GAL 4:12 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, magenta:vocative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT I beg you, brothers, become as I am, because I also became as you are. You did me no harm.

UST My fellow believers, I strongly urge you that you do as I do. Stop thinking that you have to obey the Jewish rules and ceremonial laws prescribed by the law of Moses. When I was with you, I did not obey all the Jewish rules and ceremonial laws, just like you did not obey them. At that time you treated me entirely as you should have.

BLB I implore you, brothers, become as I am, because I also have become as you. You have wronged me in nothing.

AICNT Become as I am, because I also am as you are, brothers, I beg of you. You have not wronged me;

OEB ¶ I entreat you, friends, to become like me, as I became like you. You have never done me any wrong.

WEBBE I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,

WMBB (Same as above)

NET I beg you, brothers and sisters, become like me, because I have become like you. You have done me no wrong!

LSV I implore you, brothers, become as I [am]—because I also [am] as you; you did not hurt me;

FBV I'm pleading with you, my friends: be like me, because I became like you.[fn] You've never treated me badly.

4:12 In other words, a “liberated Gentile.”

TCNT I plead with you, brothers: Become as I am, because I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong.

T4T My fellow believers, I strongly urge you that you do as I do. Stop thinking that you have to obey ◄Jewish rules and rituals/ceremonial laws►. When I was with you, I did not obey all the Jewish rules and rituals, just like you did not obey them.
¶ At that time you treated me entirely as you should have [LIT].

LEB I ask you, brothers, become like me, because I also have become like you. You have done me no wrong!

BBE My desire for you, brothers, is that you may be as I am, because I am as you are. You have done me no wrong;

Moff Do take my line, brothers, I beg of you — just as I once took yours. I have no complaint against you;

Wymth Brethren, become as I am, I beseech you; for I have also become like you. In no respect did you behave badly to me.

ASV I beseech you, brethren, become as I am, for I also am become as ye are. Ye did me no wrong:

DRA Be ye as I, because I also am as you: brethren, I beseech you: you have not injured me at all.

YLT Become as I [am] — because I also [am] as ye brethren, I beseech you; to me ye did no hurt,

Drby Be as I [am], for I also [am] as ye, brethren, I beseech you: ye have not at all wronged me.

RV I beseech you, brethren, be as I am, for I am as ye are. Ye did me no wrong:
(I beseech/implore you, brethren/brothers, be as I am, for I am as ye/you_all are. Ye/You_all did me no wrong: )

SLT Be ye as I, for I also as you, brethren, I pray you: ye injured me nothing.

Wbstr Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are : ye have not injured me at all.

KJB-1769 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
(Brethren, I beseech/implore you, be as I am; for I am as ye/you_all are: ye/you_all have not injured me at all. )

KJB-1611 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are, ye haue not iniured me at all.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Brethren, I besech you be as I am for I am as ye are. Ye haue not iniured me at all.
(Brethren, I besech you be as I am for I am as ye/you_all are. Ye/You_all have not injured me at all.)

Gnva Be ye as I (for I am euen as you) brethren, I beseech you: ye haue not hurt me at all.
(Be ye/you_all as I (for I am even as you) brethren/brothers, I beseech/implore you: ye/you_all have not hurt me at all. )

Cvdl Brethre I beseke you, be ye as I am, for I am as ye are. Ye haue not hurte me at all.
(Brethre I beseke you, be ye/you_all as I am, for I am as ye/you_all are. Ye/You_all have not hurt me at all.)

TNT Brethern I besech you be ye as I am: for I am as ye are. Ye have not hurte me at all.
(Brethern I besech you be ye/you_all as I am: for I am as ye/you_all are. Ye/You_all have not hurt me at all. )

Wycl Be ye as Y, for Y am as ye. Britheren, Y biseche you, ye han hurt me no thing.
(Be ye/you_all as I, for I am as ye/you_all. Britheren, I beseech/implore you, ye/you_all have hurt me no thing.)

