In Galatians 4:13–14, Paul says something interesting:

“You know it was because of a bodily condition that I preached the gospel to you the first time, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not despise or loathe me…”

Wait… what was this “bodily condition” Paul was talking about? Was he sick? Was it some kind of chronic illness?

Not exactly.

The Greek for “bodily illness”

The Greek word used here is astheneia, which simply means “without strength.” It can refer to physical weakness, sure—but it’s not strictly about being sick. It’s a general word that can mean weakness or frailty, either literal or figurative. Paul also says it was “of the flesh” (tes sarkos), meaning something visibly physical.

To figure this out, we need to look at the backstory—specifically Acts 13 and 14.

The Backstory

Here’s the timeline:

• Paul sails from Paphos to Perga (Acts 13:13).
• From there, he travels through Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe—all in Galatia.
• And in Acts 14:19–20, Paul is stoned in Lystra—literally dragged out of the city and left for dead.

That’s the context. Paul didn’t show up in Galatia looking like a polished preacher. He came bloodied, bruised, and barely alive—a man who had just been nearly stoned to death.

Why would they loathe and despise him?

If it was a “sickness”, was Galatians shunning off all sick people? Loathing and despising them? Surely it wasn’t COVID time there, right?

It is not sickness.

Now imagine that. A stranger walks into your town, barely walking, scarred up, maybe disfigured or limping. Most people might’ve been tempted to avoid him. He could’ve looked like a criminal, a runaway slave, a danger, or even a cursed man. In Roman society, harboring someone like that could’ve even brought suspicion on you.

But the Galatians? Paul says they didn’t despise or loathe him. They welcomed him. They saw beyond his broken body and received his message. They saw Christ in him.

So no—it wasn’t some mysterious sickness or eye disease. It was a man who had just been beaten and nearly killed, showing up to preach the gospel.

That’s why Paul was so grateful. And honestly, it reminds us not to judge by appearances, and to be the kind of people who see past the scars.