Galatians 4:13

13 You know that the first time I brought you the Good News I was ill.

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. Maybe the hard work I spent on you has been wasted.

12 Brothers and sisters, I beg you to become like me. After all, I became like you were. You didn't do anything wrong to me.

13 You know that the first time I brought you the Good News I was ill.

14 Even though my illness was difficult for you, you didn't despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were God's messenger or Christ Jesus himself.

15 What happened to your positive attitude? It's a fact that if it had been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.