Luth Seid doch wie ich, denn ich bin wie ihr. Liebe Brüder, ich bitte euch, ihr habt mir kein Leid getan.
(Are/Be though/but as/like I, because/than I am as/like you(pl)/their/her. love(n) brothers, I please you, you(pl)/their/her have to_me no/not sorrow did.)

ClVg Estote sicut ego, quia et ego sicut vos: fratres, obsecro vos. Nihil me læsistis.[fn]
(Estote like I, because and I like you(pl): brothers, I_beg you(pl). Nothing me læsistis. )

4.12 Estote sicut ego. Et ego qui legem habui, sum modo sine lege sicut vos debetis esse sine illa. Ego, inquam, qui cum Judæus natus sim, jam ista carnalia spirituali dijudicatione contemno. Quia, etc., sicut vos, etc. Homo sum qui de errore correctus sum et ita vos potestis corrigi. Fratres, obsecro. Aspere correctos recreat per bene gesta. Nihil me. Excusat se, quia pseudo dixerant Paulum Galatis inimicum nec voluisse eos docere, quæ in aliis ecclesiis prædicabat.

4.12 Estote like I. And I who/which the_law I_had, I_am just/only without lawfully like you(pl) you_must to_be without that. Ego, I_must_say, who/which when/with Yudahus born yes, already these_(ones) carnal_(things) spiritual to_judgeione contemno. Quia, etc., like you(pl), etc. Man I_am who/which from/about by_mistake correctus I_am and so/thus you(pl) can_you corrigi. Brothers, I_beg. Aspere correctos recreat through well deeds. Nothing me. Excusat himself, because pseudo dixerant Paulum Galatis enemy but_not voluisse them to_teach, which in/into/on to_others assemblies/churches was_preaching.

UGNT γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ, ὅτι κἀγὼ ὡς ὑμεῖς, ἀδελφοί, δέομαι ὑμῶν. οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε;
(ginesthe hōs egō, hoti kagō hōs humeis, adelfoi, deomai humōn. ouden me aʸdikaʸsate;)

SBL-GNT Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ, ὅτι κἀγὼ ὡς ὑμεῖς, ἀδελφοί, δέομαι ὑμῶν. οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε·
(Ginesthe hōs egō, hoti kagō hōs humeis, adelfoi, deomai humōn. ouden me aʸdikaʸsate;)

RP-GNT Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ, ὅτι κἀγὼ ὡς ὑμεῖς, ἀδελφοί, δέομαι ὑμῶν. Οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε·
(Ginesthe hōs egō, hoti kagō hōs humeis, adelfoi, deomai humōn. Ouden me aʸdikaʸsate;)

TC-GNT [fn]Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ, ὅτι κἀγὼ ὡς ὑμεῖς, ἀδελφοί, δέομαι ὑμῶν. Οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε·
(Ginesthe hōs egō, hoti kagō hōs humeis, adelfoi, deomai humōn. Ouden me aʸdikaʸsate; )

4:12 γινεσθε ¦ γεινεσθε TH

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:8–20: Paul begged the Galatians not to turn away from the true gospel

In this section, Paul again rebuked the Galatians for turning to the law and turning away from the true gospel. He begged them to change their thinking and their actions. He said that turning to the law put them back into the slavery that they were in before they knew Christ. He equated obeying the law with paganism. This is a startling and shocking comparison.

Paul appealed to the Galatians on the basis of the emotional bond between him and them. He reminded them of how that bond had developed and that it had resulted in their full acceptance of the true gospel. But now their turning away from the true gospel had perplexed him. He said that they were now like enemies because they followed the false teachers and had turned away from the true gospel.

But the false teachers were the real enemies. For selfish reasons, they taught the Galatians to add something to their faith. They taught them to obey the law. They were not working for the good of the Galatians.

