Galatians 4:15
New International Version
Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

New Living Translation
Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible.

English Standard Version
What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.

Berean Standard Bible
What then has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

Berean Literal Bible
What has become then of your blessedness? For I bear witness to you that, if possible, having gouged out your eyes, you would have given them to me.

King James Bible
Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

New King James Version
What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.

New American Standard Bible
Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I testify about you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

NASB 1995
Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

NASB 1977
Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness, that if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

Legacy Standard Bible
Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

Amplified Bible
What then has become of that sense of blessing and the joy that you once had [from your salvation and your relationship with Christ]? For I testify of you that, if possible, you would have torn out your own eyes and given them to me [to replace mine].

Christian Standard Bible
Where, then, is your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
What happened to this sense of being blessed you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

American Standard Version
Where then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Where is therefore your blessedness, for I testify of you that if it were possible, you would have plucked out and given your eyes to me?

Contemporary English Version
Where is that good feeling now? I am sure if it had been possible, you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Where is then your blessedness? For I bear you witness, that, if it could be done, you would have plucked out your own eyes, and would have given them to me.

English Revised Version
Where then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
What happened to your positive attitude? It's a fact that if it had been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

Good News Translation
You were so happy! What has happened? I myself can say that you would have taken out your own eyes, if you could, and given them to me.

International Standard Version
What, then, happened to your positive attitude? For I testify that if it had been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

Literal Standard Version
what then was your blessedness? For I testify to you, that if possible, having plucked out your eyes, you would have given [them] to me;

Majority Standard Bible
What then has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

New American Bible
Where now is that blessedness of yours? Indeed, I can testify to you that, if it had been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

NET Bible
Where then is your sense of happiness now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me!

New Revised Standard Version
What has become of the goodwill you felt? For I testify that, had it been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

New Heart English Bible
Where was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

Webster's Bible Translation
What then was the blessedness ye spoke of; for I bear you testimony, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

Weymouth New Testament
I ask you, then, what has become of your self-congratulations? For I bear you witness that had it been possible you would have torn out your own eyes and have given them to me.

World English Bible
What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

Young's Literal Translation
what then was your happiness? for I testify to you, that if possible, your eyes having plucked out, ye would have given to me;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Fears for the Galatians
14And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself. 15What then has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?…

Cross References
Galatians 4:14
And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.

Galatians 4:16
Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?


Treasury of Scripture

Where is then the blessedness you spoke of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

Where is.

Galatians 3:14
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Galatians 6:4
But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

I bear.

Romans 10:2
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

2 Corinthians 8:3
For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

Colossians 4:13
For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

if.

Galatians 4:19
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

Romans 9:3
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

1 Thessalonians 2:8
So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

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Bear Blessedness Blessing Condition Enjoyed Eyes Felt Happiness Happy Joy Plucked Possible Record Satisfaction Sense Testify Testimony Torn Witness
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Bear Blessedness Blessing Condition Enjoyed Eyes Felt Happiness Happy Joy Plucked Possible Record Satisfaction Sense Testify Testimony Torn Witness
Galatians 4
1. We were under the law till Christ came, as the heir is under the guardian till he be of age.
5. But Christ freed us from the law;
7. therefore we are servants no longer to it.
14. Paul remembers the Galatians' good will to him, and his to them;
22. and shows that we are the sons of Abraham by the freewoman.














(15) Where.--The reading of the Received text is "What," which, however, must be taken as if it were equivalent to "where," the reading which has the strongest attestation.

The blessedness ye spake of.--The Greek is a single word: your felicitation of yourselves; your boast of blessedness; or (as we should say) your boasted blessedness. What has become of all those loud assertions in which you were once heard declaring yourselves "blest" in the presence of the Apostle?

For.--You did declare yourselves blest; for, &c.

Ye would have plucked out your own eyes.--The word "own" should be struck out, and the emphasis laid on "eyes." The inference which has been drawn from this passage, that St. Paul suffered from an affection of the eyes, hardly seems to hold good. The "eyes" may be mentioned only as something peculiarly dear and precious. Comp. the Old Testament phrase, "to keep as the apple of an eye" (Deuteronomy 32:10; Psalm 17:8; Proverbs 7:2).

