Galatians 4:17 “Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they…”

Galatians 4:17

Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.

World English Bible

They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them.

American Standard Version

They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.

Geneva Bible 1599

They are ielous ouer you amisse: yea, they woulde exclude you, that ye shoulde altogether loue them.

Darby Translation

They are not rightly zealous after you, but desire to shut you out [from us], that ye may be zealous after them.

Young's Literal Translation

they are zealous for you — [yet] not well, but they wish to shut us out, that for them ye may be zealous;

Bible in Basic English

Their interest in you is not good; but their desire is that you may be shut out, so that you may go after them.

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Cross references

“zealously”

Romans 16:18 2 Corinthians 11:13–15 2 Peter 2:3 Matthew 23:15 Romans 10:2 1 Corinthians 11:2

Romans 16:18 · BSB

For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

2 Corinthians 11:13–15 · BSB

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.

2 Peter 2:3 · BSB

In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.

Matthew 23:15 · BSB

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

Romans 10:2 · BSB

For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge.

1 Corinthians 11:2 · BSB

Now I commend you for remembering me in everything and for maintaining the traditions, just as I passed them on to you.

“exclude you”

1 Corinthians 4:8 1 Corinthians 4:18

1 Corinthians 4:8 · BSB

Already you have all you want. Already you have become rich. Without us, you have become kings. How I wish you really were kings, so that we might be kings with you!

1 Corinthians 4:18 · BSB

Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

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

18Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.

Read Galatians 4