nature. ⁹ But now, after knowing God (or rather, being known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless world system? Do you want to be slaves to it again? ¹⁰ You observe religious days and months and seasons and years. ¹¹ I’m afraid for you! Perhaps my hard work for you has been for nothing.

¹² I beg you to be like me, brothers and sisters, because I have become like you! You haven’t wronged me. ¹³ You know that I first preached the gospel to you because of an illness. ¹⁴ Though my poor health burdened you, you didn’t look down on me or reject me, but you welcomed me as if I were an angel from God, or as if I were Christ Jesus! ¹⁵ Where then is the great attitude that you had? I swear that, if possible, you would have dug out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? ¹⁷ They are so concerned about you, though not with good intentions. Rather, they want to shut you out so that you would run after them. ¹⁸ However, it’s always good to have people concerned about you with good intentions, and not just when I’m there with you. ¹⁹ My little children, I’m going through labor pains again until Christ is formed in you. ²⁰ But I wish I could be with you now and change how I sound, because I’m at a loss about you.