Galatians 4
4
1Now I say that as long as the heir # 4:1 Nm 26:52–62 is a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the owner # 4:1 Col 3:22 of everything. 2Instead, he is under guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements # 4:3 Or spirits, or principles of the world. # 4:3 Rm 7:6; 2Pt 2:20 4When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, # 4:4 Jn 5:19; Heb 1:2 born of a woman, # 4:4 Gn 3:15; Lk 2:7; Php 2:7 born under the law, 5to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. # 4:5 Dt 14:1; Mt 5:9 6And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son # 4:6 Ac 16:7; Rm 5:5,20; 8:9,16; 2Co 3:17 into our # 4:6 Other mss read your hearts, crying, “Abba, # 4:6 Aramaic for father Father! ” # 4:6 Mk 14:36; Rm 8:15 7So you are no longer a slave # 4:7 Mt 10:24; Rv 1:1 but a son, # 4:7 Dt 14:1; Mt 5:9 and if a son, then God has made you an heir. # 4:7 Nm 26:52–62; Rm 4:14; 8:17
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians
8But in the past, since you didn’t know God, # 4:8 Jn 7:28; Php 3:8 you were enslaved to things # 4:8 Or beings that by nature are not gods. 9But now, since you know God, # 4:9 Pr 2:6; Php 3:8 or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless # 4:9 Mk 14:17; Rm 15:26 elements? # 4:9 Col 2:8 Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? 10You are observing special days, months, seasons, and years. # 4:10 Rm 14:5; Col 2:16 11I am fearful for you, that perhaps my labor for you has been wasted.
12I beg you, brothers and sisters: Become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have not wronged me; 13you know # 4:12–13 Or 12Become like I am, because I — inasmuch as you are brothers and sisters — am not requesting anything of you. You wronged me. 13 You know that previously I preached the gospel to you because of a weakness of the flesh. 14You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you. # 4:14 Other mss read me On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus himself.
15Where, then, is your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16So then, have I become your enemy because I told you the truth? # 4:16 Eph 4:15 17They court you eagerly, but not for good. They want to exclude you from me, so that you would pursue them. 18But it is always good to be pursued # 4:18 Lit zealously courted in a good manner — and not just when I am with you. 19My children, # 4:19 1Th 2:11 I am again suffering labor pains # 4:19 1Co 4:15; Jms 1:18 for you until Christ is formed in you. 20I would like to be with you right now and change my tone of voice, because I don’t know what to do about you.
Sarah and Hagar: Two Covenants
21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? 22For it is written that Abraham # 4:22 Gn 16:15; Jn 8:37; Heb 2:16 had two sons, one by a slave # 4:22 Rm 8:15,21; Heb 2:15 and the other by a free woman. 23But the one by the slave was born as a result of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born through promise. 24These things are being taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai # 4:24 Ex 16:1 and bears children into slavery — this is Hagar. # 4:24 Gn 16:1 25Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia # 4:25 Is 21:13; Jr 25:24; Ezk 27:21; Gl 1:17 and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, # 4:25 Mt 23:37; Ac 8:1 for she is in slavery with her children. 26But the Jerusalem above # 4:26 Heb 12:22; Rv 3:12; 21:2,10 is free, and she is our mother. 27For it is written, # 4:27 Ac 15:15
Rejoice, childless woman, # 4:27 Gn 11:30; Lk 1:7
unable to give birth.
Burst into song and shout,
you who are not in labor,
for the children of the desolate woman will be many,
more numerous than those
of the woman who has a husband. # 4:27 Is 54:1,# 4:27 Is 54:1
28Now you too, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, # 4:28 Ps 105:9; Jms 2:21 are children of promise. # 4:28 Gn 12:7; Rm 9:8; Gl 3:29 29But just as then the child born as a result of the flesh persecuted the one born as a result of the Spirit, # 4:29 Ps 51:11; Jn 1:33; Ac 2:4; Rm 8:9; Gl 5:25; Ti 3:5; Rv 3:22 so also now. # 4:29 Gn 21:9 30But what does the Scripture say? “Drive out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a coheir with the son of the free woman.” # 4:30 Gn 21:10,# 4:30 Gn 21:10 31Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave but of the free woman. # 4:31 1Pt 3:6
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Galatians 4
4
1Now I say this: for however much time as the yoresh (heir) has not attained his majority (the state or time of being of full legal age, or his religious majority, his Bar Mitzvah), he differs nothing from an eved, though being Ba'al Bayit of all the nachalah (inheritance). 2And he is under shomrim (guardians) and omnot (governesses) until the time previously appointed by the Ba'al Bayit. 3So also we, when we were immature, had been enslaved under the yesodot (rudiments) of the Olam Hazeh. 4But when the fullness of time had come, Hashem sent forth his Zun fun der Oybershter,#4:4 Moshiach, 2Sm 7:14; Ps 2:7; 89:27f born of an isha,#4:4 Gn 3:15; Isa 7:14; Mic 5:2 born under Gezetz (Law), 5That Moshiach might bring the Geulah (Redemption) to the ones under Gezetz (Law), that we might receive the Ma'amad HaBanim (the standing as sons), the bechirah adoption. 6And because you are banim, Hashem sent forth the Ruach of His Zun fun der Oybershter into your levavot, crying “Abba, Avinu!” 7So you are no longer an eved but a ben; and if a ben, also a yoresh through Hashem.
