Galatians 4

Galatians · Chapter 4

Galatians 4:24

1Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.8Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.9But 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?10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.11I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.12Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.13Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.14And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.15Where 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.16Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?17They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.18But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.19My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,20I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.23But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.27For 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.28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.30Nevertheless 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.31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar.Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Galatians 4:21-31The bondwoman and the free

About Galatians 4An heir under age is no different from a servant, and so "we, when we were children, were in bondage," but "when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Paul pleads with the Galatians not to turn back to "weak and beggarly elements," recalls how they once received him "as an angel of God," and travails for them "until Christ be formed in you." He then sets out an allegory of Abraham's two sons: Agar the bondwoman stands for mount Sinai and "Jerusalem which now is," but "Jerusalem which is above is free," and "we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free." Galatians 4:1Galatians 4:3Galatians 4:4Galatians 4:5Galatians 4:9Galatians 4:14Galatians 4:19Galatians 4:22Galatians 4:24Galatians 4:25Galatians 4:26Galatians 4:31

Who, where and when in this chapter

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
which thingsἅτινάhatinaG3748
who/which

ὅστις (hostis, hētis) ὅστις, ἥτις, ὅ τι (also written ὅ, τι and ὅτι; see LS, see word; WH, §411; Tdf., Pr., 111), in NT scarcely ever except in nom. (M, Pr., 91), the only instance of the oblique cases being found in ἕως ὅτου (see: ἕως), relative of indef. reference (related to simple ὅς as Lat. quisquis to qui), whoever, anyone who; (a) of an indef. person or thing: in general statements, Mat.5:39, 41 13:12, and freq., Luk.14:27, Gal.5:4, al.; in relative sentences, Mat.7:26, Luk.15:7, Php.3:7, al.; πᾶς, with indic., Mat.7:24 10:32; ὅ ἄν (ἐάν), with subjc., Mat.12:50 13:12, Jhn.14:13, 1Co.16:2, Gal.5:10, al.; …

areἐστινestinG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

allegorized;ἀλληγορούμενα·allēgoroumenaG0238
to use an analogy

ἀλληγορέω (allēgoreō) ἀλληγορέω, -ῶ (ἄλλος, ἀγορεύω) to speak allegorically (Cremer, 96 ff.): Gal.4:24.† (AS)

theseαὗταιhautaiG3778
this/he/she/it

οὗτος (ohutos) οὗτος, αὕτη, τοῦτο, genitive, τούτου, ταύτης, τούτου, [in LXX chiefly for זֹאת ,זֶה ;] demonstr. pron. (related to ἐκεῖνος as hic to ille), this; 1. as subst., this one, he; (a) absol.: Mat.3:17, Mrk.9:7, Luk.7:44, 45, Jhn.1:15, Act.2:15, al.; expressing contempt (cl.), Mat.13:55, 56, Mrk.6:2, 3, Jhn.6:42, al.; εἰς τοῦτο, Mrk.1:38, Rom.14:9; μετὰ τοῦτο (ταῦτα; V. Westc. on Jhn.5:1), Jhn.2:12 11:7, al.; (b) epanaleptic (referring to what precedes): Mat.5:19, Mrk.3:35, Luk.9:48, Jhn.6:46, Rom.7:10, al.; …

forγάρgarG1063
for

γάρ (gar) γάρ, co-ordinating particle, contr. of γε ἄρα, verily then, hence, in truth, indeed, yea, then, why, and when giving a reason or explanation, for, the usage in NT being in general accord with that of cl.; 1. explicative and epexegetic: Mat.4:18 19:12, Mrk.1:16 5:42 16:4, Luk.11:3o, Rom.7:1, 1Co.16:5, al. 2. Conclusive, in questions, answers and exclamations: Mat.9:5 27:23, Luk.9:25 22:27, Jhn.9:30, Act.8:31 16:37 19:35, Rom.15:26, 1Co.9:10, Php.1:18 (Ellic., in l.), 1Th.2:20, al. …

