Focused Passage

Galatians 4:1-7

No Longer Slaves: Sonship, Pastoral Anguish, and Children of Promise

Paul moves from the temporary minority of heirs under guardians, to redemption and adoption through God's sent Son, to the Spirit's cry of sonship, then to pastoral anguish over the Galatians' regression, and finally to the contrast between slavery and promise through Hagar and Sarah.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything.

2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.

3 So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world.

4 But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.

6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

[What] δέ G1161 Conjunction I am saying [is that] Λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular as long as ἐφ’ G1909 Preposition . . . ὅσον G3745 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular . . . χρόνον G5550 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular heir κληρονόμος G2818 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a child νήπιός G3516 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular he is no different διαφέρει G1308 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . οὐδὲν G3762 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular from a slave δούλου G1401 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular [although] he is ὤν G1510 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular the owner κύριος G2962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular of everything πάντων G3956 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural
Verse 2

Original words

- ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction He is ἐστὶν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular subject to ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition guardians ἐπιτρόπους G2012 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction trustees οἰκονόμους G3623 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural until ἄχρι G891 Preposition the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular date set προθεσμίας G4287 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular by [his] τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular father πατρός G3962 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 3

Original words

So οὕτως G3779 Adverb also καὶ G2532 Conjunction when ὅτε G3753 Adverb we were ἦμεν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural children νήπιοι G3516 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural we ἡμεῖς G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural were ἤμεθα G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle - 1st Person Plural enslaved δεδουλωμένοι G1402 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural under ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural basic principles στοιχεῖα G4747 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular world κόσμου G2889 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • Or elemental forces; similarly in verse 9
Verse 4

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction when Ὅτε G3753 Adverb the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular time χρόνου G5550 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular {had} fully πλήρωμα G4138 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular come ἦλθεν G2064 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular sent ἐξαπέστειλεν G1821 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Son Υἱὸν G5207 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular born γενόμενον G1096 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Accusative Masculine Singular of ἐκ G1537 Preposition a woman γυναικός G1135 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular born γενόμενον G1096 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Accusative Masculine Singular under ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition [the] law νόμον G3551 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 5

Original words

- ἵνα G2443 Conjunction to redeem ἐξαγοράσῃ G1805 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular those τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural under ὑπὸ G5259 Preposition [the] law νόμον G3551 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular that ἵνα G2443 Conjunction we might receive ἀπολάβωμεν G618 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural [our] τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular adoption as sons υἱοθεσίαν G5206 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 6

Original words

And δέ G1161 Conjunction because Ὅτι G3754 Conjunction you are ἐστε G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural sons υἱοί G5207 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεὸς G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular sent ἐξαπέστειλεν G1821 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular Spirit Πνεῦμα G4151 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular of τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular Son Υἱοῦ G5207 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular into εἰς G1519 Preposition our ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural - τὰς G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Plural hearts καρδίας G2588 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural crying out κρᾶζον G2896 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Singular Abba Ἀββᾶ G5 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular - G3588 Article - Vocative Masculine Singular Father Πατήρ G3962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 7

Original words

So ὥστε G5620 Conjunction you are εἶ G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular no longer οὐκέτι G3765 Adverb a slave δοῦλος G1401 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction a son υἱός G5207 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular and δὲ G1161 Conjunction since [you are] εἰ G1487 Conjunction a son υἱός G5207 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular [you are] also καὶ G2532 Conjunction an heir κληρονόμος G2818 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular through διὰ G1223 Preposition God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.