Verse 15. - Where is then (or, what was then) the blessedness ye spake of? (ποῦ οϋν [Receptus τίς οϋν η΅ν] ὁ μακαρισμὸς ὑμῶν;); where, then, is that gratulation of yourselves (or, of yours)? The reading, ποῦ οϋν, which is that of the best manuscripts, is now generally accepted in preference to that of the Textus Receptus, τίς οϋν η΅ν, in which, however, τίς οϋν stands on a higher footing of evidence than the remaining word η΅ν. This latter reading may be taken to mean: either, "Of what sort, then, was that gratulation of yours? "that is, what was its value in respect to the depth of conviction on which it was founded? - τίς being qualis, as Luke 10:22; Luke 19:3, etc., which would bring us to much the same result as ποῦ: or, "How great, then, was that gratulation of yours!" But the "then" (οϋν) comes in lamely; τότε ("at that time") would have been more in place; and, further, it is questionable whether the τίς of admiration ever occurs without the wonder taking a tinge of inquiry, as, for example, Mark 6:2; Luke 5:21; Colossians 1:27, which would be out of place here. With the more approved reading, ποῦ οϋν, the apostle asks, "What is, then, become of that gratulation of yourselves?" The "then" recites the fact, implied in the description given of their former behaviour, that they did once felicitate themselves on the apostle's having brought them the gospel. This is more directly brought into view in the words which follow. As the verb μακαρίζω means "pronounce happy," as Luke 1:48 and James 5:11, the substantive μακαρισμὸς denotes "pronouncing one to be happy;" as Romans 4:6, 9. So Clement of Rome ('Ad Cor.,' 50), who weaves the apostle's words into his own sentence with the same meaning. This felicitation must have been pronounced by the Galatians upon themselves, not upon the apostle; the apostle would have spoken of himself on the object of their εὐλογία, not of their μακαρισμός. For I bear you record (μαρτυρῶ γὰρ ὑμῖν); for I bear you witness; testify on your behalf; the phrase always denoting commendation (Romans 10:2; Colossians 4:13). Compare "Ye were running well," Galatians 5:3. The verb denotes a deliberate, almost solemn, averment. That, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me (ὅτι εἰ δυνατόν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑμῶν ἐξορύξαντες ἐδώκατέ [Receptus, α}ν ἐδώκατε] μοι,); that, if possible, ye had spirted out your eyes to give them to me. The phrase, ἐξορύσσειν ὀφθαλμούς, occurs in the Septuagint of Judges 16:21 and 1 Samuel 11:2, Hebrew, "bore out the eyes." The omission of the ἄν, which is rejected by recent editors, perhaps intimates the certainty and readiness with which they would have done it; but the particle occurs very sparingly in the New Testament as compared with classical Greek. There seems something strange in the specification of this particular form of evidencing zealous attachment. If there had otherwise appeared any question of making gifts, the apostle might have been construed to mean, "Ye were ready to give me anything, your very eyes even;" but this is not the case. Possibly the particular mention of "the Churches of Galatia" in 1 Corinthians 16:1 may have been occasioned by their having shown an especial readiness, even at the apostle's second sojourn among them, to take part in the collection referred to; or by their having been the first Churches he came to in that particular tour, the directions which he gave to them being given also to all the Churches he went on to visit; but on this point see Introd. p. 16. The tone of Galatians 6:6-10 does not betoken especial open-handedness on their part, unless, perhaps, the words, "let us not grow weary," hint at a liberality once displayed but now declined from. On the whole, this specification of "eyes" seems rather to point to there having been something amiss with the apostle's own eyes, either from ophthalmia or as the effect of personal outrage perpetrated upon him. It is especially deserving of notice how the apostle, in the two clauses of this verse, links together their joy in their newly found Christian blessedness with their grateful love to himself; the latter fact is adduced as proof of the former. Their gospel happiness, he feels, was indissolubly woven in with their attachment to him: if they let go their joy in Christ Jesus, as, apart from any qualification to be acquired by observances of the Law of Moses, their all-sufficient righteousness, they must also of necessity become estranged from him, who was nothing if not the exponent and herald to them of that happiness. This consideration is of great moment for the right understanding of the next verse.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
What
ποῦ (pou)
Adverb
Strong's 4226: Genitive case of an interrogative pronoun pos otherwise obsolete; as adverb of place; at what locality.

then [has become]
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

of your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

blessing?
μακαρισμὸς (makarismos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3108: Regarding as happy, blessed, or enviable. From makarizo; beatification, i.e. Attribution of good fortune.

For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

I can testify
μαρτυρῶ (martyrō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3140: To witness, bear witness, give evidence, testify, give a good report. From martus; to be a witness, i.e. Testify.

that,
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

if
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

[it were] possible,
δυνατὸν (dynaton)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1415: (a) of persons: powerful, able, (b) of things: possible. From dunamai; powerful or capable; neuter possible.

you would have torn out
ἐξορύξαντες (exoryxantes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1846: (a) I dig out, hence: I open up, (b) I gouge. From ek and orusso; to dig out, i.e. to extract, remove.

your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

eyes
ὀφθαλμοὺς (ophthalmous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3788: The eye; fig: the mind's eye. From optanomai; the eye; by implication, vision; figuratively, envy.

[and] given [them]
ἐδώκατέ (edōkate)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

to me.
μοι (moi)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.


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NT Letters: Galatians 4:15 What was the blessing you enjoyed? (Gal. Ga)
Galatians 4:14
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