Now I say that as long as the heir(A) is a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the owner(B) of everything. Instead, he is under guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements[a] of the world.(C) When the time came to completion, God sent his Son,(D) born of a woman,(E) born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.(F) And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son(G) into our[b] hearts, crying, “Abba,[c] Father!” (H) So you are no longer a slave(I) but a son,(J) and if a son, then God has made you an heir.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. 4:3 Or spirits, or principles
  2. 4:6 Other mss read your
  3. 4:6 Aramaic for father

No Longer Slaves But Sons and Heirs

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, but he is under guardians and managers until the time set by his father. So also we, when we were children, we were enslaved under the elemental spirits of the world. But when the fullness of time came, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order that he might redeem those under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption. And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba![b] (Father!),” so that you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir through God.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:1 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“is”) which is understood as concessive
  2. Galatians 4:6 “Abba” is Aramaic for “father”