Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, April 26th, 2025
Saturday in Easter Week
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Galatians 4:20

I wish I could be with you now. Then maybe I could change the way I am talking to you. Now I don't know what to do about you.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Love;   Thompson Chain Reference - Backsliding;   Deterioration-Development;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Galatians, the Epistle to the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Adoption;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Certainty (2);   Galatians Epistle to the;   Lycaonia ;   Marks Stigmata;   Timothy and Titus Epistles to;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Doubt;   Galatians, Epistle to the;  

Parallel Translations

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.
King James Version (1611)
I desire to bee present with you now, and to change my voyce, for I stand in doubt of you.
King James Version
I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
English Standard Version
I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed 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!
New Century Version
I wish I could be with you now and could change the way I am talking to you, because I do not know what to think 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.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.
Berean Standard Bible
how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about 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.
Complete Jewish Bible
I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone of voice. I don't know what to do with you.
Darby Translation
and I should wish to be present with you now, and change my voice, for I am perplexed as to you.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And I would I were with you nowe, that I might change my voyce: for I am in doubt of you.
George Lamsa Translation
I wish I could be with you now, and could change the tone of my voice; because I am deeply concerned about you.
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!
Lexham English Bible
But I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone because I am perplexed about you.
Literal Translation
even now I desired to be present with you and to change my voice, for I am in doubt as to 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.
Bible in Basic English
Truly my desire is to be present with you now, using a changed voice; for I am troubled about you.
Hebrew Names Version
but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed 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!
Etheridge Translation
I would be with you now, and change the sound of my voice, because I am astonished at you.
Murdock Translation
And I could wish to be now with you, and to change the tone of my voice; because I am astonished at you.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But I desire to be present with you nowe, and to chaunge my voyce: for I stande in doubt of 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.
World English Bible
but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
Weymouth's New Testament
Would that I were with you and could change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and Y wolde now be at you, and chaunge my vois, for Y am confoundid among you.
Update Bible Version
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.
New English Translation
I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice, because I am perplexed about 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 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.
New Life Bible
I wish I could be with you now. I wish I could speak to you in a more gentle voice, but I am troubled about you.
New Revised Standard
I wish I were present with you now and could change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
I could wish, however, to be present with you, even now, and to change my voice, - because I am perplexed regarding you.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I would willingly be present with you now and change my voice: because I am ashamed for you.
Revised Standard Version
I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I wolde I were with you now and coulde chaunge my voyce: for I stonde in a doute of 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.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I wolde I were wt you now, and coulde chauge my voyce, for I stode i doute of you.
Mace New Testament (1729)
I wish I could be present this very moment with you, and suit my discourse accordingly, for I stand in doubt what to think of you.
Simplified Cowboy Version
I wish I were there so I could help y'all. But as it is now, this is all I can do.

Contextual Overview

19 My little children, I am in pain again over you, like a mother giving birth. I will feel this pain until people can look at you and see Christ. 20 I wish I could be with you now. Then maybe I could change the way I am talking to you. Now I don't know what to do about you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

to be: 1 Corinthians 4:19-21, 1 Thessalonians 2:17, 1 Thessalonians 2:18, 1 Thessalonians 3:9

stand in doubt of you: or, am perplexed for you, Galatians 4:11

Reciprocal: 2 Corinthians 7:5 - fears Galatians 4:18 - I am Galatians 5:10 - confidence

Cross-References

Genesis 4:2
Eve gave birth again to Cain's brother Abel. Abel became a shepherd, and Cain became a farmer.
Genesis 4:5
But he did not accept Cain and his offering. Cain was sad because of this, and he became very angry.
Genesis 4:9
Later, the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" Cain answered, "I don't know. Is it my job to watch over my brother?"
Genesis 4:10
Then the Lord said, "What have you done? You killed your brother and the ground opened up to take his blood from your hands. Now his blood is shouting to me from the ground. So you will be cursed from this ground.
Genesis 4:12
Now when you work the soil, the ground will not help your plants grow. You will not have a home in this land. You will wander from place to place."
Genesis 4:21
Jabal was Jubal's brother. Jubal was the father of people who play the harp and flute.
Genesis 25:27
The boys grew up. Esau became a skilled hunter, who loved to be out in the fields. But Jacob was a quiet man, who stayed at home.
John 8:44
Your father is the devil. You belong to him. You want to do what he wants. He was a murderer from the beginning. He was always against the truth. There is no truth in him. He is like the lies he tells. Yes, the devil is a liar. He is the father of lies.
Hebrews 11:9
Abraham lived in the country that God promised to give him. He lived there like a visitor who did not belong. He did this because he had faith. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who also received the same promise from God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I desire to be present with you now,.... 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, דתמיה, "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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I desire to be present with you now - They had lost much by his absence; they had changed their views; they had in some measure become alienated from him; and he wishes that he might be again with them, as he was before. He would hope to accomplish much more by his personal presence than he could by letter.

And to change my voice - That is, from complaint and censure, to tones of entire confidence.

For I stand in doubt of you - Margin, “I am perplexed for you.” On the meaning of the word used here, see the note at 2 Corinthians 4:8. The sense is plain. Paul had much reason to doubt the sincerity and the solidity of their Christian principles, and he was deeply anxious on that account.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile