Galatians:4:8-20

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* But once , when you Gentiles had no knowledge of God , you were slaves to gods which have no real being . * Now , however , when you have come to know God , or rather to be known by God , how is it that you are beginning to turn back to those weak and beggarly externalities , eager to be in bondage to them again ? * You are scrupulous , are you , in observing "days " and "months " and "seasons " and "years "? * I am alarmed about you for fear lest I may have bestowed labor on you to no purpose . * Brothers , I beseech you , become as I am , because I also have become as you are . You never did me any wrong ; * on the contrary , you know that although it was illness which brought about my preaching the gospel to you at my first visit , * and although my bodily affliction was a trial to you , you did not scoff at it nor spurn me , but welcomed me like an angel of God , like Christ Jesus himself . * Why then did you account yourselves so happy ? (For I bear you witness that if you could you would have torn out your own eyes and given them to me .) * Am I then become your enemy , because I am telling you the truth ? * These men are courting your favor to no good purpose . They want to isolate you , so that you will be courting their favor . * It is always an honorable thing to have your favor sought in an honorable cause , always , and not only when I am with you . * O my little children , of whom I travail again in birth until Christ be formed within you ! * How I wish I could be with you now , that I might change my tone ; for I am perplexed about you .

---