Galatians 4:15
in Galatians 4What then has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Where then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
KJV
Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
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This verse in Galatians 4
Commentary
11 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Where is then the blessedness - Margin, “What was” - in accordance with the Greek. The words “ye spake of” are not in the Greek, and should have been printed in italics. But they obscure the sense at any rate. This is not to be regarded as a question, asking what had become of the blessedness, implying that it had departed; but it is rather to be regarded as an exclamation, referring to the happiness of that moment, and their affection and joy when they thus received him. “What blessedness you had then! How happy was that moment!
This site's exposition
What then has become of your blessing?
on Galatians 4:15-16
The Galatians once counted themselves blessed to have Paul, so that you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. That devotion has turned to treating him as an enemy for one cause: Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
— [PHOTIUS] "Who then was the blessing to you?" He was someone, not asked as a question, but as if marveling and lifting up their former faith and the blessing upon that faith. What it was, how great it was, wondrous, he says: from what …
A commentator
Gaius Marius VictorinusEPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 2.4.15-16 · Written before 370.
proposed
You were satisfied at the time when you received the gospel, because you were zealous at the outset. Yet now, since I do not see the finishing of the edifice, I am forced to say, "where is your satisfaction?"
(Verse 15,16.) So where is your happiness then? I testify to you: if it were possible, you would gouge out your eyes and give them to me. So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? Blessed is the one who walks on the path of virtues, but only if they have reached the virtues. It is not enough to have turned away from vices, unless you embrace the best. For the beginnings of good pursuits are not as commendable as the ends.
Here he shows perplexity and amazement, and desires to learn of themselves the reason of their change. Who, says he, hath deceived you, and caused a difference in your disposition towards me? Are ye not the same who attended and ministered to me, counting me more precious than your own eyes? what then has happened? whence this dislike? whence this suspicion? Is it because I have told you the truth? You ought on this very account to pay me increased honor and attention; instead of which "I am become your enemy, because I tell you the truth,"-for I can find no other reason but this. Observe too what humbleness of mind appears in his defence of himself; he proves not by his conduct to them, but by theirs to him that his language could not possibly have proceeded from unkind feeling. For he says not; How is it supposable that one, who has been scourged and driven about, and ill-treated a thousand things for your sakes, should now have schemes against you? But he argues from what they had reason to boast of, saying, How can one who has been honored by you, and received as an Angel, repay you by conduct the very opposite?
The Medieval Church1 voice
In bewilderment and amazement he says: what has become of your former blessedness? That is, where has all that gone for which everyone called you blessed, as those devoted to your teacher? What is it now? What has your former blessedness turned into? Now I …
4 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
But he then rebukes them for their change of heart; hence he says, "Where is then your blessedness?" As if to say: Did not men think you blessed for honoring me and accepting my preaching? "Where is thy fear, thy fortitude, thy patience and the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Where is then the blessedness you spake of?....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Where, &c.--Of what value was your congratulation (so the Greek for "blessedness" expresses) of yourselves, on account of your having among you me, the messenger of the Gospel, considering how entirely you have veered about since?
Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? - Ye spake of should be in italics, there being no corresponding word in the Greek text. Perhaps there is not a sentence in the New Testament more variously translated than this. I shall give the original: τις ουν ην ὁ μακαρισμος ὑμων· What was then your blessedness! Or, How great was your happiness at that time! Or, What blessings did ye then pour on me! It is worthy of remark, that, instead of τις, what, ABCFG, several others, the older Syriac, the later Syriac in the margin, the Armenian, Vulgate, one copy of the Itala, and some of the fathers, have που, where; and ην, was, is omitted by ACD, several others, also the Vulgate, Itala, and the Latin fathers. According to these authorities the text should be read thus: Where then is your blessedness? Having renounced the Gospel, you have lost your happiness. What have your false teachers given you to compensate the loss of communion with God, or that Spirit of adoption, that Spirit of Christ, by which you cried Abba, Father! If, however, we understand the words as implying the benedictions they then heaped on the apostle, the sense will be sufficiently natural, and agree well with the concluding part of the verse; for I bear you record, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. You had then the strongest affection for me; you loved God, and you loved me for God’s sake, and were ready to give me the most unequivocal proof of your love. Dearer than one’s eyes, or to profess to give one’s eyes for the sake of a person, appears to have been a proverbial expression, intimating the highest tokens of the strongest affection. We find a similar form of speech in Terence, Adelphi, act iv., scene 5, ver. […]
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ποῦ | pou | Where | G4226 → | |
| οὖν | oun | then | G3767 → | 497 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μακαρισμὸς | makarismos | blessedness | G3108 → | |
| ὑμῶν; | humon | of you? | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| μαρτυρῶ | marturo | I bear witness | G3140 → | |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ὅτι, | hoti | that, | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| εἰ | ei | if | G1487 → | 508 times |
| δυνατόν, | dunaton | possible, | G1415 → | |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὀφθαλμοὺς | ophthalmous | eyes | G3788 → | |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἐξορύξαντες | exoruxantes | having gouged out | G1846 → | |
| ἐδώκατέ | edokate | you have given [them] | G1325 → | 412 times |
| μοι. | moi | to me. | G3165 → | 1936 times |
ΠοῦWhere
pouG4226 →
οὖνthen
ounG3767 →497 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
μακαρισμὸςblessedness
makarismosG3108 →
ὑμῶν;of you?
humonG4771 →2973 times
μαρτυρῶI bear witness
marturoG3140 →
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ὑμῖνto you
huminG4771 →2973 times
ὅτι,that,
hotiG3754 →1292 times
εἰif
eiG1487 →508 times
δυνατόν,possible,
dunatonG1415 →
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
ὀφθαλμοὺςeyes
ophthalmousG3788 →
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
ἐξορύξαντεςhaving gouged out
exoruxantesG1846 →
ἐδώκατέyou have given [them]
edokateG1325 →412 times
μοι.to me.
moiG3165 →1936 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 5:2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:18
For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
- Ephesians 3:12
In Him and through faith in Him we may enter God’s presence with boldness and confidence.
- Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.
- 1 Corinthians 15:1
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, and in which you stand firm.
- 1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
- Ephesians 2:18
Through
Romans 9:3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood,
it leads to
- Exodus 32:32
Yet now, if You would only forgive their sin.... But if not, please blot me out of the book that You have written.”
- Exodus 32:32
Through
2 Corinthians 8:3For I testify that they gave according to their ability and even beyond it. Of their own accord,
it leads to
- Exodus 35:5
Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Let everyone whose heart is willing bring an offering to the LORD: gold, silver, and bronze;
- Exodus 35:29
So all the men and women of the Israelites whose hearts prompted them brought a freewill offering to the LORD for all the work that the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.
- Exodus 35:5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies21
About Galatians
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Gaius Marius Victorinus, EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 2.4.15-16; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Galatians; John Chrysostom, Homily on Galatians 4; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Oecumenius, Commentary on Galatians; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Galatians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Galatians.