Galatians 4:20
New International Version
how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

New Living Translation
I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you.

English Standard Version
I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Berean Standard Bible
how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.

Berean Literal Bible
I was wishing indeed to be present with you presently and to change my tone, because I am perplexed as to you.

King James Bible
I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

New King James Version
I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.

New American Standard Bible
but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone of voice, for I am at a loss about you!

NASB 1995
but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

NASB 1977
but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Legacy Standard Bible
but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.

Amplified Bible
how I wish that I were with you now and could change my tone, because I am perplexed in regard to you.

Christian Standard Bible
I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you.

American Standard Version
but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
I wish to be with you now and to change my tone, because I am dumbfounded at you.

Contemporary English Version
I wish I were with you now. Then I would not have to talk this way. You really have me puzzled.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I would willingly be present with you now, and change my voice: because I am ashamed for you.

English Revised Version
yea, I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I am perplexed about you.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I wish I were with you right now so that I could change the tone of my voice. I'm completely puzzled by what you've done!

Good News Translation
How I wish I were with you now, so that I could take a different attitude toward you. I am so worried about you!

International Standard Version
Indeed, I wish I were with you right now so that I could change the tone of my voice, because I am completely baffled by you!

Literal Standard Version
indeed I was wishing to be present with you now, and to change my voice, because I am in doubt about you.

Majority Standard Bible
how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.

New American Bible
I would like to be with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed because of you.

NET Bible
I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice, because I am perplexed about you.

New Revised Standard Version
I wish I were present with you now and could change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

New Heart English Bible
but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Webster's Bible Translation
I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

Weymouth New Testament
Would that I were with you and could change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

World English Bible
but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Young's Literal Translation
and I was wishing to be present with you now, and to change my voice, because I am in doubt about you.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Paul's Fears for the Galatians
19My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you. 21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?…

Cross References
Mark 6:20
because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard John's words, he was greatly perplexed; yet he listened to him gladly.

2 Corinthians 4:8
We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;


Treasury of Scripture

I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

to be.

1 Corinthians 4:19-21
But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power…

1 Thessalonians 2:17,18
But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire…

1 Thessalonians 3:9
For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;

stand in doubt of you.

Galatians 4:11
I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

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Change Changed Desire Doubt Perplexed Present Stand Tone Troubled Using Voice Wish Wishing
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Change Changed Desire Doubt Perplexed Present Stand Tone Troubled Using Voice Wish Wishing
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.














(20) I desire.--The Greek is not quite so definite: "I could indeed wish."

Change my voice.--Rather, change my tone; speak in terms less severe.

I stand in doubt of you.--Rather, as in the margin, I am perplexed about you--i.e., I do not know what to say to you--how I ought to deal with you so as to win you back from this defection. If the Apostle had been present, so as to see what effect his words were having, he would know what line to take. As it is, in writing to them he is at a loss, and fears to make matters worse instead of better.

Verse 20. - I desire to be present with you now (ἤθελον δὲ παρεῖναι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἄρτι); I could wish to be present with you this very hour. The δὲ marks here simply a transition to another thought, and, as is not unfrequently the case, and as our Authorized Version assumes, needs not to be represented in translation at all. Bishop Lightfoot writes, "But, speaking of my presence, I would I had been present," etc. But this explanation is not necessary. The imperfect verb ἤθελον, like the ἐβουλόμην of Acts 25:22 and the ηὐχόμην of Romans 9:3, denotes a movement as it were which had just been stirring in the mind, but which for good reasons is now withdrawn: "I could almost wish - but long distance and pressure of other duties make it impossible." Thus much in explanation of the withdrawal of the wish. The wish itself was occasioned by the feeling that the yearning desire of his soul might perhaps be more likely to be achieved if, by being on the spot, he were enabled to adapt his treatment to a more distinct consciousness of the circumstances than he can possibly now have. "To be present with you;" the very words are repeated from ver. 18. It was well both with you and with me when I was with you: would that I could be with van now I (On ἄρτι,," this very hour," see note on ch. 1:9.) And to change my voice (καὶ ἀλλάξαι τὴν φωνήν μου). The tense of the infinitive ἀλλάξαι hardly allows us to take the word as meaning "from moment to moment according to the rapidly varying emergencies." This would have been expressed rather by ἀλλάσσειν. The question then arises - Change: from what to what? to which a great variety of answers have been proposed. The clue is probably supplied in the words, "be present with you this very hour." This ἄρτι, contrasting as it does the very present with the former occasions on which the apostle had been with them, suggests that he meant that the tone of his utterance would need to be different if amongst them just now from what it had then been. Then, it was the simple, un-anxious, joyous, exposition of the blessed gospel, untrammelled by fear of being misunderstood; such a way of speaking as one would be naturally drawn on to pursue who found himself addressing those whom he could confide in, and who were disposed frankly and lovingly, with an honest and good heart, to drink in from his lips the simple faith. Perhaps he might now find it necessary to replace that mode of utterance by guarded words, by stern reasoning, by the refuting of wilful misconceptions, by exposing and abashing cavil and objection. For I stand in doubt of you; or, I am perplexed for you (ἀποροῦμαι γὰρ ἐν ὑμῖν); I am perplexed about you. Compare Θαῥῤῶ ἐν ὑμῖν, "I am in good courage concerning you" (2 Corinthians 7:16). As "in" the Corinthians the apostle found ground for good courage, so "in" the Galatians he found ground for perplexity. This explains his wishing that he were with them. He would in that case be less unable to clearly understand their state of mind.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
[how]
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

I wish
ἤθελον (ēthelon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design.

I could be
παρεῖναι (pareinai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 3918: From para and eimi; to be near, i.e. At hand; neuter present participle time being, or property.

with
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

you
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

now
ἄρτι (arti)
Adverb
Strong's 737: Now, just now, at this moment. Adverb from a derivative of airo through the idea of suspension; just now.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

change
ἀλλάξαι (allaxai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 236: To change, alter, exchange, transform. From allos; to make different.

my
μου (mou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

tone,
φωνήν (phōnēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5456: Probably akin to phaino through the idea of disclosure; a tone; by implication, an address, saying or language.

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

I am perplexed
ἀποροῦμαι (aporoumai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 639: From a compound of a and the base of poreuomai; to have no way out, i.e. Be at a loss.

about
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

you.
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.


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NT Letters: Galatians 4:20 But I could wish to be present (Gal. Ga)
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