Galatians 4
Amplified Bible
Sonship in Christ
4 Now what I mean [when I talk about children and their guardians] is this: as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave even though he is the [future owner and] master of all [the estate]; 2 but he is under [the authority of] guardians and household administrators or managers until the date set by his father [when he is of legal age]. 3 So also we [whether Jews or Gentiles], when we were children (spiritually immature), were kept like slaves under the elementary [man-made religious or philosophical] teachings of the world. 4 But when [in God’s plan] the proper time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the [regulations of the] Law, 5 so that He might redeem and liberate those who were under the Law, that we [who believe] might be adopted as sons [as God’s children with all rights as fully grown members of a family].(A) 6 And because you [really] are [His] sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, [a]“Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave (bond-servant), but a son; and if a son, then also an heir through [the gracious act of] God [through Christ].
8 But at that time, when you did not know [the true] God and were unacquainted with Him, you [Gentiles] were slaves to those [pagan] things which by [their very] nature were not and could not be gods at all. 9 Now, however, since you have come to know [the true] God [through personal experience], or rather to be known by God, how is it that you are turning back again to the weak and worthless elemental principles [of religions and philosophies], to which you want to be enslaved all over again? 10 [For example,] you observe [particular] days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [to the point of exhaustion] over you in vain.
12 Believers, I beg of you, become as I am [free from the bondage of Jewish ritualism and ordinances], for I have become as you are [a Gentile]. You did me no wrong [when I first came to you; do not do it now]. 13 On the contrary, you know that it was because of a physical illness that I [remained and] preached the gospel to you the first time; 14 and even though my physical condition was a trial to you, you did not regard it with contempt, or scorn and reject me; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus Himself. 15 What then has become of that sense of blessing and the joy that you once had [from your salvation and your relationship with Christ]? For I testify of you that, if possible, you would have torn out your own eyes and given them to me [[b]to replace mine]. 16 So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 These men [the Judaizers] eagerly seek you [to entrap you with honeyed words and attention, to win you over to their philosophy], not honorably [for their purpose is not honorable or worthy of consideration]. They want to isolate you [from us who oppose them] so that you will seek them. 18 Now it is always pleasant to be eagerly sought after [provided that it is] for a good purpose, and not just when I am with you [seeking you myself—but beware of the others doing it]. 19 My little children, for whom I am again in [the pains of] labor until Christ is [completely and permanently] formed within you— 20 how I wish that I were with you now and could change my tone, because I am perplexed in regard to you.
Bond and Free
21 Tell me, you who are bent on being under the Law, do you not listen to [what] the Law [really says]? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman [Hagar] and one by the free woman [Sarah].(B) 23 But the child of the slave woman was born according to the flesh and had an ordinary birth, while the son of the free woman was born in fulfillment of the promise. 24 Now these facts are about to be used [by me] as an allegory [that is, I will illustrate by using them]: for these women can represent two covenants: one [covenant originated] from Mount Sinai [where the Law was given] that bears children [destined] for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is (represents) Mount Sinai in Arabia and she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above [that is, the way of faith, represented by Sarah] is free; she is our mother. 27 For it is written [in the Scriptures],
“Rejoice, o barren woman who has not given birth;
Break forth into a [joyful] shout, you who are not in labor;
For the desolate woman has many more children
Than she who has a husband.”(C)
28 And we, [believing] brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children [not merely of physical descent, like Ishmael, but are children born] of promise [born miraculously]. 29 But as at that time the child [of ordinary birth] born according to the flesh persecuted the son who was born according to [the promise and working of] the Spirit, so it is now also.(D) 30 But what does the Scripture say?
“Cast out the bondwoman [Hagar] and her son [Ishmael],
For never shall the son of the bondwoman be heir and share the inheritance with the son of the free woman.”(E)
31 So then, believers, we [who are born again—reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] are not children of a slave woman [the natural], but of the free woman [the supernatural].
Footnotes
- Galatians 4:6 An Aramaic word used by small children when informally addressing their fathers.
- Galatians 4:15 Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” possibly afflicted his eyes in a visible way (see 2 Cor 12:7).
Galatians 4
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
4 What I am saying legō · de is that as long as epi the ho heir klēronomos is eimi a minor nēpios, he differs diapherō not at all oudeis from a slave, even though in fact eimi he owns kyrios the entire pas estate. 2 However alla, he remains eimi under hypo the care of guardians epitropē and kai managers oikonomos until achri the ho time determined prothesmia by his ho father patēr. 3 And kai so it is houtōs with us hēmeis. While hote we were eimi minors nēpios, we were eimi enslaved douloō to hypo the ho elementary stoicheion principles of the ho world kosmos. 4 But de when hote the ho fullness plērōma of ho time chronos had come erchomai, God theos sent forth exapostellō · ho · ho his autos Son hyios, born ginomai of ek a woman gynē, born ginomai under hypo law nomos, 5 to hina redeem exagorazō those ho who were under hypo law nomos, so that hina we might receive apolambanō · ho adoption as sons hyiothesia. 6 And de because hoti you are eimi sons hyios, God theos sent exapostellō · ho the ho Spirit pneuma of ho his autos Son hyios into eis · ho our hēmeis hearts kardia, who cries krazō out “ Abba abba! · ho Father patēr!” 7 So hōste you are eimi no longer ouketi a slave, but alla a son hyios; and de since ei you are a son hyios, then kai you are an heir klēronomos through dia God theos.
8 Formerly alla tote, when you did not ou know oida God theos, you were enslaved douleuō to those ho who eimi by nature physis are eimi not mē gods theos. 9 But de now nyn that you have come to know ginōskō God theos— or de rather mallon, are known ginōskō by hypo God theos— how pōs can you turn back epistrephō again palin to epi the ho feeble asthenēs and kai inferior ptōchos elementary principles stoicheion of the world ? How can you want thelō to be douleuō their hos slaves douleuō all over anōthen again palin? 10 You scrupulously observe paratēreō special days hēmera and kai months mēn and kai seasons kairos and kai years eniautos! 11 I am afraid phobeomai that pōs I may have labored kopiaō over eis you hymeis to no avail eikē.
12 Become ginomai as hōs I egō am, because hoti I kagō have become as hōs you hymeis are; I plead deomai with you hymeis, brothers adelphos. You have done adikeō me egō no oudeis wrong adikeō. 13 You know oida · de that hoti it was due to dia a physical sarx infirmity astheneia · ho that I preached the gospel euangelizō to you hymeis at ho first proteros; 14 and kai though my egō condition sarx was a ho trial peirasmos to you hymeis, · ho you did not ou despise exoutheneō or oude reject ekptyō me, but alla you welcomed dechomai me egō as hōs an angel angelos of God theos, as hōs though I were Christ Christos Jesus Iēsous. 15 What pou then oun became of the ho blessing makarismos you hymeis enjoyed? For gar I testify martyreō about you hymeis that hoti, if ei possible dynatos, you would have torn out exoryssō · ho your hymeis eyes ophthalmos and given didōmi them to me egō! 16 So then hōste, have I become ginomai your hymeis enemy echthros by telling you hymeis the truth alētheuō?
17 They zealously seek zēloō your hymeis favor, but for no ou good kalōs purpose . Rather alla, they want thelō to separate ekkleiō you hymeis from us so that hina you will seek zēloō them autos. 18 Now de to be zealous zēloō for en a good purpose kalos is always pantote good kalos, · kai not mē just monon when en I egō am present pareimi with pros you hymeis.
19 My egō little children teknon, for whom hos I am again palin in the pain of childbirth ōdinō until mechri Christ Christos is formed morphoō in en you hymeis, 20 I wish thelō · de I could be pareimi with pros you hymeis now arti and kai change allassō · ho my egō tone phōnē, for hoti I am perplexed aporeō about en you hymeis.
21 Tell legō me egō, you who ho want thelō to be eimi under hypo the law nomos, will you akouō not ou listen to akouō the ho law nomos? 22 For gar it is written graphō that hoti Abraham Abraam had echō two dyo sons hyios, one heis by ek the ho slave woman paidiskē and kai one heis by ek the ho free woman eleutheros. 23 The ho son by ek the ho slave paidiskē woman was born gennaō according kata to the flesh sarx, but de the ho son by ek the ho free woman eleutheros was born as the result of dia promise epangelia. 24 This hostis may be eimi interpreted allegorically allēgoreō, for gar these houtos women represent eimi two dyo covenants diathēkē. One heis is from apo Mount oros Sinai Sina, bearing children gennaō to be eis slaves douleia; she hostis is eimi Hagar Hagar. 25 · ho Now de Hagar Hagar represents eimi Mount oros Sinai Sina in en · ho Arabia Arabia and de corresponds to systoicheō the ho present nyn Jerusalem Ierousalēm, for gar she is in slavery douleuō with meta · ho her autos children teknon. 26 But de the ho Jerusalem Ierousalēm above anō is eimi the free eleutheros woman , and she hostis is eimi our hēmeis mother mētēr. 27 For gar it is written graphō, “ Rejoice euphrainō, O barren woman steira, you who ho bear no ou children tiktō; break forth rhēgnymi and kai cry aloud boaō, you who ho are not ou in the pain of childbirth ōdinō! For hoti the ho children teknon of the ho desolate erēmos will be more mallon in number polys than ē those ho of the woman who has echō a ho husband anēr. 28 But de you hymeis, my brothers adelphos, like kata Isaac Isaak, are eimi children teknon of promise epangelia. 29 But alla just as hōsper at that time tote the ho one who was born gennaō according to kata the flesh sarx persecuted diōkō the ho one who was born according to kata the Spirit pneuma, so houtōs also kai it is now nyn. 30 But alla what tis does the ho Scripture graphē say legō? “ Drive away ekballō the ho slave woman paidiskē and kai · ho her autos son hyios, for gar the ho son hyios of the ho slave woman paidiskē must not ou share the inheritance klēronomeō with meta the ho son hyios of the ho free woman eleutheros.” 31 So then dio, brothers adelphos, we are eimi not ou children teknon of a slave woman paidiskē but alla of the ho free woman eleutheros.
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