# Galatians 4.17-18

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**Book:** [Galatians](/codex/galatians/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 15. 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. 16. So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth?
>
> **17. They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them. 18. But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.**
>
> 19. My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you, 20. but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you. (Galatians 4:15-20, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 15. What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16. So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
>
> **17. They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them. 18. But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you.**
>
> 19. My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you, 20. but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. (Galatians 4:15-20, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 15. 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. <sup>Where: or, What was then</sup> 16. Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
>
> **17. They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. <sup>exclude you: or, exclude us</sup> 18. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.**
>
> 19. My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, 20. I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. <sup>I stand: or, I am perplexed for you</sup> <sup>I stand: or, I am perplexed for you</sup> (Galatians 4:15-20, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 15. what then was your happiness? for I testify to you, that if possible, your eyes having plucked out, ye would have given to me; 16. so that your enemy have I become, being true to you?
>
> **17. they are zealous for you, [yet] not well, but they wish to shut us out, that for them ye may be zealous; 18. and [it is] good to be zealously regarded, in what is good, at all times, and not only in my being present with you;**
>
> 19. my little children, of whom again I travail in birth, till Christ may be formed in you, 20. and I was wishing to be present with you now, and to change my voice, because I am in doubt about you. (Galatians 4:15-20, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Lexicon:**

- [G2205 - zelos](/codex/g2205-zelos/)
- [H7065 - qana](/codex/h7065-qana/), via [Galatians 4.18](/codex/galatians-4-18/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.