I am in travail

(ωδινω). I am in birth pangs. Old word for this powerful picture of pain. In N.T. only here, verse Galatians 4:27; Revelation 12:2.Until Christ be formed in you

(μεχρις ου μορφωθη Χριστος εν υμιν). Future temporal clause with μεχρις ου (until which time) and the first aorist passive subjunctive of μορφοω, late and rare verb, in Plutarch, not in LXX, not in papyri, only here in N.T. This figure is the embryo developing into the child. Paul boldly represents himself as again the mother with birth pangs over them. This is better than to suppose that the Galatians are pregnant mothers (Burton) by a reversal of the picture as in 1 Thessalonians 2:7.

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Old Testament