Galatas 4
Biblia Sacra Vulgata
4 Dico autem: quanto tempore haeres parvulus est, nihil differt a servo, cum sit dominus omnium:
2 sed sub tutoribus et actoribus est usque ad praefinitum tempus a patre:
3 ita et nos cum essemus parvuli, sub elementis mundi eramus servientes.
4 At ubi venit plenitudo temporis, misit Deus Filium suum factum ex muliere, factum sub lege,
5 ut eos, qui sub lege erant, redimeret, ut adoptionem filiorum reciperemus.
6 Quoniam autem estis filii, misit Deus Spiritum Filii sui in corda vestra, clamantem: Abba, Pater.
7 Itaque jam non est servus, sed filius: quod si filius, et haeres per Deum.
8 Sed tunc quidem ignorantes Deum, iis, qui natura non sunt dii, serviebatis.
9 Nunc autem cum cognoveritis Deum, immo cogniti sitis a Deo: quomodo convertimini iterum ad infirma et egena elementa, quibus denuo servire vultis?
10 Dies observatis, et menses, et tempora, et annos.
11 Timeo vos, ne forte sine causa laboraverim in vobis.
12 Estote sicut ego, quia et ego sicut vos: fratres, obsecro vos. Nihil me laesistis.
13 Scitis autem quia per infirmitatem carnis evangelizavi vobis jampridem: et tentationem vestram in carne mea
14 non sprevistis, neque respuistis: sed sicut angelum Dei excepistis me, sicut Christum Jesum.
15 Ubi est ergo beatitudo vestra? testimonium enim perhibeo vobis, quia, si fieri posset, oculos vestros eruissetis, et dedissetis mihi.
16 Ergo inimicus vobis factus sum, verum dicens vobis?
17 AEmulantur vos non bene: sed excludere vos volunt, ut illos aemulemini.
18 Bonum autem aemulamini in bono semper: et non tantum cum praesens sum apud vos.
19 Filioli mei, quos iterum parturio, donec formetur Christus in vobis:
20 vellem autem esse apud vos modo, et mutare vocem meam: quoniam confundor in vobis.
21 Dicite mihi qui sub lege vultis esse: legem non legistis?
22 Scriptum est enim: Quoniam Abraham duos filios habuit: unum de ancilla, et unum de libera.
23 Sed qui de ancilla, secundum carnem natus est: qui autem de libera, per repromissionem:
24 quae sunt per allegoriam dicta. Haec enim sunt duo testamenta. Unum quidem in monte Sina, in servitutem generans, quae est Agar:
25 Sina enim mons est in Arabia, qui conjunctus est ei quae nunc est Jerusalem, et servit cum filiis suis.
26 Illa autem, quae sursum est Jerusalem, libera est, quae est mater nostra.
27 Scriptum est enim: Laetare, sterilis, quae non paris; erumpe et clama, quae non parturis: quia multi filii desertae, magis quam ejus quae habet virum.
28 Nos autem, fratres, secundum Isaac promissionis filii sumus.
29 Sed quomodo tunc is, qui secundum carnem natus fuerat, persequebatur eum qui secundum spiritum: ita et nunc.
30 Sed quid dicit Scriptura? Ejice ancillam, et filium ejus: non enim haeres erit filius ancillae cum filio liberae.
31 Itaque, fratres, non sumus ancillae filii, sed liberae: qua libertate Christus nos liberavit.
Galatians 4
Common English Bible
4 I’m saying that as long as the heirs are minors, they are no different from slaves, though they really are the owners of everything. 2 However, they are placed under trustees and guardians until the date set by the parents. 3 In the same way, when we were minors, we were also enslaved by this world’s system. 4 But when the fulfillment of the time came, God sent his Son, born through a woman, and born under the Law. 5 This was so he could redeem those under the Law so that we could be adopted. 6 Because you are sons and daughters, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son or daughter, and if you are his child, then you are also an heir through God.
Paul’s concern for the Galatians
8 At the time, when you didn’t know God, you were enslaved by things that aren’t gods by nature. 9 But now, after knowing God (or rather, being known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless world system? Do you want to be slaves to it again? 10 You observe religious days and months and seasons and years. 11 I’m afraid for you! Perhaps my hard work for you has been for nothing.