areεἰσινeisinG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

twoδύοduoG1417
two

δύο (duo) δύο, numeral, indecl. exc. in dative, δυσί, δυσίν (Attic δυοῖν), two: Mat.19:6, Mrk.10:8, Jhn.2:6, al.; with pl. noun, Mat.9:27 10:10, al.; οἱ, τῶν, τοὺς δ., Mat.19:5 20:24, Mrk.10:8, Eph.2:15, al.; δ. ἐξ, Luk.24:13; distrib., ἀνὰ, κατὰ δ., two and two, two apiece: Luk.10:1 (WH, ἀνὰ δ. [δύο]), Jhn.2:6, 1Co.14:27; δύο δύο (= ἀνὰ δ., as LXX, Gen.6:19 for שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם, but not merely "Hebraism," cf. μυρία μυρία, Æsch., Pers., 981, and for usage in π. and MGr., see M, Pr., 21, 97), Mrk.6:7; εἰς δ. (two and two, Xen., Cyr., 7, 5, 17), into two parts, Mat.27:51, Mrk.15:38. (AS)

covenants,διαθῆκαι,diathēkaiG1242
covenant

διαθήκη (diathēkē) διαθήκη, -ης, ἡ (διατίθημι), [frequently in LXX, and nearly always for בְּרִית ;] 1. as usually in cl., a disposition, testament, will (Plat., al.): Gal.3:15 (R, mg., but see Lft., in l.), Heb.9:16, 17 (R, txt.; MM, Exp., xi; Milligan, NTD, 75; Abbott, Essays, 107; Deiss., LAE, 341; but see infr.). …

oneμίαmiaG1520
one

εἷς (ehis) εἷς ιά, ἕν, genitive ἑνός, μιᾶς, ἑνός, cardinal numeral, one; 1. one, as opposite to many: Mat.25:15, Rom.5:12, 1Co.10:8, al.; as subst., Rom.5:15, Eph.2:14; id. with genitive partit., Mat.5:19, al.; before ἐκ (ἐξ), Mrk.14:18, Jhn.6:8, al.; metaphorically, of union and concord, Jhn.10:30 17:11, Rom.12:4-5, Php.1:27; ἀπὸ μιᾶς (B1., § 44, 1), Luk.14:18; with neg., εἷς. . . οὐ (μή), more emphatic than οὐδείς, no one, none (cl.), Mat.5:18 10:29, Luk.11:46 12:6. 2. Emphatically, to the exclusion of others; …

indeedμὲνmenG3303
on the other hand

μέν (men) μέν, conjunctive particle (originally a form of μήν), usually related to a following δέ or other adversative conjunction, and distinguishing the word or clause with which it stands from that which follows. It is generally untranslatable and is not nearly so frequent in NT as in cl. Like δέ, it never stands first in a clause. …

fromἀπὸapoG0575
away from

ἀπό (apo) ἀπό (on the frequently neglect of elision bef. vowels, see Tdf., Pr., 94, WH, App., 146), prep. with genitive (WM, 462ff.; on its relation to ἐκ, παρά, ὑπό, ib. 456f.), [in LXX for לְ ,בְּ ,מִן ;] from (i.e. from the exterior). 1. Of separation and cessation; (1) of motion from a place: Mat.5:29, 30 7:23, Luk.5:2 22:41, al.; (2) in partitive sense (M, Pr., 72, 102, 245; MM, see word; Bl., §40, 2), Mat.9:16 27:21, Jhn.21:10, Act.5:2, al.; also after verbs of eating, etc.; …

