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Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Myles Coverdale Bible

Galatians 4:20

I wolde I were wt you now, and coulde chauge my voyce, for I stode i doute of 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.
Easy-to-Read Version
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.
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.
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 litle children (of whom I trauayle in byrth agayne, vntyll Christ be fashioned in you) 20 I wolde I were wt you now, and coulde chauge my voyce, for I stode i doute of 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
And she proceaded forth, & bare his brother Abell. And Abell became a shepherde, but Cain became an hußbande man.
Genesis 4:4
And Abell brought also of the firstlinges of his shepe, and of ye fat of them. And the LORDE had respecte vnto Abell and to his offerynge:
Genesis 4:5
but vnto Cain and his offerynge he loked not. Then was Cain exceadinge wroth, and his countenaunce chaunged.
Genesis 4:9
Then sayde the LORDE vnto Cain: Where is Abell thy brother? He sayde: I can not tell. Am I my brothers keper?
Genesis 4:10
And he sayde: What hast thou done? The voyce of thy brothers bloude crieth vnto me out of the earth.
Genesis 4:11
And now shalt thou be cursed vpon the earth, which hath opened hir mouth, and receaued thy brothers bloude of thine hande.
Genesis 4:12
Whan thou tyllest ye grounde, she shall henßforth not geue hir power vnto the. A vagabunde and a rennagate shalt thou be vpon ye earth.
Genesis 4:21
And his brothers name was Iuball: Of him came they that occupied harpes & pypes.
Genesis 25:27
And whan the boies were growne vp, Esau became an hunter, & an hußbande man. As for Iacob, he was a symple man, and dwelt in the tentes.
John 8:44
Ye are of the father the deuell, and after the lustes of youre father wyl ye do. The same was a murthurer from the begynnynge, and abode not in the trueth: for the trueth is not in him. Whan he speaketh a lye, then speaketh he of his awne: for he is a lyar, and a father of the same.

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.


 
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