Galatians · King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Galatians 4 King James Version (with Apocrypha)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
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;
1 Λέγω δέ, ἐφ᾽ ὅσον χρόνον ὁ κληρονόμος νήπιός ἐστιν, οὐδὲν διαφέρει δούλου, κύριος πάντων ὤν,
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
2 ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ ἐπιτρόπους ἐστὶ καὶ οἰκονόμους ἄχρι τῆς προθεσμίας τοῦ πατρός.
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
3 οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι, ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἦμεν δεδουλωμένοι·
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
4 ὅτε δὲ ἦλθε τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
5 ἵνα τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον ἐξαγοράσῃ, ἵνα τὴν υἱοθεσίαν ἀπολάβωμεν.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
6 Ὅτι δέ ἐστε υἱοί, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, κρᾶζον· ἀββᾶ ὁ πατήρ.
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
7 ὥστε οὐκέτι εἶ δοῦλος, ἀλλ᾽ υἱός· εἰ δὲ υἱός, καὶ κληρονόμος Θεοῦ διὰ Χριστοῦ.
8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
8 Ἀλλὰ τότε μὲν οὐκ εἰδότες Θεὸν ἐδουλεύσατε τοῖς μὴ φύσει οὖσι θεοῖς·
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?
9 νῦν δὲ γνόντες Θεόν, μᾶλλον δὲ γνωσθέντες ὑπὸ Θεοῦ, πῶς ἐπιστρέφετε πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀσθενῆ καὶ πτωχὰ στοιχεῖα, οἷς πάλιν ἄνωθεν δουλεύειν θέλετε;
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
10 ἡμέρας παρατηρεῖσθε καὶ μῆνας καὶ καιροὺς καὶ ἐνιαυτούς!
11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
11 φοβοῦμαι ὑμᾶς μήπως εἰκῆ κεκοπίακα εἰς ὑμᾶς.
12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.
12 Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ, ὅτι κἀγὼ ὡς ὑμεῖς, ἀδελφοί, δέομαι ὑμῶν. οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε.
13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
13 οἴδατε δὲ ὅτι δι᾽ ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν τὸ πρότερον,
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.
14 καὶ τὸν πειρασμόν μου τὸν ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου οὐκ ἐξουθενήσατε οὐδὲ ἐξεπτύσατε, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἄγγελον Θεοῦ ἐδέξασθέ με, ὡς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν.
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.
15 τίς οὖν ἦν ὁ μακαρισμὸς ὑμῶν; μαρτυρῶ γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι εἰ δυνατὸν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑμῶν ἐξορύξαντες ἂν ἐδώκατέ μοι.
16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
16 ὥστε ἐχθρὸς ὑμῶν γέγονα ἀληθεύων ὑμῖν;
17 They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
17 ζηλοῦσιν ὑμᾶς οὐ καλῶς, ἀλλὰ ἐκκλεῖσαι ὑμᾶς θέλουσιν, ἵνα αὐτοὺς ζηλοῦτε.
18 But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.
18 καλὸν δὲ τὸ ζηλοῦσθαι ἐν καλῷ πάντοτε καὶ μὴ μόνον ἐν τῷ παρεῖναί με πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
19 τεκνία μου, οὓς πάλιν ὠδίνω, ἄχρις οὗ μορφωθῇ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν!
20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
20 ἤθελον δὲ παρεῖναι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἄρτι καὶ ἀλλάξαι τὴν φωνήν μου, ὅτι ἀποροῦμαι ἐν ὑμῖν.
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
21 Λέγετέ μοι οἱ ὑπὸ νόμον θέλοντες εἶναι· τὸν νόμον οὐκ ἀκούετε;
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
22 γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι Ἀβραὰμ δύο υἱοὺς ἔσχεν, ἕνα ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης καὶ ἕνα ἐκ τῆς ἐλευθέρας.
23 But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.
23 ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης κατὰ σάρκα γεγέννηται, ὁ δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἐλευθέρας διὰ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας.
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.
24 ἅτινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμενα. αὗται γάρ εἰσι δύο διαθῆκαι, μία μὲν ἀπὸ ὄρους Σινᾶ, εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἄγαρ·
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
25 τὸ γὰρ Ἄγαρ Σινᾶ ὄρος ἐστὶν ἐν τῇ Ἀραβίᾳ, συστοιχεῖ δὲ τῇ νῦν Ἱερουσαλήμ, δουλεύει δὲ μετὰ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς·
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
26 ἡ δὲ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐλευθέρα ἐστίν, ἥτις ἐστὶ μήτηρ πάντων ἡμῶν.
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.
27 γέγραπται γάρ· εὐφράνθητι στεῖρα ἡ οὐ τίκτουσα, ῥῆξον καὶ βόησον ἡ οὐκ ὠδίνουσα· ὅτι πολλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐρήμου μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς ἐχούσης τὸν ἄνδρα.
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
28 ἡμεῖς δέ, ἀδελφοί, κατὰ Ἰσαὰκ ἐπαγγελίας τέκνα ἐσμέν.
29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.
