Galatians 4:15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

◄ Galatians 4:15 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

English Standard Version
What then has become of the blessing you felt? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.

New American Standard Bible
Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

King James Bible
Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
What happened to this sense of being blessed you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

International Standard Version
What, then, happened to your positive attitude? For I testify that if it had been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

American Standard Version
Where then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Where is then your blessedness? For I bear you witness, that, if it could be done, you would have plucked out your own eyes, and would have given them to me.

Darby Bible Translation
What then was your blessedness? for I bear you witness that, if possible, plucking out your own eyes ye would have given them to me.

Young's Literal Translation
what then was your happiness? for I testify to you, that if possible, your eyes having plucked out, ye would have given to me;

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

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 welcome messenger to them. Yet how very uncertain are the favour and respect of men! Let us labour to be accepted of God. You once thought yourselves happy in receiving the gospel; have you now reason to think otherwise? Christians must not forbear speaking the truth, for fear of offending others. The false teachers who drew the Galatians from the truth of the gospel were designing men. They pretended affection, but they were not sincere and upright. An excellent rule is given. It is good to be zealous always in a good thing; not for a time only, or now and then, but always. Happy would it be for the church of Christ, if this zeal was better maintained.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

15. Where, &c.—Of what value was your congratulation (so the Greek for "blessedness" expresses) of yourselves, on account of your having among you me, the messenger of the Gospel, considering how entirely you have veered about since? Once you counted yourselves blessed in being favored with my ministry.

ye would have plucked out your own eyes—one of the dearest members of the body—so highly did you value me: a proverbial phrase for the greatest self-sacrifice (Mt 5:29). Conybeare and Howson think that this particular form of proverb was used with reference to a weakness in Paul's eyes, connected with a nervous frame, perhaps affected by the brightness of the vision described, Ac 22:11; 2Co 12:1-7. "You would have torn out your own eyes to supply the lack of mine." The divine power of Paul's words and works, contrasting with the feebleness of his person (2Co 10:10), powerfully at first impressed the Galatians, who had all the impulsiveness of the Celtic race from which they sprang. Subsequently they soon changed with the fickleness which is equally characteristic of Celts.