Galatians 4
Lexham English Bible
No Longer Slaves But Sons and Heirs
4 Now I say, for as long a time as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he[a] is master of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the time set by his father. 3 So also we, when we were children, we were enslaved under the elemental spirits of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time came, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 in order that he might redeem those under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption. 6 And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba![b] (Father!),” 7 so that you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir through God.
Do Not Be Enslaved Again
8 But at that time when you[c] did not know God, you were enslaved to the things which by nature are not gods. 9 But now, because you have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to be enslaved to them[d] all over again? 10 You carefully observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest perhaps I have labored for you in vain! 12 I ask you, brothers, become like me, because I also have become like you. You have done me no wrong!
Paul’s Personal Appeal
13 But you know that because of an illness of the flesh I proclaimed the gospel to you the first time. 14 And you did not despise or disdain what was a trial for you in my flesh, but you welcomed me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus. 15 So where is your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me! 16 So then, have I become your enemy by[e] being truthful to you? 17 They zealously seek you, not commendably, but they want to exclude you, in order that you may seek them zealously. 18 But it is good to be sought zealously in good at all times, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My children, for whom I am having birth pains again, until Christ is formed in you! 20 But I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone because I am perplexed about you.
Hagar and Sarah Represent Two Covenants
21 Tell me, you who are wanting to be under the law, do you not understand[f] the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the female slave and one by the free woman. 23 But the one by the female slave was born according to human descent, and the one by the free woman through the promise, 24 which things are spoken allegorically, for these women are two covenants, one from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery, who is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is a slave with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother. 27 For it is written,
“Rejoice, O barren woman, who does not give birth to children;
burst out and shout, you who do not have birth pains,
because many are the children of the desolate woman,
even more than those of the one who has a husband.”[g]
28 But you, brothers, are children of the promise, just as Isaac. 29 But just as at that time the child born according to human descent persecuted the child born according to the Spirit, so also now. 30 But what does the scripture say? “Drive out the female slave and her son, for the son of the female slave will never inherit with the son”[h] of the free woman. 31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the female slave but of the free woman.
Footnotes
- Galatians 4:1 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“is”) which is understood as concessive
- Galatians 4:6 “Abba” is Aramaic for “father”
- Galatians 4:8 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“know”) which is understood as temporal
- Galatians 4:9 Literally “to whom”
- Galatians 4:16 Here “by” is supplied as a component of the participle (“being truthful”) which is understood as means
- Galatians 4:21 Literally “hear”
- Galatians 4:27 A quotation from Isa 54:1
- Galatians 4:30 A quotation from Gen 21:10, which does not include the words “of the free woman”
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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