^4:1Now I mean that the heir, as long as he is a minor,¹ is no different from a slave, though he is the owner² of everything. ^4:2But he is under guardians³ and managers until the date set by his⁴ father. ^4:3So also we, when we were minors,⁵ were enslaved under the basic forces⁶ of the world. ^4:4But when the appropriate time⁷ had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ^4:5to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights.⁸^4:6And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls⁹ “Abba!¹⁰ Father!” ^4:7So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are¹¹ a son, then you are also an heir through God.¹²

Heirs of Promise Are Not to Return to Law

^4:8Formerly when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods at all.¹³^4:9But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless¹⁴ basic forces?¹⁵ Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?¹⁶^4:10You are observing religious¹⁷ days and months and seasons and years. ^4:11I fear for you that my work for you may have been in vain. ^4:12I beg you, brothers and sisters,¹⁸ become like me, because I have become like you. You have done me no wrong!

Personal Appeal of Paul

^4:13But you know it was because of a physical illness that I first proclaimed the gospel to you, ^4:14and though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me.¹⁹ Instead, you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God,²⁰ as though I were Christ Jesus himself!²¹^4:15Where then is your sense of happiness²² now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me! ^4:16So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?²³

^4:17They court you eagerly,²⁴ but for no good purpose;²⁵ they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly.²⁶^4:18However, it is good²⁷ to be sought eagerly²⁸ for a good purpose²⁹ at all times, and not only when I am present with you. ^4:19My children—I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you!³⁰^4:20I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice,³¹ because I am perplexed about you.

An Appeal from Allegory

^4:21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand the law?³²^4:22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the³³ slave woman and the other by the free woman. ^4:23But one, the son by the slave woman, was born by natural descent,³⁴ while the other, the son by the free woman, was born through the promise. ^4:24These things may be treated as an allegory,³⁵ for these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar. ^4:25Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. ^4:26But the Jerusalem above is free,³⁶ and she is our mother. ^4:27For it is written:

“Rejoice, O barren woman who does not bear children;³⁷

break forth and shout, you who have no birth pains,

because the children of the desolate woman are more numerous

than those of the woman who has a husband.”³⁸

^4:28But you,³⁹ brothers and sisters,⁴⁰ are children of the promise like Isaac. ^4:29But just as at that time the one born by natural descent⁴¹ persecuted the one born according to the Spirit,⁴² so it is now. ^4:30But what does the scripture say? “Throw out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the son”⁴³ of the free woman. ^4:31Therefore, brothers and sisters,⁴⁴ we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman.

Freedom of the Believer

^5:1For freedom¹ Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke² of slavery. ^5:2Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! ^5:3And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey³ the whole law. ^5:4You who are trying to be declared righteous⁴ by the law have been alienated⁵ from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! ^5:5For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. ^5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight—the only thing that matters is faith working through love.⁶

^5:7You were running well; who prevented you from obeying⁷ the truth? ^5:8This persuasion⁸ does not come from the one who calls you! ^5:9A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise!⁹^5:10I am confident¹⁰ in the Lord that you will accept no other view.¹¹ But the one who is confusing¹² you will pay the penalty,¹³ whoever he may be. ^5:11Now, brothers and sisters,¹⁴ if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?¹⁵ In that case the offense of the cross¹⁶ has been removed.¹⁷^5:12I wish those agitators¹⁸ would go so far as to¹⁹ castrate themselves!²⁰

Practice Love

^5:13For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;²¹ only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh,²² but through love serve one another.²³^5:14For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment,²⁴ namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”²⁵^5:15However, if you continually bite and devour one another,²⁶ beware that you are not consumed²⁷ by one another. ^5:16But I say, live²⁸ by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.²⁹^5:17For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires³⁰ that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to³¹ each other, so that you cannot do what you want. ^5:18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ^5:19Now the works of the flesh³² are obvious:³³ sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, ^5:20idolatry, sorcery,³⁴ hostilities,³⁵ strife,³⁶ jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions,³⁷ factions, ^5:21envying,³⁸ murder,³⁹ drunkenness, carousing,⁴⁰ and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

^5:22But the fruit of the Spirit⁴¹ is love,⁴² joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,⁴³^5:23gentleness, and⁴⁴ self-control. Against such things there is no law. ^5:24Now those who belong to Christ⁴⁵ have crucified the flesh⁴⁶ with its passions⁴⁷ and desires. ^5:25If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with⁴⁸ the Spirit. ^5:26Let us not become conceited,⁴⁹ provoking⁵⁰ one another, being jealous⁵¹ of one another.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

