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Galatians 4:17

15 What 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.

16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.

18 Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.

19 My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.
KJV
They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
WEB
They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them.
ASV
They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.
DARBY
They are not rightly zealous after you, but desire to shut you out [from us], that ye may be zealous after them.
BLB
They are zealous for you⁺, not nobly, but they want to exclude you⁺ [from us], so that you⁺ may be zealous for them.
ÅB
De legger seg etter dere med en iver som ikke er god; men de vil stenge dere ute, for at dere skal være ivrige for dem.
OTB
De er ivrige etter å vinne dere, men ikke for det gode. De ønsker å isolere dere, så dere kan være ivrige for dem.
B1930
De legger sig efter eder med en iver som ikke er god; men de vil stenge eder ute, forat I skal være ivrige for dem.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 2 Corinthians 11:13–15

    For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.

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  • Romans 16:18

    For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

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  • 2 Peter 2:3

    In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.

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  • Matthew 23:15

    Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

    Read in context

  • 1 Corinthians 4:8

    Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you!

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  • Romans 10:2

    For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge.

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  • Philippians 2:21

    For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

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  • 2 Peter 2:18

    With lofty but empty words, they appeal to the sensual passions of the flesh and entice those who are just escaping from others who live in error.

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