MountὄρουςorousG3735
mountain

ὄρος (oros) ὄρος, -ους, τό [in LXX chiefly, and very freq., for הַר ;] a mountain: Mat.4:8 17:1, Mrk.9:2, Jhn.4:20, 2Pe.1:18, al.; opposite to βουνός, Luk.3:5 (LXX); ὄ. τ. ἐλαιῶν, Mat.21:1 24:3, al. (see: ἐ.); ὄ. Σιών (Σ., prob. in gem appos.), Heb.12:22, Rev.14:1; ὄ. Σινά, Act.7:30, 38 Gal.4:24-25; τὸ ὄ., of the hill district as distinct from the lowlands, esp. the hills above the Sea of Galilee, Mat.5:1 8:1, Mrk.3:13 6:46, al.; τὰ ὄ., Mat.18:12, Mrk.5:5, Heb.11:38, Rev.6:14, al.; proverbially (cf. Rabbinic, הדים עקר), of overcoming difficulties, accomplishing marvels, ὄρη μεθιστάνειν, 1Co.13:2, cf. Ma …

SinaiΣινᾶSinaG4614
(Mount) Sinai

Σινᾶ (Sina) Σινά (-ᾶ, Rec.), indecl. (but τὸ Σιναῖον, FlJ, Ant., iii, 5, 1; τὸ Σιναῖον ὄρος, ib. ii, 12, 1), τό (Heb. סִינַי), Sinai (Exo.19:11, al.): Act.7:30, 38, Gal.4:24-25† (AS)

untoεἰςeisG1519
toward

εἰς (eis) εἰς, prep. with accusative, expressing entrance, direction, limit, into, unto, to, upon, towards, for, among (Lat. in, with accusative). I. Of place. 1. After verbs of motion; (a) of entrance into: Mat.8:23, 9:7, Mrk.1:45, Luk.2:15, 8:31, al.; (b) of approach, to or towards: Mrk.11:1, Luk.6:8, 19:28, Jhn.11:31, 21:6, al.; (with) before pl. and collective nouns, among: Mrk.4:7, 8:19, 20, Luk.11:49, Jhn.21:23, al.; …

slaveryδουλείανdouleianG1397
slavery

δουλεία (douleia) δουλεία (T, -λία), -ας, ἡ (δουλεύω), [in LXX, as Exo.13:3, for עֶבֶד and cognates ;] slavery, bondage: Rom.8:15, 21 Gal.4:24 5:1, Heb.2:15.† (AS)

begettingγεννῶσαgennōsaG1080
to beget

γεννάω (gennaō) γεννάω, -ῶ (γέννα, poët. for γένος), [in LXX chiefly for ילד ;] 1. of the father, to beget: with accusative, Mat.1:1-16, Act.7:8, 29; before ἐκ, Mat.1:3, 5, 6. 2. Of the mother, to bring forth, bear: Luk.1:13, 57 23:29, Jhn.16:21; εἰς δουλείαν, Gal.4:24. Pass. (1) to be begotten: Mat.1:20; …

whichἥτιςhētisG3748
who/which

ὅστις (hostis, hētis) ὅστις, ἥτις, ὅ τι (also written ὅ, τι and ὅτι; see LS, see word; WH, §411; Tdf., Pr., 111), in NT scarcely ever except in nom. (M, Pr., 91), the only instance of the oblique cases being found in ἕως ὅτου (see: ἕως), relative of indef. reference (related to simple ὅς as Lat. quisquis to qui), whoever, anyone who; (a) of an indef. person or thing: in general statements, Mat.5:39, 41 13:12, and freq., Luk.14:27, Gal.5:4, al.; in relative sentences, Mat.7:26, Luk.15:7, Php.3:7, al.; πᾶς, with indic., Mat.7:24 10:32; ὅ ἄν (ἐάν), with subjc., Mat.12:50 13:12, Jhn.14:13, 1Co.16:2, Gal.5:10, al.; …

isἐστὶνestinG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

Hagar.Ἁγάρ.HagarG0028
Hagar

Ἄγαρ (Agar) Ἅγαρ (Rec. Ἄ-), ἡ, indecl. (in FlJ, Ἀγάρα, -ης, Heb. הָגָר), Hagar (Gen.16): Gal.4:24,25.† (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.