Galatians 4:8–20

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

⁸Formerly, when you ^ldid not know God, you ^mwere enslaved to those that by nature ⁿare not gods. ⁹But now that you have come to know God, or rather ^oto be known by God, ^phow can you turn back again to ^qthe weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? ^10rYou observe days and months and seasons and years! ¹¹I am afraid ^sI may have labored over you in vain.

¹²Brothers,^{3 t}I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. ^uYou did me no wrong. ¹³You know it was ^vbecause of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you ^wat first, ¹⁴and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me ^xas an angel of God, ^yas Christ Jesus. ¹⁵What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶Have I then become your enemy by ^ztelling you the truth?^{4 17}They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. ¹⁸It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and ^anot only when I am present with you, ^19bmy little children, ^cfor whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ ^dis formed in you! ²⁰I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.