Sonship in Christ

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, but he is under guardians and [c]managers until the [d]date set by the father. So we too, when we were children, were held (A)in bondage under the [e](B)elementary principles of the world. But when (C)the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, (D)born of a woman, born (E)under [f]the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under [g]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as (F)sons and daughters. Because you are sons, (G)God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “(H)Abba! [h]Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and (I)if a son, then an heir [i]through God.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:1 Or minor
  2. Galatians 4:1 Lit lord
  3. Galatians 4:2 Or stewards
  4. Galatians 4:2 I.e., when the child is no longer a minor
  5. Galatians 4:3 Or rudimentary teachings
  6. Galatians 4:4 Or law
  7. Galatians 4:5 Or law
  8. Galatians 4:6 I.e., Paul’s translation of the Aramaic Abba
  9. Galatians 4:7 I.e., through the gracious act of

Sons and Heirs

I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave,[a] though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, (A)were enslaved to the elementary principles[b] of the world. But (B)when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, (C)born (D)of woman, born (E)under the law, (F)to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive (G)adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent (H)the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then (I)an heir through God.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:1 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verse 7
  2. Galatians 4:3 Or elemental spirits; also verse 9