Galatians · Young's Literal Translation
Galatians 4 Young's Literal Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant — being lord of all,
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 tutors and stewards till the time appointed of the father,
2 but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father.
3 so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude,
3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.
4 and when the fulness of time did come, God sent forth His Son, come of a woman, come under law,
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,
5 that those under law he may redeem, that the adoption of sons we may receive;
5 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as children.
6 and because ye are sons, God did send forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father!'
6 And because you are children, God sent out 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.
7 So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8 But then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature gods,
8 However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not 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?
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 days ye observe, and months, and times, and years!
10 You observe days, months, seasons, and years.
11 I am afraid of you, lest in vain I did labour toward you.
11 I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you.
12 Become as I [am] — because I also [am] as ye brethren, I beseech you; to me ye did no hurt,
12 I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,
13 and ye have known that through infirmity of the flesh I did proclaim good news to you at the first,
13 but you know that because of weakness in the flesh I preached the Good News to you the first time.
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;
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 then was your happiness? for I testify to you, that if possible, your eyes having plucked out, ye would have given to me;
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 that your enemy have I become, being true to you?
16 So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 they are zealous for you — [yet] not well, but they wish to shut us out, that for them ye may be zealous;
17 They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them.
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;
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 again I travail in birth, till Christ may be formed in you,
19 My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is 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.
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 who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear?
21 Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don’t you listen to the law?
22 for it hath been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the maid-servant, and one by the free-woman,
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the 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;
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 which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from mount Sinai, to servitude bringing forth, which is Hagar;
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 doth correspond to the Jerusalem that now [is], and is in servitude with her children,
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 and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all,
26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the 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.'
27 For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear. Break out and shout, you who don’t travail. For the desolate women have more children than her who has a husband.”
28 And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise,
28 Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, 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;
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 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;'
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 then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant's children, but the free-woman's.
31 So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman.
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)