Galatians 4:14
New International Version
and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.

New Living Translation
But even though my condition tempted you to reject me, you did not despise me or turn me away. No, you took me in and cared for me as though I were an angel from God or even Christ Jesus himself.

English Standard Version
and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

Berean Standard Bible
And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.

Berean Literal Bible
And of your test in my flesh, you did not despise me nor reject me with contempt, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

King James Bible
And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

New King James Version
And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

New American Standard Bible
and you did not despise that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition, nor express contempt, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

NASB 1995
and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

NASB 1977
and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

Legacy Standard Bible
and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

Amplified Bible
and even though my physical condition was a trial to you, you did not regard it with contempt, or scorn and reject me; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus Himself.

Christian Standard Bible
You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you. On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus himself.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you. On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

American Standard Version
and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And you did not ridicule, neither did you loathe the trial of my flesh, but you received me as an Angel of God and as Yeshua The Messiah.

Contemporary English Version
My illness must have caused you some trouble, but you didn't hate me or turn me away because of it. You welcomed me as though I were one of God's angels or even Christ Jesus himself.

Douay-Rheims Bible
You despised not, nor rejected: but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

English Revised Version
and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Even though my illness was difficult for you, you didn't despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were God's messenger or Christ Jesus himself.

Good News Translation
But even though my physical condition was a great trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you received me as you would an angel from heaven; you received me as you would Christ Jesus.

International Standard Version
Even though my condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. On the contrary, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, or as if I were the Messiah Jesus.

Literal Standard Version
and you did not despise nor reject my trial that [is] in my flesh, but you received me as a messenger of God—as Christ Jesus;

Majority Standard Bible
And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.

New American Bible
and you did not show disdain or contempt because of the trial caused you by my physical condition, but rather you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

NET Bible
and though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God, as though I were Christ Jesus himself!

New Revised Standard Version
though my condition put you to the test, you did not scorn or despise me, but welcomed me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

New Heart English Bible
and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Webster's Bible Translation
And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Weymouth New Testament
and yet the bodily infirmity which was such a trial to you, you did not regard with contempt or loathing, but you received me as if I had been an angel of God or Christ Jesus Himself!

World English Bible
That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn’t despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Young's Literal Translation
and my trial that is in my flesh ye did not despise nor reject, but as a messenger of God ye did receive me -- as Christ Jesus;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Fears for the Galatians
13You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. 14And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself. 15What 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.…

Cross References
Matthew 10:40
He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.

Luke 10:16
Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me."

John 13:20
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me."

Galatians 3:26
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:13
You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.

Galatians 4:15
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.


Treasury of Scripture

And my temptation which was in my flesh you despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

ye.

Galatians 4:13
Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

Job 12:5
He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

Psalm 119:141
I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts.

an angel.

2 Samuel 14:17
Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.

2 Samuel 19:27
And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

Zechariah 12:8
In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.

as Christ.

Matthew 10:40
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

Matthew 18:5
And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

Matthew 25:40
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Jump to Previous
Angel Bodily Christ Condition Contempt Despise Despised Flesh Hearts Illness Infirmity Instead Jesus Loathing Messenger Opinion Poor Receive Received Regard Reject Rejected Scorn Shame Slight Temptation Treat Trial Trouble
Jump to Next
Angel Bodily Christ Condition Contempt Despise Despised Flesh Hearts Illness Infirmity Instead Jesus Loathing Messenger Opinion Poor Receive Received Regard Reject Rejected Scorn Shame Slight Temptation Treat Trial Trouble
Galatians 4
1. We were under the law till Christ came, as the heir is under the guardian till he be of age.
5. But Christ freed us from the law;
7. therefore we are servants no longer to it.
14. Paul remembers the Galatians' good will to him, and his to them;
22. and shows that we are the sons of Abraham by the freewoman.














(14) My temptation which was in my flesh.--The true reading is here, your temptation in my flesh--i.e., my bodily infirmities, which might have been a temptation to you to reject me. St. Paul seems to have suffered from grievous bodily infirmity, which he elsewhere (2Corinthians 12:7) describes as a "thorn (or rather, stake) in the flesh." The effects of this were seen in his personal appearance, which his enemies described as "mean" (2Corinthians 10:10); and he himself felt it as a corrective against any tendency to spiritual pride (2Corinthians 12:7). An attack of this malady came upon him during his visit to Galatia, and it was with health shattered by this that he first preached the gospel to the Galatians. Still, to their credit, they took no notice of it, and gave him the warmest possible reception. As to the nature of the malady referred to, see Notes on 2 Corinthians 12.

Despised not, nor rejected.--The second of these two words is stronger than would appear from the English version. It is used of the expression of physical disgust: ye despised not, nor loathed. The Apostle says that the Galatians did not despise "their temptation," meaning "the thing (malady) which they were tempted to despise."

Even as Christ Jesus.--You showed to the ambassador of Christ as much enthusiasm, as deep and ardent an affection, as you could have shown to Christ Himself.

Verse 14. - And my temptation which was in my flesh (καὶ τὸν πειρασμὸν ὑμῶν [Receptus, πειρασμόν μου τὸν] ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου) i and that which was a temptation for you in my flesh. "In my flesh;" that is, in my bodily appearance. Instead of ὑμῶν, the Textus Receptus gives μου τόν: but ὑμῶν is the reading of the best manuscripts, and, as the more difficult one, was the one most likely to be tampered with; it is accordingly accepted by recent editors with great unanimity. "My trial "would add to the sentence a tinge of pathetic self-commiseration. "Your trial" brings out the sentiment how greatly his affliction would be likely to indispose his hearers to listen to his message; it "tested" very severely the sincerity and depth of their religious sensibility. Ye despised not, nor rejected (οὐκ ἐξουθενήσατε οὐδὲ ἐξεπτύσατε); ye scorned not, nor loathed. The disfigurement on the apostle's person, whatever it was, did not detain their attention; they did not, at least not long, occupy themselves with indulging their feelings of ridicule or disgust; their sense of it got to be soon absorbed in their admiration of the apostle's character and in their delight in the heavenly message which he brought to them. The verb ἐξουθενέω, in the New Testament found only in St. Luke and St. Paul, means always, not merely "to despise," but to express contempt for a thing, "to scout" (comp. Luke 18:9; Luke 23:11; Acts 4:11; Romans 14:3, 10; 1 Corinthians 1:28; 1 Corinthians 6:4; 2 Corinthians 10:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:20). Grotius observes of ἐξεπτύσατε that it is a figurative expression drawn from our spitting out of our mouth what greatly offends our taste; quoting Catullus ('Carm.' 50, 'Ad Lic.'): "Precesque nostras, Oramus, ne despuas." Critics have remarked that ἐκπτύειν, which is not found elsewhere used thus metaphorically as ἀποπτύειν is, is probably so applied here by the apostle to produce a kind of alliteration after ἐξουθενήσατε: as if it were "Non reprobastis, nec respuistis." But received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus (ἀλλ ὡς ἄγγελον Θεοῦ ἐδέξασθέ με ὡς Ξριστὸν Ἰησοῦν); but as an angel of God received ye me, as Christ Jesus. Their first feeling of aversation from his personal appearance gave place to emotions of delight in his message of which he seemed as it were the embodiment, and of reverential love and gratitude to himself. His manifest absorption in the glad tidings he brought, and in love to his Lord, irradiating his whole being with his unbounded benevolence and gladsomeness as the messenger of peace (Ephesians 2:17), was recognized by them with a response of unspeakable enthusiasm. A faint parallel is afforded by 1 Thessalonians 2:18.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

[although]
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

my
μου (mou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

[illness]
σαρκί (sarki)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4561: Flesh, body, human nature, materiality; kindred.

[was a] trial
πειρασμὸν (peirasmon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3986: From peirazo; a putting to proof (of good), experience (of evil), solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity.

to you,
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

you did not despise [me]
ἐξουθενήσατε (exouthenēsate)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1848: To set at naught, ignore, despise. A variation of exoudenoo and meaning the same.

[or]
οὐδὲ (oude)
Conjunction
Strong's 3761: Neither, nor, not even, and not. From ou and de; not however, i.e. Neither, nor, not even.

reject [me].
ἐξεπτύσατε (exeptysate)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1609: To spit out, disdain, reject, loathe. From ek and ptuo; to spit out, i.e. spurn.

Instead,
ἀλλὰ (alla)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

you welcomed
ἐδέξασθέ (edexasthe)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1209: To take, receive, accept, welcome. Middle voice of a primary verb; to receive.

me
με (me)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

as if [I were]
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

an angel
ἄγγελον (angelon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 32: From aggello; a messenger; especially an 'angel'; by implication, a pastor.

of God,
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

as if [I were]
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

Christ
Χριστὸν (Christon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547: Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.

Jesus [himself].
Ἰησοῦν (Iēsoun)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.


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NT Letters: Galatians 4:14 That which was a temptation to you (Gal. Ga)
Galatians 4:13
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