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

Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles[a] of this world.

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.[b] And because we[c] are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”[d] Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.[e] And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:3 Or powers; also in 4:9.
  2. 4:5 Greek sons; also in 4:6.
  3. 4:6a Greek you.
  4. 4:6b Abba is an Aramaic term for “father.”
  5. 4:7 Greek son; also in 4:7b.