1 Grk “a small child.” The Greek term νήπιος (nēpios) refers to a young child, no longer a helpless infant but probably not more than three or four years old (L&N 9.43). The point in context, though, is that this child is too young to take any responsibility for the management of his assets.
2 Grk “master” or “lord” (κύριος, kurios).
3 The Greek term translated “guardians” here is ἐπίτροπος (epitropos), whose semantic domain overlaps with that of παιδαγωγός (paidagōgos) according to L&N 36.5.
4 Grk “the,” but the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun ( ).
5 See the note on the word “minor” in .
6 Or “basic principles,” “elemental things,” or “elemental spirits.” Some interpreters take this as a reference to supernatural powers who controlled nature and/or human fate.
7 Grk “the fullness of time” (an idiom for the totality of a period of time, with the implication of proper completion; see L&N 67.69).
8 The Greek term υἱοθεσία (huiothesia) was originally a legal technical term for adoption as a son with full rights of inheritance. notes, “a legal t.t. of ‘adoption’ of children, in our lit., i.e. in Paul, only in a transferred sense of a transcendent filial relationship between God and humans (with the legal aspect, not gender specificity, as major semantic component).” Although some modern translations remove the filial sense completely and render the term merely “adoption” (cf. ), the retention of this component of meaning was accomplished in the present translation by the phrase “as sons.”
9 Grk “calling.” The participle is neuter indicating that the Spirit is the one who calls.
10 The term “Abba” is the Greek transliteration of the Aramaic אַבָּא (’abba’), literally meaning “my father” but taken over simply as “father,” used in prayer and in the family circle, and later taken over by the early Greek-speaking Christians ( ἀββα).
11 Grk “and if a son, then also an heir.” The words “you are” have been supplied twice to clarify the statement.
12 The unusual expression διὰ θεοῦ (dia theou, “through God”) certainly prompted scribes to alter it to more customary or theologically acceptable ones such as διὰ θεόν (dia theon, “because of God”; F G 1881 ), διὰ Χριστοῦ (dia Christou, “through Christ”; 81 630 sa), διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (dia Iēsou Christou, “through Jesus Christ”; 1739c), θεοῦ διὰ Χριστοῦ (“[an heir] of God through Christ”; א2 C3 D [P] 0278 [6 326 1505] 𝔐 ar sy), or κληρονόμος μὲν θεοῦ, συγκληρονόμος δὲ Χριστοῦ (klēronomos men theou, sugklēronomos de Christou, “an heir of God, and fellow-heir with Christ”; Ψ [cf. Rom 8:17]). Although it is unusual for Paul to speak of God as an intermediate agent, it is not unprecedented (cf. Gal 1:1; 1 Cor 1:9). Nevertheless, Gal 4:7 is the most direct statement to this effect. Further testimony on behalf of διὰ θεοῦ is to be found in external evidence: The witnesses with this phrase are among the most important in the NT (𝔓46 א* A B C* 33 1739*vid lat bo Cl).
13 Grk “those that by nature …” with the word “beings” implied. φύσις 2 sees this as referring to pagan worship: “Polytheists worship … beings that are by nature no gods at all Gal 4:8.”
14 Or “useless.” See L&N 65.16.
15 See the note on the phrase “basic forces” in .
16 Grk “basic forces, to which you want to be enslaved …” Verse 9 is a single sentence in the Greek text, but has been divided into two in the translation because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence.
17 The adjective “religious” has been supplied in the translation to make clear that the problem concerns observing certain days, etc. in a religious sense (cf. , “special days”). In light of the polemic in this letter against the Judaizers (those who tried to force observance of the Mosaic law on Gentile converts to Christianity) this may well be a reference to the observance of Jewish Sabbaths, feasts, and other religious days.
18 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
19 Grk “your trial in my flesh you did not despise or reject.”
20 Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” , ; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324–35.
21 Grk “as an angel of God … as Christ Jesus.” This could be understood to mean either “you welcomed me like an angel of God would,” or “you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God.” In context only the second is accurate, so the translation has been phrased to indicate this.
22 Or “blessedness.”
23 Or “have I become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?” The participle ἀληθεύων (alētheuōn) can be translated as a causal adverbial participle or as a participle of means (as in the translation).
24 Or “They are zealous for you.”
25 Or “but not commendably” ( καλῶς 2).
26 Or “so that you would be zealous.”
27 Or “commendable.”
28 Or “to be zealous.”
