Galatians 4:1-11

New American Standard Bible 1995

Sonship in Christ

4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a ^[a]child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is ^[b]owner of everything, ² but he is under guardians and ^[c]managers until the date set by the father. ³ So also we, while we were children, were held ^(A)in bondage under the ^[d](B)elemental things of the world. ⁴ But when ^(C)the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, ^(D)born of a woman, born ^(E)under ^[e]the Law, ⁵ so that He might redeem those who were under ^[f]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as ^(F)sons. ⁶ Because you are sons, ^(G)God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “^(H)Abba! Father!” ⁷ Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and ^(I)if a son, then an heir ^[g]through God.

⁸ However at that time, ^(J)when you did not know God, you were ^(K)slaves to ^(L)those which by nature are no gods. ⁹ But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be ^(M)known by God, ^(N)how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless ^[h](O)elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? ¹⁰ You ^(P)observe days and months and seasons and years. ¹¹ I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored ^[i]over you in vain.