Galatia 4:19

4:19 My children – I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you! ¹ 

Galatia 4:27

4:27 For it is written:

“Rejoice, O barren woman who does not bear children; ² 

break forth and shout, you who have no birth pains,

because the children of the desolate woman are more numerous

than those of the woman who has a husband.” ³ 

[4:19]  ¹ tn Grk “My children, for whom I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you.” The relative clauses in English do not pick up the emotional force of Paul’s language here (note “tone of voice” in v. 20, indicating that he is passionately concerned for them); hence, the translation has been altered slightly to capture the connotative power of Paul’s plea.

[4:19]  sn That is, until Christ’s nature or character is formed in them (see L&N 58.4).

[4:27]  ² tn The direct object “children” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for clarity. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[4:27]  ³ tn Grk “because more are the children of the barren one than of the one having a husband.”

[4:27]  sn A quotation from Isa 54:1.