SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:18
Bueno es ser celosos en bien siempre; y no solamente cuando estoy presente con vosotros.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:18
Verse 18. It is good to be zealously affected] It is well to have a determined mind and an ardent heart in reference to things which are laudable and good. Not only when I am present] You were thus attached to me when I was among you, but now ye have lost both your reverence and affection for me. Your false teachers pretended great concern for you, that you might put all your confidence in them; they have gained their end; they have estranged you from me, and got you to renounce the Gospel, and have brought you again into your former bondage.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. But it is good to be zealously affected , etc..] A zealous affection when right is very commendable, as the instances of Phinehas, Elijah, John the Baptist, and our Lord Jesus Christ show, and a contrary spirit is very disagreeable. But then it must be expressed in a good thing ; in a good cause, for God, and the things of Christ; for the Gospel, and the ordinances of it, and for the discipline of God's house, and against immorality and profaneness, errors and heresies: and it should be always; not at certain times, and upon some particular accounts, but it should be constant, and always continue; it should be ever the same towards God, Christ, and his ministers: and not only when I am present with you ; by which the apostle suggests, that while he was with them they were zealously attached to him and truth; but no sooner was he gone from them, but their zealous affection abated, and was fixed on others, which discovered their weakness, fickleness, and inconstancy; whereas he was always the same to them, and bore the same love to them, as the following words show.
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
καλον 2570 δε 1161 το 3588 ζηλουσθαι 2206 5745 εν 1722 καλω 2570 παντοτε 3842 και 2532 μη 3361 μονον 3440 εν 1722 τω 3588 παρειναι 3918 5750 με 3165 προς 4314 υμας 5209
Vincent's NT Word Studies
18. It is good - in a good thing. Zhlousqai to be zealously sought, in the same sense as before. It is passive. It is good for you Galatians to be zealously sought. In a good thing (en kalw) answers to ouj kalwv not honorably, verse 17. In a good matter - the interest of the gospel. Thus Paul would say: "These Judaisers zealously strive to win you over to their views; but they do not do this in an honorable way. There is no harm in seeking to interest and enlist you, provided it is in a good cause."
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:18 {To be zealously sought in a good matter} (zelousqai en kalwi). Present passive infinitive. It is only in an evil matter that it is bad as here (ou kalos). {When I am present} (en twi pareinai me). "In the being present as to me."
