Galatians 4:18
in Galatians 4Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.
KJV
But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
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This verse in Galatians 4
Commentary
13 notes on this verse(Verse 17, 18.) They imitate you, but not in a good way: rather, they want to exclude you so that you may imitate them. But always imitate the good in what is good, and not only when I am present with you. Those imitate well who, when they see that others have gratitude, gifts, virtues, desire to possess those themselves: and they strive to imitate their faith, life, and industry through which they have earned those things, so that they may also attain those things which are worthy of good emulation.
This site's exposition
Those people are zealous for you
on Galatians 4:17-18
The Judaizing teachers court the Galatians zealously, but not well, aiming to exclude them from Paul's fellowship. Paul answers that zeal for a good thing is always right, so the fault lies in the object of the zeal.
This site's exposition
it is good to be zealous
Paul approves zeal itself. The fault in verse 17 was its aim, for those people wanted the Galatians zealous for them. Zeal for good should hold at any time, when Paul is with them and when he is away.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
No wonder indeed that on the apostle's departure … the Galatians were changed, since even now we witness the same occurrence in the church. For never was there a teacher in the church so distinguished in speech and life.… We see people busy with haste and fervor about alms, fasting, sexual abstinence, relief of the poor, taking care of graves, etc. But when he departs we see that they waste away and, from loss of their food, grow thin, pale and languid. Then follows the death of all that was thriving before.
Here he hints that his absence had been the cause of this, and that the true blessing was for disciples to hold right opinions not only in the presence but also in the absence of their master. But as they had not arrived at this point of perfection, he makes every effort to place them there.
He wishes to show that those who now are overturning them, and persuading them to observe to the law, and by this preparing them to become zealous imitators of it, had long ago envied them in the knowledge of the Gospel, when Paul was present …
The Medieval Church2 voices
But he rejects this when he says, "But be zealous for that which is good in a good thing always." As if to say: You ought not to be zealous for them in their teaching; but be zealous for a good teacher, i.e., for me …
Do you not see, he hints at the fact that they rivaled everyone in perfection when Paul was among them? And he also gives to understand that his absence gave rise to this evil. It would be excellent, he therefore says, if not only in …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But it is good to be zealously affected,.... A zealous affection when right is very commendable, as the instances of Phinehas, Elijah, John the Baptist, and our Lord Jesus Christ show, and a contrary spirit is very disagreeable.
That Christ is not fully formed in men till they are brought off from trusting in their own righteousness, and made to rely only upon him and his righteousness. As further evidence of the affection and concern which the apostle had for these Christians, he adds (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
My reason for saying the "not well" (Ga 4:17; the Greek is the same as that for "good," and "in a good cause," in Ga 4:28), is that their zealous courting of you is not in a good cause.
It is good to be zealously affected - It is well to have a determined mind and an ardent heart in reference to things which are laudable and good. Not only when I am present - You were thus attached to me when I was among you, but now ye have lost both your reverence and affection for me.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But it is good to be, zealously affected - The meaning of this is, “Understand me: I do not speak against zeal. I have not a word to say in its disparagement. In itself, it is good; and their zeal would be good if it were in a good cause.” Probably, they relied much on their zeal; perhaps they maintained, as errorists and deceivers are very apt to do, that zeal was sufficient evidence of the goodness of their cause, and that persons who are so very zealous could not possibly be bad men. How often is this plea set up by the friends of errorists and deceivers! And not only when I am present with you - It seems to me that there is great adroitness and great delicacy of irony in this remark; and that the apostle intends to remind them as gently as possible, that it would have been as well for them to have shown their zeal in a good cause when he was absent, as well as when he was with them. The sense may be, “You were exceedingly zealous in a good cause when I was with you. You loved the truth; you loved me. Since I left you, and as soon almost as I was out of your sight, your zeal died away, and your ardent love for me was transferred to others. Allow me to remind you, that it would be well to be zealous of good when I am away, as well as when I am with you. There is not much true affection in that which dies away as soon as a man’s back is turned.” The doctrine is, that true zeal or love will live alike when the object is near and when it is removed; when our friends are present with us, and when they leave us; when their eye is upon us, and when it is turned away.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καλὸν | kalon | Good [it is] | G2570 → | 101 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ζηλοῦσθαι | zelousthai | to be zealous | G2206 → | 11 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| καλῷ | kalo | a right [thing] | G2570 → | 101 times |
| πάντοτε, | pantote | at all times, | G3842 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| μόνον | monon | only | G3441 → | 110 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παρεῖναί | pareinai | being present | G3918 → | |
| με | me | me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| πρὸς | pros | with | G4314 → | 700 times |
| ὑμᾶς, | humas | you, | G4771 → | 2973 times |
καλὸνGood [it is]
kalonG2570 →101 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ζηλοῦσθαιto be zealous
zelousthaiG2206 →11 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
καλῷa right [thing]
kaloG2570 →101 times
πάντοτε,at all times,
pantoteG3842 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
μόνονonly
mononG3441 →110 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
παρεῖναίbeing present
pareinaiG3918 →
μεme
meG3165 →1936 times
πρὸςwith
prosG4314 →700 times
ὑμᾶς,you,
humasG4771 →2973 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
1 Corinthians 15:58Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
it leads to
- Galatians 6:9
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
- 2 Chronicles 15:7
But as for you, be strong; do not be discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.”
- Hebrews 6:10
For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
- Philippians 2:16
as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
- 1 Corinthians 3:8
He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.
- Galatians 6:9
Through
Philippians 2:12Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
it leads to
- 2 Peter 1:5–10
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;
- Luke 13:23–24
“Lord,” someone asked Him, “will only a few people be saved?” Jesus answered,
- 1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
- 2 Peter 1:5–10
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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Galatians; Jerome, EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 2.4.17-18; John Chrysostom, Homily on Galatians 4; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Galatians; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Galatians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Galatians.