8But, formerly, when you did not have da'as (knowledge) of Hashem, you were avadim serving that which is by nature not HaEl Ha'Amiti (the true G-d). 9But, now, having known Hashem, or rather having been known by Hashem, how is it that you are returning to the weak and beggarly yesodot (rudiments) of the Olam Hazeh to which again you want to renew your service as avadim? 10You#4:10 Galatian Goyim observe yamim (days) and chodashim (months, new moons) and mo'adim (fixed times, festivals) and shanim. 11I fear for you, lest somehow efsher (perhaps) I have labored for you lashav (in vain).
12Become as I am, because I also became as you are, Achim B'Moshiach. I implore you. You did me no wrong. 13And you know that it was due to chulshat habasar (weakness of the flesh, sickness) that I first preached the Besuras HaGeulah to you, 14and your nisayon (trial) in my basar you did not despise nor did you loathe, but as a malach Hashem you received me, as Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua himself. 15Where then is your birkat Shomayim? For I testify to you that if possible, having torn out your eynayeem (eyes), you would have made a mattanah (gift) of them to me. 16So, then, have I become your oyev (enemy) by telling you HaEmes? 17They (the mohalim haGoyim) are zealously courting you, but not in a good way; rather, they desire to cut you off and shut you out, in order that you may be zealous for them. 18Now it is tov ma'od to be zealous in a good thing all the time, and not only during my presence with you. 19My yeladim, for whom again I suffer chevlei leydah (birth pains) until Moshiach is formed in you, 20Would that I were present with you just now and could change my tone, because I am baffled by you.
21Tell me, you Goyim who wish to be under Gezetz, do you not possess “shema” hearing of the Torah? 22For the Torah says that Avraham Avinu had shnei banim (two sons), one of shifchah (the slave woman) and one of the gevirah. 23But the one of the slave woman has been born according to the basar, and the one of the free woman has been born through the havtachah (promise). 24Now these things can be taken derech mashal (figuratively); for these are two beritot#4:24 see Ga 3:17 (covenants), one from Mount Sinai bearing banim for avdut (slavery, bondage): this is Hagar. 25Now, Hagar is the Mount Sinai in Arabia; and corresponds to the Yerushalayim of the present, for she is in avdut with her banim.#4:25 see 2C 3:14 26But the Yerushalayim above is a Bat Chorin (daughter of freedom), the Imma lechulanu (the Mother of us all).#4:26 Ps 87:5-6; Ex 25:40; Isa 49:20f; 54:1-13 27For it has been written, RANNI AKARAH LO YALADAH PITZCHI RINNAH V'TZAHALI LO CHALAH KI RABBIM BENEI SHOMEMAH MIB'NEI VE'ULAH (Sing, rejoice, O barren, the one not giving birth, break forth into song and shout for joy, the one not suffering birth pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than the one having the husband).#4:27 Isa 54:1 28But you, Achim b'Moshiach, are Bnei HaHavtacha (Sons of the Promise), like Yitzchak.#4:28 Gn 18:10 29But just as at that time the one born according to the basar was bringing redifah (persecution) on the one born according to the Ruach HaKodesh, so it is now also. 30But what does the Kitvei HaKodesh say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for never will the son of the slave woman inherit with my son, the son of the free woman.”#4:30 Gn 21:10 31Therefore, Achim B'Moshiach, we are not Bnei “HAAMAH” (Sons of the Slave Woman) but Bnei HaKhofshi'yah (Sons of Lady Freedom, the Freedwoman).
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