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

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”