Galatians 4 · Verse 13

Galatians 4:13

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

Galatians 4:13 in other translations

BSBYou know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.
WEBbut you know that because of weakness in the flesh I preached the Good News to you the first time.
ASVbut ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time:
YLTand ye have known that through infirmity of the flesh I did proclaim good news to you at the first,
DARBYBut ye know that in weakness of the flesh I announced the glad tidings to you at the first;
BBEBut you have knowledge that with a feeble body I was preaching the good news to you the first time;
WebsterYe know that in infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel to you at the first.

What does Galatians 4:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. how through infirmity--rather, as Greek, "Ye know that because of an infirmity of my flesh I preached," &c. He implies that bodily sickness, having detained him among them, contrary to his original intentions, was the occasion of his preaching the Gospel to them. at the first--literally, "at the former time"; implying that at the time of writing he had been twice in Galatia. See my Introduction; also see on Ga 4:16, and Ga 5:21. His sickness was probably the same as recurred more violently afterward, "the thorn in the flesh" (2Co 12:7), which also was overruled to good (2Co 12:9, 10), as the "infirmity of the flesh" here.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 13. Ye know how. To show them the folly of their embracing the new views which they had adopted, he reminds them of past times, and particularly of the strength of the attachment which they had evinced for him in former days.

Through infirmity of the flesh. Greek, Weakness, (ασθενειαν) Compare 1Cor 2:3; 2Cor 10:10; 2Cor 12:7.

(a) "through" 1Cor 2:3 (*) "infirmity" "in weakness"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Ye know how through infirmity - The apostle seems to say that he was much afflicted in body when he first preached the Gospel to them. And is this any strange thing, that a minister, so laborious as St. Paul was, should be sometimes overdone and overcome by the severity of his labors? Surely not. This might have been only an occasional affliction, while laboring in that part of Asia Minor; and not a continual and incurable infirmity, as some have too hastily conjectured.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 4:12-18

The apostle desires that they would be of one mind with him respecting the law of Moses, as well as united with him in love. In reproving others, we should take care to convince them that our reproofs are from sincere regard to the honour of God and religion and their welfare. The apostle reminds the Galatians of the difficulty under which he laboured when he first came among them. But he notices, that he was a…

Read the full comment on Galatians 4:12-18 →

Galatians 4:13 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

οἴδατεoidateYou know
δὲdenowG1161
ὅτιhotithatG3754
δι᾽di᾽inG1223
ἀσθένειανastheneianweaknessG769
τῆςtēsof theG3588
σαρκὸςsarkosfleshG4561
εὐηγγελισάμηνeuēngelisamēnI evangelisedG2097
ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771
τὸtoat theG3588
πρότερον,proteronfirst,G4387

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Galatians 4:13

  • 1 Corinthians 2:3

    And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

  • 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

    And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:30

    If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

  • 2 Corinthians 10:10

    For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

  • Galatians 1:6

    I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

  • 2 Corinthians 13:4

    For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:6

    But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

  • Acts 16:6

    Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
through.
1Co 2:3; 2Co 10:10; 11:6,30; 12:7-10; 13:4
at.
1:6; Ac 16:6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Galatians 4:12

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

  • Galatians 4:13

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

  • Galatians 4:14

    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.

Read all of Galatians 4

Galatians 4:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Que vosotros sabéis que por flaqueza de carne os anuncié el evangelio al principio:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		– et vous savez que dans l’infirmité de la chair je vous ai évangélisé au commencement;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ihr wisset aber, daß ich in Schwachheit des Fleisches euch ehedem das Evangelium verkündigt habe;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Scitis autem quia per infirmitatem carnis evangelizavi vobis jampridem: et tentationem vestram in carne mea