Galatians 3:4

Suffered. Or, “endured.” Like other Christians, the Galatians had undoubtedly suffered much because of their attachment to Christianity, although there is no record of it in the book of Acts. The Thessalonians experienced persecution (see 1 Thess. 2:14). In Gal. 4:29 Paul refers indirectly to the suffering that Christians were then enduring for the sake of the gospel.

In vain. If their former, Spirit-guided life had been a mistake, then all the suffering they had encountered as a result of it had been in vain. It was because of their belief in the atonement provided by Jesus that they had suffered persecution. Paul sincerely hoped this suffering had not been in vain, and that, even yet, the Galatians would recognize their mistake and return to their former loyalty.