Passage

Galatians 4

Book: Galatians · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all; 2. but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father. 3. So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world: 4. but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5. that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6. And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7. So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. 8. Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods: 9. but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again? 10. Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years. 11. I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain. 12. I beseech you, brethren, become as I am, for I also am become as ye are. Ye did me no wrong: 13. but ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time: 14. and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15. Where then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16. So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth? 17. They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them. 18. But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you. 19. My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you, 20. but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you. 21. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22. For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman. 23. Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise. 24. Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar. 25. Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children. 26. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother. 27. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband. 28. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so also it is now. 30. Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. 31. Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman." (Galatians 4:1-31, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all; 2. but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father. 3. So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world. 4. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, 5. that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children. 6. And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” 7. So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 8. However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods. 9. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again? 10. You observe days, months, seasons, and years. 11. I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you. 12. I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong, 13. but you know that because of weakness of the flesh I preached the Good News to you the first time. 14. That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn’t despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15. What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16. So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17. They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them. 18. But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you. 19. My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you, 20. but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. 21. Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don’t you listen to the law? 22. For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman. 23. However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise. 24. These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar. 25. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children. 26. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27. For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear. Break out and shout, you that don’t travail. For more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband.” 28. Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29. But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30. However what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31. So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman." (Galatians 4:1-31, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2. But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: ^{elements: or, rudiments} 4. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 8. Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. 9. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? ^{turn ye again: or, turn ye back} ^{elements: or, rudiments} 10. Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. 12. Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all. 13. Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. 14. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. ^{Where: or, What was then} 16. Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? 17. They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. ^{exclude you: or, exclude us} 18. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. 19. My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, 20. I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. ^{I stand: or, I am perplexed for you} ^{I stand: or, I am perplexed for you} 21. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22. For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. ^{covenants: or, testaments} ^{Sinai: Gr. Sina} 25. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. ^{answereth to: or, is in the same rank with} 26. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." (Galatians 4:1-31, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant, being lord of all, 2. but is under tutors and stewards till the time appointed of the father, 3. so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude, 4. and when the fulness of time did come, God sent forth His Son, come of a woman, come under law, 5. that those under law he may redeem, that the adoption of sons we may receive; 6. and because ye are sons, God did send forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father!' 7. so that thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ. 8. But then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature gods, 9. and now, having known God, and rather being known by God, how turn ye again unto the weak and poor elements to which anew ye desire to be in servitude? 10. days ye observe, and months, and times, and years! 11. I am afraid of you, lest in vain I did labour toward you. 12. Become as I [am], because I also [am] as ye brethren, I beseech you; to me ye did no hurt, 13. and ye have known that through infirmity of the flesh I did proclaim good news to you at the first, 14. and my trial that [is] in my flesh ye did not despise nor reject, but as a messenger of God ye did receive me, as Christ Jesus; 15. what then was your happiness? for I testify to you, that if possible, your eyes having plucked out, ye would have given to me; 16. so that your enemy have I become, being true to you? 17. they are zealous for you, [yet] not well, but they wish to shut us out, that for them ye may be zealous; 18. and [it is] good to be zealously regarded, in what is good, at all times, and not only in my being present with you; 19. my little children, of whom again I travail in birth, till Christ may be formed in you, 20. and I was wishing to be present with you now, and to change my voice, because I am in doubt about you. 21. Tell me, ye who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear? 22. for it hath been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the maid-servant, and one by the free-woman, 23. but he who [is] of the maid-servant, according to flesh hath been, and he who [is] of the free-woman, through the promise; 24. which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from mount Sinai, to servitude bringing forth, which is Hagar; 25. for this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and doth correspond to the Jerusalem that now [is], and is in servitude with her children, 26. and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all, 27. for it hath been written, 'Rejoice, O barren, who art not bearing; break forth and cry, thou who art not travailing, because many [are] the children of the desolate, more than of her having the husband.' 28. And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise, 29. but as then he who was born according to the flesh did persecute him according to the spirit, so also now; 30. but what saith the Writing? 'Cast forth the maid-servant and her son, for the son of the maid-servant may not be heir with the son of the free-woman;' 31. then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant's children, but the free-woman's." (Galatians 4:1-31, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

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Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.