The Meaning of Galatians 4:11 Explained

Galatians 4:11

KJV: I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

YLT: I am afraid of you, lest in vain I did labour toward you.

Darby: I am afraid of you, lest indeed I have laboured in vain as to you.

ASV: I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I am afraid  of you,  lest  I have bestowed  upon  you  labour  in vain. 

What does Galatians 4:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Galatians 4:1-11 - Live As Sons, Not As Bondmen
The Apostle often uses the word elements or "rudiments," Galatians 4:3; Galatians 4:9; Colossians 2:8; Colossians 2:20. High and holy as was the Mosaic legislation in itself, yet when it was imposed upon inquiring minds as necessary to salvation, Paul spoke of it as belonging to an age that had passed away and to a system that was already antiquated. The whole purpose of God in sending forth His Son was to redeem us from under the Law, that we might enjoy the liberty and joy of the Father's home. We are no longer infants under age, or servants, but sons, and if sons, then heirs of God.
There is often a slavishness among professing Christians that is sadly out of keeping with their rightful position in Christ. Do not be scrupulous or over-anxious. Do not be punctilious. Live in your Father's house in constant freedom of heart. Remember that you are under the same roof as Christ, and are therefore allowed to avail yourself of all His grace and help. Refuse no task, however irksome, that God sets before you; and do not worry about irksome rules or petty vexations. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

Greek Commentary for Galatians 4:11

I am afraid of you [ποβουμαι υμας]
He shudders to think of it. [source]
Lest by any means I have bestowed labour upon you in vain [μη πως εικηι κεκοπιακα εις υμας]
Usual construction after a verb of fearing about what has actually happened A fear about the future would be expressed by the subjunctive. Paul fears that the worst has happened. [source]
I am afraid of you [φοβοῦμαι ὑμᾶς]
Not a felicitous translation, though retained by Rev. Rather, “I am afraid for you or concerning you.” The second ὑμᾶς is not attracted into the principal clause so as to read, “I am afraid lest I have bestowed labor,” etc. The two clauses are distinct. I am afraid about you: then the reason for the fear is added, lest I have bestowed, etc. [source]
Upon you [εἰς ὑμᾶς]
Lit. into you. The labor, though in vain, had born directly upon its object. See the same phrase Romans 16:6. [source]
In vain [εἰκῇ]
Comp. Galatians 3:4; 1 Corinthians 15:2, and εἰς tono purpose, Philemon 2:16; 2 Corinthians 6:1; Galatians 2:2; 1 Thessalonians 3:5. After all my labor, you may return to Judaism. Luther says: “These words of Paul breathe tears.” [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Galatians 4:11

Acts 18:7 Titus Justus [Τιτου Ιουστου]
So Aleph E Vulgate, while B has Τιτιαυ Ιουστου — Titiau Ioustou while most MSS. have only Ιουστου — Ioustou Evidently a Roman citizen and not Titus, brother of Luke, of Galatians 2:1. We had Barsabbas Justus (Acts 1:23) and Paul speaks of Jesus Justus (Corinthians Galatians 4:11). The Titii were a famous family of potters in Corinth. This Roman was a God-fearer whose house “joined hard to the synagogue” Periphrastic imperfect active of συνομορεω — sunomoreō a late (Byzantine) word, here only in the N.T., followed by the associative instrumental case, from συνομορος — sunomoros The lines are being drawn between the Christians and the Jews, drawn by the Jews themselves. [source]
Galatians 3:4 If it be indeed in vain [ει γε και εικηι]
On εικηι — eikēi see note on 1 Corinthians 15:2; note on Galatians 4:11. Paul clings to hope about them with alternative fears. [source]
Revelation 2:2 Labor [κόπον]
Originally suffering, weariness; hence exhausting labor. The kindred verb κοπιάω is often used of apostolic and ministerial labor (Romans 16:12; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Galatians 4:11). [source]

What do the individual words in Galatians 4:11 mean?

I fear for you lest perhaps in vain I have toiled for you
φοβοῦμαι ὑμᾶς μή πως εἰκῇ κεκοπίακα εἰς ὑμᾶς

φοβοῦμαι  I  fear 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 1st Person Singular
Root: φοβέομαι 
Sense: to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away).
ὑμᾶς  for  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
μή  lest 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μή 
Sense: no, not lest.
πως  perhaps 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πῶς  
Sense: how, in what way.
εἰκῇ  in  vain 
Parse: Adverb
Root: εἰκῇ  
Sense: inconsiderably, without purpose, without just cause.
κεκοπίακα  I  have  toiled 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: κοπιάω  
Sense: to grow weary, tired, exhausted (with toil or burdens or grief).