12 I beg you to be like me, brothers and sisters, because I have become like you! You haven’t wronged me. 13 You know that I first preached the gospel to you because of an illness. 14 Though my poor health burdened you, you didn’t look down on me or reject me, but you welcomed me as if I were an angel from God, or as if I were Christ Jesus! 15 Where then is the great attitude that you had? I swear that, if possible, you would have dug out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 They are so concerned about you, though not with good intentions. Rather, they want to shut you out so that you would run after them. 18 However, it’s always good to have people concerned about you with good intentions, and not just when I’m there with you. 19 My little children, I’m going through labor pains again until Christ is formed in you. 20 But I wish I could be with you now and change how I sound, because I’m at a loss about you.
Slave versus free
21 Tell me—those of you who want to be under the Law—don’t you listen to the Law? 22 It’s written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. 23 The son by the slave woman was conceived the normal way, but the son by the free woman was conceived through a promise. 24 These things are an allegory: the women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, which gives birth to slave children; this is Hagar. 25 Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and she corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because the city is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27 It’s written:
Rejoice, barren woman, you who have not given birth.
Break out with a shout, you who have not suffered labor pains;
because the woman who has been deserted will have many more children
than the woman who has a husband.[a]
28 Brothers and sisters, you are children of the promise like Isaac. 29 But just as it was then, so it is now also: the one who was conceived the normal way harassed the one who was conceived by the Spirit. 30 But what does the scripture say? Throw out the slave woman and her son, because the slave woman’s son won’t share the inheritance with the free woman’s son.[b] 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we aren’t the slave woman’s children, but we are the free woman’s children.
Footnotes
Galatians 4
Tree of Life Version
Living as Heirs
4 Now I am saying, so long as the heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, even though he is the owner of everything. 2 Instead, he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were subservient to the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time came, God sent out His Son, born of a woman and born under law— 5 to free those under law, so we might receive adoption as sons. 6 Now because you are sons, God sent the Ruach of His Son into our hearts, who cries out, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave but a son—and if a son, also an heir through God. [a] 8 But at that time, when you did not know God, you served those who by nature are not gods at all. 9 But now you have come to know God—or rather you have come to be known by God. So how can you turn back again to those weak and worthless principles? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain!
12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong— 13 you know it was because of a physical ailment that I proclaimed the Good News to you the first time; 14 and though my physical condition was a trial to you, you did not hate or reject me. No, you welcomed me as a messenger of God—or even as Messiah Yeshua. 15 So where is your sense of joy? For I testify that you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me, if possible. 16 So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?! 17 Others zealously court you—not in a good way, but they wish to shut you out so that you will court them. 18 To be courted is good, but let it always be in a good way—and not just when I am there with you. 19 My dear children! Again I suffer labor pains until Messiah is formed in you. 20 I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, for I don’t know what to make of you.
Midrash on Abraham’s Two Sons
21 Tell me, you who want to be under Torah, don’t you understand[b] the Torah? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. [c] 23 But one—the son by the slave woman—was born naturally;[d] while the other—the son by the free woman—was through the promise. 24 Now these things are being treated allegorically, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, giving birth to slavery—this is Hagar. 25 But this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery along with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free—she is our mother. 27 For it is written:
“Rejoice, O barren woman
who bears no children.
Break forth and shout,
you who suffer no labor pains.
For more are the children of the desolate
than of the one who has a husband.”[e]
28 Now you, brothers and sisters—like Isaac, you are children of promise. 29 But just as at that time the one born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Ruach, so it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Drive out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son”[f] of the free woman. 31 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman.
Footnotes
- Galatians 4:8 Some mss. read heir of God through Messiah.
- Galatians 4:21 Or hear, listen to the law; cf. Deut. 6:4; 18:15; Exod. 24:7.
- Galatians 4:23 cf. Gen. 16:15; Gen. 21:2.
- Galatians 4:23 Lit. according to the flesh.
- Galatians 4:27 Isa. 54:1.
- Galatians 4:30 Gen. 21:10(LXX).
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.