SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:12
¶ Hermanos, os ruego, sed como yo, porque yo soy como vosotros; ningún agravio me habéis hecho.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:12
Verse 12. Be as I am] Thoroughly addicted to the Christian faith and worship, from the deepest conviction of its truth. For I am as ye are] I was formerly a Jew, and as zealously addicted to the rites and ceremonies of Judaism as ye are, but I am saved from that mean and unprofitable dependence: "Be therefore as I am now; who was once as you now are." Others think the sense to be this: "Be as affectionate to me as I am to you; for ye were once as loving to me as I am now to you." Ye have not injured me at all.] I do not thus earnestly entreat you to return to your Christian profession because your perversion has been any loss to me, nor because your conversion can be to me any gain: ye have not injured me at all, ye only injure yourselves; and I entreat you, through the intense love I bear to you, as my once beloved brethren in Christ Jesus, to return to him from whom ye have revolted.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am , etc..] Though they had gone so far backwards, yet still hoping well of them that they would he reclaimed, he styles them “brethren”: not in a carnal but spiritual relation, as being born of God, and belonging to his family; and out of his sincere and hearty love for them as his brethren in Christ, he exhorts them to be as he was; which some understand of affection, as desiring them to show the same love to him as to themselves, that he might be to them as another I, as a part of themselves; so true friendship makes, and true friends look upon each other to be, as Jonathan and David, and the first Christians were, of one heart and soul. But this phrase rather seems to have regard to likeness and imitation; and the sense is, that he would have them to be as he was, and do as he did; to be as free from the law, and the servitude and bondage of it, as he was; to reckon themselves dead unto it, as he did; and to relinquish the observance of days, and months, and times, and years, and any and every part of the ceremonial law, and to account all these things, as he had done, loss and dung for Christ; and this he presses, not in an authoritative way, laying his commands as an apostle upon them, but in a kind and gentle manner entreating them: and which he backs with the following reason or argument, for I am as ye are ; as your very selves; I have the same love for you, you have for yourselves; I love you as I do myself; this way go such interpreters that understand the exhortation to regard love and affection: but rather the meaning is, be as I am, and do as I do, “because I was as you are”; so the Syriac and Arabic versions read the words. Some think that the apostle particularly addresses the Jews in these churches; and that his sense is, that he was born a Jew, as they were, was brought up in the Jewish religion, and in the observance of these things, as they had been, and yet he had relinquished them, therefore would have them do so likewise: or rather his intention is, that he had been as zealous for the observation of the ceremonial law, and all the rituals of it, as they now were; and though he was a Jew by birth, and had had a Jewish education, and so had been prejudiced in favour of these things, yet he had renounced them all; and therefore they who were Gentiles, and were never under obligation to them, should never think of coming into bondage by them; and since he had accommodated himself to them, and had become all things to all, that he might gain some, whether Jews or Gentiles, so he hoped they would condescend to him, and follow his example: or this may have respect, not to his former but present state, according to our version; and the sense be, I am as you are, and you are as I am with respect to things spiritual; we are both alike in Christ, chosen in him, and redeemed by him; are equally regenerated by his Spirit, and are all the children of God by faith in him, and no more servants; are all equally Christ's free men, and have a right to the same privileges and immunities; and therefore be as I am, as free from observing the ceremonies of the law, and so from the bondage of it, since we are upon an equal foot, and upon the same foundation in Christ. Ye have not injured me at all ; what injury they had done was to God, whose will it was that these things should be abolished; and to Christ, who had broken down the middle wall of partition; and to the Gospel, which proclaimed liberty to the captives; and to their own souls, by entangling themselves with the yoke of bondage; but no personal private injury was done to the apostle by their compliance with the law. This he says, lest they should think that he spoke out of anger and resentment, and on account of any personal affront offered to him; which leads him to take notice of their former kindness and respect to him, and which he designs as a reason why they should pay the same deference to him now as then.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-18 - The apostle desires that they would be of one mind with him respectin the law of Moses, as well as united with him in love. In reprovin 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 laboure when he first came among them. But he notices, that he was a welcom 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 yourselve happy in receiving the gospel; have you now reason to think otherwise Christians must not forbear speaking the truth, for fear of offendin others. The false teachers who drew the Galatians from the truth of the gospel were designing men. They pretended affection, but they were no 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 zea was better maintained.
Greek Textus Receptus
γινεσθε 1096 5737 ως 5613 εγω 1473 οτι 3754 καγω 2504 ως 5613 υμεις 5210 αδελφοι 80 δεομαι 1189 5736 υμων 5216 ουδεν 3762 με 3165 ηδικησατε 91 5656
Vincent's NT Word Studies
12. Be as I am (ginesqe wv egw). Better, become as I am; free from the bondage of Jewish ordinances.
I am as ye are (kagw wv egw). Rather, I became. Supply ejgenomhn or gegona. Become as I am, for I became a Gentile like you. Comp.
Philip. iii. 7, 8. For the phrase ginesqai wJv to become as, see Matt. vi. 16; Rom. ix. 29; 1 Cor. iv. 13; ix. 20-22.
Ye have not injured me at all (ouden me hdikhsate). This translation misses the force of the aorist, and conveys a wrong impression, that Paul, up to this time, had received no wrong at the hands of the Galatians. This was not true. The reference is to his earlier relations with the Galatians, and is explained by vv. 13, 14. Rend. ye did not injure me at all. Ye did not injure me then, do not do so now.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:12 {Be as I am} (ginesqe hws egw). Present middle imperative, "Keep on becoming as I am." He will not give them over, afraid though he is.
