SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:20
querría cierto estar ahora con vosotros, y mudar mi voz; porque estoy avergonzado de vosotros.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Galatians 4:20
Verse 20. I desire to be present with you] I wish to accommodate my doctrine to your state; I know not whether you need stronger reprehension, or to be dealt with more leniently. I stand in doubt of you.] I have doubts concerning your state; the progress of error and conviction among you, which I cannot fully know without being among you, This appears to be the apostle's meaning, and tends much to soften and render palatable the severity of his reproofs.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 20. I desire to be present with you now , etc..] His meaning is, either that be wished he was personally present among them; that he had but an opportunity of seeing them face to face, and telling them all his mind, and in such a manner as he could not in a single epistle; or that they would consider him, when they read this epistle, as if he was really among them; and as if they saw the concern of his mind, the agonies of his soul, the looks of his countenance, and heard the different tone of his voice: and to change my voice ; when present with them, either by a different way of preaching; that whereas before he preached the Gospel of the grace of God unto them, and his voice was charming to them like that of an angel, and even of Jesus Christ himself; but they having turned their backs upon it, and slighted it, he would now thunder out the law to them they seemed to be so fond of; even that voice of words, which when, the Israelites on Mount Sinai heard, entreated they might hear no more; as these Galatians also must when they heard the true voice of it, which is no other than a declaration of wrath, curse, and damnation; or by using a different way of speaking to them, as necessity might require, either softly or roughly, beseeching or chiding them, which might more move and affect them than an epistle could: for I stand in doubt of you , The Vulgate Latin reads it, I am confounded in you; and the Syriac, hymtd , I am stupefied; and to the same sense the Arabic. He was ashamed of them for their apostasy and degeneracy; he was amazed and astonished at their conduct; or, as the word may be rendered, be was perplexed on their account; he did not know what to think of them, and their state; sometimes he hoped well of them, at other times he was ready to despair; nor did he well know what course to take with them, whether to use them roughly or smoothly, and what arguments might be most proper and pertinent, in order to reclaim them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 19, 20 - The Galatians were ready to account the apostle their enemy, but he assures them he was their friend; he had the feelings of a paren toward them. He was in doubt as to their state, and was anxious to know the result of their present delusions. Nothing is so sure a proof tha a sinner has passed into a state of justification, as Christ being formed in him by the renewal of the Holy Spirit; but this cannot be hoped for, while men depend on the law for acceptance with God.
Greek Textus Receptus
ηθελον 2309 5707 δε 1161 παρειναι 3918 5750 προς 4314 υμας 5209 αρτι 737 και 2532 αλλαξαι 236 5658 την 3588 φωνην 5456 μου 3450 οτι 3754 απορουμαι 639 5731 εν 1722 υμιν 5213
Vincent's NT Word Studies
20. I desire (hqelon). Better, I could wish, the imperfect tense referring to a suppressed conditional clause, as if it were possible. Comp. Acts xxv. 22; Rom. ix. 3.
To change my voice (allaxai thn fwnhn mou). To address you, not with my former severity, so as to make you think me your enemy, but affectionately, as a mother speaks to her children, yet still telling them the truth (alhqeuwn).
I stand in doubt of you (aporoumai en umin). Lit. I am perplexed in you. For this use of ejn, comp. 2 Cor. vii. 16; Gal. i. 24. Paul's perplexity is conceived as taking place in the readers. For the verb, see on Mark vi. 20; 2 Cor. iv. 8. Paul means: "I am puzzled how to deal with you; how to find entrance to your hearts.
21-31. Paul now defends the principle of Christian freedom from the law by means of an allegorical interpretation of the history of Abraham's two sons. He meets the Jusaisers on their own Old Testament ground, going back to the statement of chapter iii. 7.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
4:20 {I could with} (eqelon). Imperfect active, I was wishing like Agrippa's use of eboulomen in #Ac 25:22, "I was just wishing. I was longing to be present with you just now (arti)." {To change my voice} (allaxai ten fwnen mou). Paul could put his heart into his voice. The pen stands between them. He knew the power of his voice on their hearts. He had tried it before. {I am perplexed} (aporoumai). I am at a loss and know not what to do. aporew is from a privative and poros, way. I am lost at this distance from you. {About you} (en humin). In your cases. For this use of en see #2Co 7:16; Ga 1:24.