29 ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ τότε ὁ κατὰ σάρκα γεννηθεὶς ἐδίωκε τὸν κατὰ πνεῦμα, οὕτω καὶ νῦν.
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.
30 ἀλλὰ τί λέγει ἡ γραφή; ἔκβαλε τὴν παιδίσκην καὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς· οὐ μὴ γὰρ κληρονομήσει ὁ υἱὸς τῆς παιδίσκης μετὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς ἐλευθέρας.
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
31 Ἄρα, ἀδελφοί, οὐκ ἐσμὲν παιδίσκης τέκνα, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐλευθέρας.
Cross references (30)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Galatians 4:23; Galatians 4:29; Genesis 24:2–3
- 3 Colossians 2:20; Colossians 2:8; Galatians 4:9; Galatians 2:4; Galatians 4:31–5:1
- 4 Isaiah 7:14; Mark 1:15; Romans 1:3; John 1:14; Matthew 1:23
- 5 Hebrews 9:15; Ephesians 1:5; 1 Peter 1:18–20; Ephesians 1:7; Galatians 3:13
- 6 Romans 8:15–17; Romans 5:5; Romans 8:9; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Ephesians 2:18
- 7 Galatians 3:29–4:2; Romans 8:16–17; Galatians 3:26; 1 Corinthians 3:21–23; Galatians 4:5–6
- 8 1 Corinthians 8:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:5; Ephesians 2:11–12; 1 Corinthians 10:19–20
- 9 1 Corinthians 8:3; Galatians 3:3; Romans 8:3; 1 John 5:20; 2 Peter 2:20
- 10 Colossians 2:16–17; Romans 14:5; Leviticus 23:1–44; Numbers 28:1–29; Leviticus 25:13
- 11 1 Thessalonians 3:5; Philippians 2:16; 2 John 8; Galatians 2:2; Galatians 4:20
- 12 2 Corinthians 2:5; 1 Kings 22:4; 1 Corinthians 9:20–23; Genesis 34:15; Galatians 6:14
- 13 1 Corinthians 2:3; 2 Corinthians 12:7–10; 2 Corinthians 11:30; 2 Corinthians 10:10; Galatians 1:6
- 14 Matthew 10:40; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 13:2; 2 Samuel 19:27; 2 Corinthians 5:20
- 15 Romans 5:2; Colossians 4:13; 1 John 3:16–18; Romans 9:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:13
- 16 Amos 5:10; Proverbs 9:8; John 8:45; Galatians 5:7; Psalm 141:5
- 17 2 Corinthians 11:13–15; Romans 16:18; 2 Peter 2:3; Matthew 23:15; 1 Corinthians 4:8
- 18 Philippians 2:12; Revelation 3:19; Philippians 1:27; Psalm 119:139; 1 Corinthians 15:58
- 19 Ephesians 4:13; Romans 13:14; Romans 8:29; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 4:12
- 20 1 Thessalonians 2:17–18; 1 Corinthians 4:19–21; 1 Thessalonians 3:9
- 21 Galatians 3:10; Romans 3:19; Matthew 22:29–32; Galatians 3:23–24; Galatians 4:9
- 22 Genesis 16:15; Genesis 21:10; Genesis 21:1–2; Genesis 16:2–4
- 23 Hebrews 11:11; Romans 9:7–8; Genesis 21:1–2; Genesis 18:10–14; Galatians 4:28–29
- 24 Genesis 21:9–13; Hosea 11:10; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Hebrews 10:15–18; Hebrews 12:24
- 25 Matthew 23:37; Galatians 1:17; Psalm 68:17; Psalm 68:8; Deuteronomy 33:2
- 26 Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 21:2; Philippians 3:20; Micah 4:1–2; Revelation 3:12
- 27 Isaiah 54:1–5; Psalm 113:9; Ruth 4:14–16; 1 Samuel 2:5; 1 Timothy 5:5
- 28 Galatians 4:23; Romans 9:8–9; Romans 4:13–18; Galatians 3:29; Acts 3:25
- 29 Genesis 21:9; Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:11; 1 Thessalonians 2:14–15; Galatians 4:23
- 30 Genesis 21:10–12; John 8:35; Romans 8:15–17; Galatians 3:22; Romans 4:3
- 31 Galatians 5:13; Galatians 5:1; John 8:36; John 1:12–13; 1 John 3:1–2
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… in what sense [God] says, "That is a people who was not a people; and she is beloved who was not beloved;" and in what sense He says that "more are the children of her that was desolate, than of her who possessed a husband." For in reference to these points, and others of a like nature, the apostle exclaims: …
For she had "been the wife of one man," had requited her parents, had guided her house piously, was "well-reported of for good works," had "brought up children," as often travailing in birth of them as she saw them swerving from Thee.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
For that He did come forth of the Virgin's flesh, He hath declared by speaking of "that which was conceived in her;" and Paul, by saying, "made of a woman;" whereby he stops the mouths of them that say, Christ came among us as through some conduit.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
For God sent forth His Son, says Paul, not made of a man and a woman, but made of a woman only, that is of a virgin.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… (di' ou) ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son," and "Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by (dia) the will of God;" and again, "Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God." And "like as Christ was raised up from the dead by (dia) the glory of …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)