29 Grk “But it is always good to be zealous in good.”
30 Grk “My children, for whom I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you.” The relative clauses in English do not pick up the emotional force of Paul’s language here (note “tone of voice” in v. 20, indicating that he is passionately concerned for them); hence, the translation has been altered slightly to capture the connotative power of Paul’s plea. That is, until Christ’s nature or character is formed in them (see L&N 58.4).
31 Grk “voice” or “tone.” The contemporary English expression “tone of voice” is a good approximation to the meaning here.
32 Or “will you not hear what the law says?” The Greek verb ἀκούω (akouō) means “hear, listen to,” but by figurative extension it can also mean “obey.” It can also refer to the process of comprehension that follows hearing, and that sense fits the context well here.
33 Paul’s use of the Greek article here and before the phrase “free woman” presumes that both these characters are well known to the recipients of his letter. This verse is given as an example of the category called “well-known (‘celebrity’ or ‘familiar’) article” by .
34 Grk “born according to the flesh”; σάρξ 4 has “Of natural descent τὰ τέκνα τῆς σαρκός children by natural descent Ro 9:8 (opp. τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας). ὁ μὲν ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης κατὰ σάρκα γεγέννηται Gal 4:23; cp. vs. 29.”
35 Grk “which things are spoken about allegorically.” Paul is not saying the OT account is an allegory, but rather that he is constructing an allegory based on the OT account.
36 The meaning of the statement the Jerusalem above is free is that the other woman represents the second covenant (cf. v. 24); she corresponds to the Jerusalem above that is free. Paul’s argument is very condensed at this point.
37 The direct object “children” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for clarity. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
38 Grk “because more are the children of the barren one than of the one having a husband.” A quotation from Isa 54:1.
39 Most (א A C D2 Ψ 062 𝔐 lat sy bo) read “we” here, while “you” is found in 𝔓46 B D* F G 0261vid 0278 33 1739 sa. It is more likely that a copyist, noticing the first person pronouns in vv. 26 and 31, changed a second person pronoun here to first person for consistency.
40 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
41 Grk “according to the flesh”; see the note on the phrase “by natural descent” in .
42 Or “the one born by the Spirit’s [power].”
43 A quotation from Gen 21:10. The phrase of the free woman does not occur in Gen 21:10.
44 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
1 Translating the dative as “For freedom” shows the purpose for Christ setting us free; however, it is also possible to take the phrase in the sense of means or instrument (“with [or by] freedom”), referring to the freedom mentioned in 4:31 and implied throughout the letter.
2 Here the yoke figuratively represents the burdensome nature of slavery.
3 Or “keep”; or “carry out”; Grk “do.”
4 Or “trying to be justified.” The verb δικαιοῦσθε (dikaiousthe) has been translated as a conative present (see ).
5 Or “estranged”; καταργέω 4 states, “Of those who aspire to righteousness through the law κ. ἀπὸ Χριστοῦ be estranged from Christ Gal 5:4.”
6 Grk “but faith working through love.”
7 Or “following.” πείθω 3.b states, “obey, follow of the pers. or thing … Gal 3:1 v.l.; 5:7.”
8 Grk “The persuasion,” referring to their being led away from the truth (v. 7). There is a play on words here that is not easily reproducible in the English translation: The words translated “obey” (πείθεσθαι, peithesthai) in v. 7 and “persuasion” (πεισμονή, peismonē) in v. 8 come from the same root in Greek.
9 Grk “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
10 The verb translated “I am confident” (πέποιθα, pepoitha) comes from the same root in Greek as the words translated “obey” (πείθεσθαι, peithesthai) in v. 7 and “persuasion” (πεισμονή, peismonē) in v. 8.
11 Grk “that you will think nothing otherwise.”
12 Or “is stirring you up”; Grk “is troubling you.” In context Paul is referring to the confusion and turmoil caused by those who insist that Gentile converts to Christianity must observe the Mosaic law.
13 Or “will suffer condemnation” (L&N 90.80); Grk “will bear his judgment.” The translation “must pay the penalty” is given as an explanatory gloss on the phrase by βαστάζω 2.b.β.
14 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
15 That is, if Paul still teaches observance of the Mosaic law (preaches circumcision), why is he still being persecuted by his opponents, who insist that Gentile converts to Christianity must observe the Mosaic law?
16 The offense of the cross refers to the offense to Jews caused by preaching Christ crucified.
