Galatians 4:19

My little children [τ ε κ ν ι α μ ο υ]. Only here in Paul, but often in John. See John 13:33; 1 John 2:1; 1 John 2:12; 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:7; 1 John 3:18, etc. 74 See on chapter Galatians 3:26.

I travail in birth again [π α λ ι ν ω δ ι ν ω]. Better as Rev. of whom I am again in travail. Wdinw only here and Revelation 12:2.Galatians 4:27 is a quotation. The metaphorical use of the word is frequent in O. T. See Psalms 7:14; Sir. 19 11; 31 5; 63 17; Micah 4:10; Isaiah 26:18; Isaiah 66:8. Paul means that he is for the second time laboring and distressed for the Galatian converts, with the same anguish which attended his first efforts for their conversion. The metaphor of begetting children in the gospel is found in 1 Corinthians 4:15; Philippians 1:10. It was a Jewish saying : "If one teaches the son of his neighbor the law, the Scripture reckons this the same as though he had begotten him."

Until Christ be formed in you [μ ε χ ρ ι ς ο υ μ ο ρ φ ω θ η χ ρ ι σ τ ο ς ε ν υ μ ι ν]. The forming of Christ in them, their attainment of the complete inner life of Christians, is the object of the new birth. By their relapse they have retarded this result and renewed Paul's spiritual travail. The verb morfoun N. T. o. The idea under different aspects is common. See Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 5:15; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 1:27.