Galatians 4:13

13 You know that I first preached the gospel to you because of an illness.

Galatians 4:13 Meaning and Commentary

Galatians 4:13

Ye know how, through infirmity of the flesh
Meaning either their infirmity, to which the apostle accommodated himself in preaching the Gospel to them, delivering it in such a manner as suited with their capacities, feeding them with milk, and not with strong meat; or his own infirmity, respecting either some particular bodily infirmity and disorder, as the headache, with which he is said to be greatly troubled; or the weakness of his bodily presence, the mean outward appearance he made, the contemptibleness of his voice, and the great humility with which he behaved; or rather the many reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions which attended him, when, says he,

I preached the Gospel unto you at the first;
not the law, but the Gospel; and this he did at his first entrance among them, and was the first that preached it to them, and was the means of their conversion; and therefore, being their spiritual Father, they ought to be as he was, and follow him as they had him for an example.

Galatians 4:13 In-Context

11 I'm afraid for you! Perhaps my hard work for you has been for nothing.

12 I beg you to be like me, brothers and sisters, because I have become like you! You haven't wronged me.

13 You know that I first preached the gospel to you because of an illness.

14 Though my poor health burdened you, you didn't look down on me or reject me, but you welcomed me as if I were an angel from God, or as if I were Christ Jesus!

15 Where then is the great attitude that you had? I swear that, if possible, you would have dug out your eyes and given them to me.