17 Or “nullified.”
18 Grk “the ones who are upsetting you.” The same verb is used in Acts 21:38 to refer to a person who incited a revolt. Paul could be alluding indirectly to the fact that his opponents are inciting the Galatians to rebel against his teaching with regard to circumcision and the law.
19 Grk “would even.”
20 Or “make eunuchs of themselves”; Grk “cut themselves off.” This statement is rhetorical hyperbole on Paul’s part. It does strongly suggest, however, that Paul’s adversaries in this case (“those agitators”) were men. Some interpreters (notably Erasmus and the Reformers) have attempted to soften the meaning to a figurative “separate themselves” (meaning the opponents would withdraw from fellowship) but such an understanding dramatically weakens the rhetorical force of Paul’s argument. Although it has been argued that such an act of emasculation would be unthinkable for Paul, it must be noted that Paul’s statement is one of biting sarcasm, obviously not meant to be taken literally. See further G. Stählin, 3:853–55.
21 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
22 Grk “as an opportunity for the flesh”; σάρξ 2.c.α states: “In Paul’s thought esp., all parts of the body constitute a totality known as ς. or flesh, which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh is, all forms of sin are like. present, and no good thing can live in the σάρξ … Gal 5:13, 24; … Opp. τὸ πνεῦμα … Gal 3:3; 5:16, 17ab; 6:8ab.”
23 It is possible that the verb δουλεύετε (douleuete) should be translated “serve one another in a humble manner” here, referring to the way in which slaves serve their masters (see L&N 35.27).
24 Or “can be fulfilled in one commandment.”
25 A quotation from Lev 19:18.
26 That is, “if you are harming and exploiting one another.” Paul’s metaphors are retained in most modern translations, but it is possible to see the meanings of δάκνω and κατεσθίω (daknō and katesthiō, L&N 20.26 and 88.145) as figurative extensions of the literal meanings of these terms and to translate them accordingly. The present tenses here are translated as customary presents (“continually …”).
27 Or “destroyed.”
28 Grk “walk” (a common NT idiom for how one conducts one’s life or how one behaves).
29 On the term “flesh” (once in this verse and twice in v. 17) see the note on the same word in .
30 The words “has desires” do not occur in the Greek text a second time, but are repeated in the translation for clarity.
31 Or “are hostile toward” (L&N 39.1).
32 See the note on the word “flesh” in .
33 Or “clear,” “evident.”
34 Or “witchcraft.”
35 Or “enmities,” “[acts of] hatred.”
36 Or “discord” (L&N 39.22).
37 Or “discord(s)” (L&N 39.13).
38 This term is plural in Greek (as is “murder” and “carousing”), but for clarity these abstract nouns have been translated as singular.
39 φόνοι (phonoi, “murders”) is absent in such important as 𝔓46 א B 33 81 323 945 sa, while the majority of (A C D F G Ψ 0122 0278 1739 1881 𝔐 lat) have the word. Although the pedigree of the which lack the term is of the highest degree, homoioteleuton may well explain the shorter reading. The preceding word has merely one letter difference, making it quite possible to overlook this term (φθόνοι φόνοι, phthonoi phonoi).
40 Or “revelings,” “orgies” (L&N 88.287).
41 That is, the fruit the Spirit produces.
42 Another way to punctuate this is “love” followed by a colon (love: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). It is thus possible to read the eight characteristics following “love” as defining love.
43 Or “reliability”; see πίστις 1.a.
44 “And” is supplied here as a matter of English style, which normally inserts “and” between the last two elements of a list or series.
45 Some (א A B C P Ψ 01221 0278 33 1175 1739 co) read “Christ Jesus” here, while many significant ones (𝔓46 D F G 0122*,2 latt sy), as well as the Byzantine text, lack “Jesus.” The Byzantine text is especially not prone to omit the name “Jesus”; that it does so here argues for the authenticity of the shorter reading (for similar instances of probably authentic Byzantine shorter readings, see Matt 24:36 and Phil 1:14; cf. also W.-H. J. Wu, “A Systematic Analysis of the Shorter Readings in the Byzantine Text of the Synoptic Gospels” [Ph.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 2002]). On the strength of the alignment of 𝔓46 with the Western and Byzantine texttypes, the shorter reading is preferred. includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
46 See the note on the word “flesh” in .
47 The Greek term παθήμασιν (pathēmasin, translated “passions”) refers to strong physical desires, especially of a sexual nature (L&N 25.30).
48 Or “let us also follow,” “let us also walk by.”
49 Or “falsely proud.”
50 Or “irritating.” προκαλέω has “provoke, challenge τινά someone.”
51 Or “another, envying one another.”