Some possible headings for this section are:

The folly of turning to the law

Paul’s concern for the Galatians

4:12a

I beg you, brothers, become like me,

¶ Brothers, I beg you, be as I am,
¶ My friends, I plead with you to do as I do and not be slaves to the law,
¶ My fellow believers, please follow my example.

I beg you: The Greek word that the BSB translates as beg means “entreat” or “plead.” Paul used this word to strongly request the Galatians to do what he wanted them to do.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

I urge you (NKJV)

I plead with you (NIV)

I urgently ask you

Please

brothers: The word brothers refers to fellow believers. It includes both men and women. It shows Paul’s love and respect for the Galatian believers. He used this word to get their attention.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

My dear fellow believers

Friends (NRSV)

become like me: This clause states what Paul wanted the Galatians to do. He wanted them to be like him. Paul was no longer a slave to the law. Instead, he had freedom in Christ. He wanted them to be free, as he was.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

be as I am

follow my example

live as I do in freedom from these things (NLT)

do as I do and live free from the law

4:12b

for I became like you.

because I became like you^(plur) were.
I became like you were and am free from the law.

for: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as for introduces the basis for the command “become as I am.” Some other ways to translate this conjunction are:

because (NET)

I say this for this reason

In some languages, it will be more natural to state the basis of the command before the command. For example:

I became like you, so I beg you to become like me. (NCV)

I became like you: Paul became like the Galatians in the sense that he became free from slavery to the law of Moses. This happened when he met Christ and was converted.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

I have become like you Gentiles (NLT)

I became like you were (GW)

I have become like you Gentiles were—free from the law (NLT96)

4:12c

You have done me no wrong.

You^(plur) did not do anything bad to me.
You^(plur) did not cause me to suffer.
When I first came to you, you^(plur) treated me well.

You have done me no wrong: This clause means that the Galatians had not done anything bad to Paul in the past. They had not harmed him or caused him trouble. It refers to the time when he first preached the gospel to the Galatians. They showed much love for him.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

You did not cause me to suffer

You did not mistreat me when I first preached to you. (NLT)

You were very good to me before. (NCV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ἀδελφοί

brothers

See how you translated the word brothers in [1:2](../01/02.md) where it is used with the same meaning. Alternate translation: [brothers and sisters]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ, ὅτι κἀγὼ ὡς ὑμεῖς

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ ὅτι κἀγώ ὡς ὑμεῖς ἀδελφοί δέομαι ὑμῶν Οὐδέν μέ ἠδικήσατε)

Paul is asking the Galatian believers to become like himself and not act as if the law of Moses has authority over their lives. He says that formerly, when they did not obey the law of Moses, he had become like them and not obeyed all the rules prescribed it. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: [act like I act by not living your life as if you need to obey the law of Moses, because when I was with you did not obey all the rules and ceremonial laws prescribed in the law of Moses] or [become as I am by not acting as if you have to obey the law of Moses, because formerly I became as you were before you were deceived into thinking that you needed to obey the law of Moses]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ, ὅτι κἀγὼ ὡς ὑμεῖς

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ ὅτι κἀγώ ὡς ὑμεῖς ἀδελφοί δέομαι ὑμῶν Οὐδέν μέ ἠδικήσατε)

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: [because I became as you, you also should become as I am]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

κἀγὼ ὡς ὑμεῖς

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ ὅτι κἀγώ ὡς ὑμεῖς ἀδελφοί δέομαι ὑμῶν Οὐδέν μέ ἠδικήσατε)

Paul is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. Here, the implied words are became and are. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from the context.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / litotes

οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ ὅτι κἀγώ ὡς ὑμεῖς ἀδελφοί δέομαι ὑμῶν Οὐδέν μέ ἠδικήσατε)

Here Paul expresses a strong positive meaning by using a negative word together with a word that is the opposite of the intended meaning. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning positively. Alternate translation: [You treated me well]

Parallel GAL 4:12

Section 4:8–20: Paul begged the Galatians not to turn away from the true gospel

4:12a

4:12b

4:12c