SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:13
Que vosotros sabis que por flaqueza de carne os anunci el Evangelio al principio;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:13
Verse 13. Ye know how through infirmity] The apostle seems to say that he was much afflicted in body when he first preached the Gospel to them. And is this any strange thing, that a minister, so labourious as St. Paul was, should be sometimes overdone and overcome by the severity of his labours? Surely not. This might have been only an occasional affliction, while labouring in that part of Asia Minor; and not a continual and incurable infirmity, as some have too hastily conjectured.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. Ye know how, through infirmity of the flesh , etc..] 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.
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
οιδατε 1492 5758 δε 1161 οτι 3754 δι 1223 ασθενειαν 769 της 3588 σαρκος 4561 ευηγγελισαμην 2097 5668 υμιν 5213 το 3588 προτερον 4386
Vincent's NT Word Studies
13. Ye know (oidate de). The A.V. omits de which is wanting in some Mss. De not oppositional as commonly explained: "Ye did not injure me, but on the contrary ye know, etc."; but introducing an explanation of ye did not injure me by reference to the fact that they might easily have been moved to do him wrong by the unfavorable circumstances under which he first preached the gospel to them (through infirmity of the flesh). The formulas oida de, oidamen de, oidate de, are habitually used by Paul to introduce an explanation of what precedes, from a new point of view. See Rom. ii. 2; iii. 19; xv. 29; Philip. iv. 15. The general sense therefore is: "Ye did not wrong me at all as you might easily have been moved to do; for (de) you know in what an unfavorable light my infirmities placed me when I first came among you."
Through infirmity (di asqeneian). On account of infirmity. Referring to the fact that Paul, in his first journey, was compelled by sickness to remain in Galatia, and preached to the Galatians during this enforced sojourn. This fact made their kindly reception the more commendable. 73 At the first (to proteron). Either generally, at an earlier time than the present (as John vi. 62; ix. 8; 1 Tim. i. 13), or the first time (as Hebrews vii. 27). Here in the latter sense. Paul had visited the Galatians twice before he wrote this letter.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:13 {Because of an infirmity of the flesh} (di' asqeneian tes sarkos). All that we can get from this statement is the fact that Paul's preaching to the Galatians "the first time" or "the former time" (to proteron, adverbial accusative) was due to sickness of some kind whether it was eye trouble (#4:15) which was a trial to them or to the thorn in the flesh (#2Co 12:7) we do not know. It can be interpreted as applying to North Galatia or to South Galatia if he had an attack of malaria on coming up from Perga. But the narrative in #Ac 13; 14 does not read as if Paul had planned to pass by Pisidia and by Lycaonia but for the attack of illness. The Galatians understood the allusion for Paul says "Ye know" (oidate).
