Galatians 4 · Verse 19

Galatians 4:19

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
Galatians 4:19, King James Version

Galatians 4:19 in other translations

BSBMy children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
WEBMy little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you—
ASVMy little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you—
YLTmy little children, of whom again I travail in birth, till Christ may be formed in you,
DARBYmy children, of whom I again travail in birth until Christ shall have been formed in you:
BBEMy children, of whom I am again in birth-pains till Christ is formed in you,
WebsterMy little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you,

What does Galatians 4:19 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
19. My little children--(1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 2:1; 1Jo 2:1). My relation to you is not merely that of one zealously courting you (Ga 4:17, 18), but that of a father to his children (1Co 4:15). I travail in birth--that is, like a mother in pain till the birth of her child. again--a second time. The former time was when I was "present with you" (Ga 4:18; compare Note, see on Ga 4:13). Christ be formed in you--that you may live nothing but Christ, and think nothing but Christ (Ga 2:20), and glory in nothing but Him, and His death, resurrection, and righteousness (Php 3:8-10; Col 1:27).

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 19. My little children. The language of tender affection, such as a parent would use towards his own offspring. 1Cor 4:15. Comp. Mt 18:3, Jn 13:33, 1Jn 2:1,12,13; 1Jn 4:4, 5:21. The idea here is, that Paul felt that he sustained towards them the relation of a father, and he had for them the deep and tender feelings of a parent.

Of whom I travail in birth again. For whose welfare I am deeply anxious; and for whom I endure deep anguish. Comp. 1Cor 4:15. His anxiety for them he compares to the deepest sufferings which human nature endures; and his language here is a striking illustration of what ministers of the gospel should feel, and do sometimes feel, in regard to their people.

Until Christ be formed in you. The name Christ is often used to denote his religion, or the principles of his gospel. Rom 13:14. Here it means, until Christ reigns wholly in your hearts; till you wholly and entirely embrace his doctrines; and till you become wholly imbued with his Spirit. See Col 1:27.

(b) "My little children" 1Cor 4:15

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 19 My little children - Τεκνια μου· My beloved children. As their conversion to God had been the fruit of much labor, prayers, and tears, so he felt them as his children, and peculiarly dear to him, because he had been the means of bringing them to the knowledge of the truth; therefore he represents himself as suffering the same anxiety and distress which he endured at first when he preached the Gospel to them, when their conversion to Christianity was a matter of great doubt and uncertainty. The metaphor which he uses needs no explanation. Until Christ be formed in you - Till you once more receive the Spirit and unction of Christ in your hearts, from which you are fallen, by your rejection of the spirit of the Gospel.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 4:19-20
The Galatians were ready to account the apostle their enemy, but he assures them he was their friend; he had the feelings of a parent toward them. He was in doubt as to their state, and was anxious to know the result of their present delusions. Nothing is so sure a proof that a sinner has passed into a state of justification, as Christ being formed in him by the renewal of the Holy Spirit; but this cannot be hoped for, while men depend on the law for acceptance with God.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Galatians 4:19 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.

τέκναteknaChildrenG5043
μου,mouof mine,G3165
οὓςhousof whomG3739
πάλινpalinagainG3825
ὠδίνωōdinōI travailG5605
μέχριςmechrisuntilG3360
οὗhouthatG3739
μορφωθῇmorphōthēamay have been formedG3445
ΧριστὸςChristosChristG5547
ἐνeninG1722
ὑμῖν.huminyou.G4771

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

Cross references for Galatians 4:19

  • Ephesians 4:13

    Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

  • Romans 13:14

    But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

  • Romans 8:29

    For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

  • Ephesians 4:24

    And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

  • Colossians 4:12

    Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

  • Colossians 3:10

    And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

  • Philippians 2:5

    Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

  • 1 Corinthians 4:14-15

    I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

  • James 1:18

    Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

  • Colossians 1:27

    To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

  • Numbers 11:11-12

    And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?

  • Philemon 1:10

    I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
little.
1Co 4:14; 1Ti 1:2; Tit 1:4; Phm 1:10,19; Jas 1:18; 1Jo 2:1,12; 5:21
of.
Nu 11:11,12; Isa 53:11; Lu 22:44; Php 1:8; 2:17; Col 2:1; 4:12
Heb 5:7; Re 12:1,2
Christ.
Ro 8:29; 13:14; Eph 4:24; Php 2:5; Col 1:27; 3:10

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

Context

  • Galatians 4:18

    But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

  • Galatians 4:19

    My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

  • Galatians 4:20

    I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

Read all of Galatians 4

Galatians 4:19 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Hijitos míos, que vuelvo otra vez á estar de parto de vosotros, hasta que Cristo sea formado en vosotros;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mes enfants, pour l’enfantement desquels je travaille de nouveau jusqu’à ce que Christ ait été formé en vous,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Meine Kindlein, um die ich abermals Geburtswehen habe, bis Christus in euch gestaltet worden ist;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Filioli mei, quos iterum parturio, donec formetur Christus in vobis: