OET GAL chapter 4

Readers’ Version

Literal Version

4 But as long as the heir is underage, he’s no wealthier than a slave (even though he’ll become the master), 2 but he’s under guardians and managers until he reaches the age that his father specified. 3 That’s how it is with us—when we were infants we were enslaved by the principles of this world, 4 but at the appointed time, God sent his son down to be given birth to by a woman and to live under Mosheh’s law 5 [ref]so that he could buy back those enslaved under the law and they could now be adopted as children with an inheritance.

6 So because you are now children, God sent his son’s spirit down into our hearts as we call out, ‘Father, father.’ 7 Now you are no longer slaves, but children with full rights, and as children, heirs of God’s promise.

4 And I _am _saying, because/for as _long _as time as _the heir is an_infant, nothing he _is _carrying _value from_a_slave, being master of _all things, 2 but he _is under guardians and managers, until the appointed _time by _his father.
3 Thus we also, when we _were infants, we _were having _been _enslaved under the principles of _the world.
4 But when the fullness of _the time came, the god sent _away the son of _him, having _become of woman, having _become under law, 5 in _order _that he _may _redeem the ones under the_law, in _order _that we _may _take _back the adoption _as _sons.
6 And because you _all _are sons, the god sent _away the spirit of _the son of _him into the hearts of _us crying _out:
father, the father.
7 So _as you _are no _longer a_slave, but a_son, and if a_son, also an_heir through god.

4:8 Paul’s concerns about their faith

8 When you didn’t know God, you served others who are not really gods at all. 9 But now that you do know God, or rather now that God knows you, why would you turn back again to useless and inferior beliefs, to serve them all over again? 10 You people observe special holidays and certain months and seasons and years. 11 I worry that maybe I’ve wasted my time helping you.

12 I implore you to become like me, brothers and sisters, because I’m also just like you. You haven’t wronged me in any way, 13 but you know that it was a result of my fleshly weakness that I originally preached the good message to you.[fn] 14 Yet you didn’t mock or despise me for this trial of my flesh, but rather all of you received me as God’s messenger like you might have received the messiah Yeshua himself. 15 So where are your generous attitudes now? I know that back then, you would have almost dug your own eyes out to give them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy just because I told you people the truth?

17 Those others have worked hard to try to win you over, but not for good reasons—they want to cut you off so that you’ll be enthusiastic about them. 18 It’s good to be enthusiastic about things that are always good, and not only at the times when I’m with you, brothers and sisters. 19 My dear ones, who I’m again labouring with in childbirth until the messiah becomes part of you, 20 I wanted to be there with you now, and to speak quite differently than this, because I’m puzzled about you.

8 But then on _one _hand not having _known god, you _all _served for _the ones by _nature not being gods, 9 on _the _other _hand now having _known god, and rather having _been _known by god, how are _you _all _turning _back again to the weak and poor principles, for _which again you _all _are _wanting to _be _serving again?
?
10 You _all _are _observing days, and months, and seasons, and years.
11 I _am _fearing for _you _all, lest somehow I _have _laboured vainly for you _all.
12 Be _becoming as I am, because also _I am as you _all are, brothers, I _am _beseeching of _you _all.
You _all _did_ nothing _wrong me, 13 but you _all _have _known that because _of weakness of _the flesh, I _good _message _preached to _you _all the earlier.
14 And you _all_ not _scorned the trial of _you _all in the flesh of _me, nor you _all _disdained, but as a_messenger of_god you _all _received me, as chosen _one /messiah Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa).
15 Therefore is where the blessing of _you _all?
For/Because I _am _testifying to _you _all that if possible the eyes of _you _all having _dug _out, you _all _gave them to _me.
16 So _as being _truthful to _you _all have _I _become enemy of _you _all,?
17 They _are _being _zealous for _you _all not rightly, but they _are _willing to _exclude you _all, in _order _that you _all _may _be _being _zealous for _them.
18 But it _is good to _be _being _zealous in a_good thing always, and not only in the time me to _be _being _present with you _all.
19 Children of _me, whom again I _am _labouring _in _birth, until of _which chosen _one /messiah may _be _formed in you _all, 20 but I _was _wanting to _be _being _present with you _all now, and to _change the voice of _me, because I _am _perplexing in you _all.

4:21 The free line and the slaves

21 Are you people who are under the law telling me that you’re not even hearing what the law is? 22 It’s written in the scriptures[ref] that Abraham had two sons: one son of the slave girl Hagar, and one from the free woman. 23 The son of the slave girl was born because of human actions, but in contrast, the son of the free woman was a result of God’s promise. 24 So if we use this as an illustration, there are two agreements: one is from Mt. Sinai which relates to Hagar and gives birth to enslaved people. 25 Hagar’s Mt. Sinai is in Arabia and corresponds to the present earthly Yerushalem in slavery along with her children. 26 However, the heavenly Yerushalem, which is our mother, is free, 27 because it’s been written in the scriptures:[ref]

‘Be glad barren woman,

you who have never borne a child.

Be bold and shout,

you who have never been in labour,

because the lonely woman now has many children,

even more than the woman with a husband.’

28 And you, brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, like Isaac, 29 but back then the one born because of human actions persecuted[ref] the one born because of the spirit, and that’s how it continues now. 30 But what do the scriptures say? ‘Send away the slave girl and her son, because the son of the slave girl won’t be getting the inheritance alongside the son of the free woman.’[ref] 31 So, brothers and sisters, we’re not descendants of the slave girl, but of the free woman.

4:13 Scholars are unclear whether this might mean something like ill health, poor eyesight (see v15), or even a moral weakness, so we’ve left it as ambiguous in the translation as it is in the original.

4:5-7: Rom 8:15-17.

4:22: a Gen 16:15; b Gen 21:2.

4:27: Isa 54:1.

4:29: Gen 21:9.

4:30: Gen 21:10.

21 Be _telling to _me, you _all wanting to _be under the_law, not are _you _all _hearing the law?
22 For/Because it _has _been _written that Abraʼam/(ʼAⱱrāhām) had two sons, one of the servant _girl, and one of the free woman.
23 But the one on _one _hand of the servant _girl, has _been _born according _to flesh, on _the _other _hand the one of the free woman, through a_promise.
24 Which things is being _allegorized, because/for these are two covenants:
one on _one _hand from Mount Sina/(Şīnay) to bearing slavery, which is Hagar/(Hāgār).
25 Which and Hagar is Sina Mount in the Arabia, and is _corresponding to _the present Hierousalaʸm/(Yərūshālayim), she _is _serving for with the children of _her.
26 On _the _other _hand which Hierousalaʸm above is free, who is the_mother of _us.
27 For/Because it _has _been _written:
Be _gladdened, barren woman, you not bearing, break _forth and shout, you not labouring _in _birth, because many are the children of _the desolate, more than of _the woman having the husband.
28 And you _all brothers, as Isaʼak/(Yiʦḩāq), are children of _promise.
29 But as then the one having _been _born according _to flesh, was _persecuting the one according _to spirit, thus also it _is now.
30 But what is_ The scripture _saying?
Cast _out the servant _girl and the son of _her, because/for the son of _the servant _girl no not will _be _inheriting, with the son of _the free woman.
31 Therefore brothers, we _are not children of_the_servant _girl, but of _the free woman.

Open English Translation GAL Chapter 4

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