GAL 4:3 Parallel View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. This view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on the version abbreviation to see the verse in more of its context.

Key: yellow:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT So also, when we were children, we were being enslaved under the elemental principles of the world.

UST Likewise, when we were spiritually immature because we did not yet believe in the Messiah, we submitted to the rules that everyone in this world lives by. Those rules controlled us like masters control their slaves.

BSB § So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles [fn] of the world.

4:3 Or elemental forces; similarly in verse 9

BLB So also, we when we were children, were held in bondage under the principles of the world.

AICNT In the same way, when we were infants, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world;

OEB And so is it with us; when we were under age, as it were, we were slaves to the puerile teaching of this world;

WEB So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.

NET So also we, when we were minors, were enslaved under the basic forces of the world.

LSV so we also, when we were children, were in servitude under the elements of the world,

FBV It's just the same for us. When we were children, we were slaves subject to the basic rules[fn] of the law.

4:3 The word translated “rules” here is subject to wide interpretation. Originally the word referred to the alphabet, then took the meaning of the “ABC's” of life. Paul is comparing the ceremonial law to such letters and symbols, basic instructions useful for existence but having no power to save and heal. The same word is used in verse 9.

TCNT In the same way also, when we were children, we were enslaved to the elements of the world.

T4T Likewise, when we (inc) (OR, we (exc) Jews) were like young children [MET], we were controlled by the spiritual powers of this world. They controlled us like masters control their slaves [MET].

LEB So also we, when we were children, we were enslaved under the elemental spirits of the world.

BBE So we, when we were young, were kept under the first rules of the world;

MOF No MOF GAL book available

ASV So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:

DRA So we also, when we were children, were serving under the elements of the world.

YLT so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude,

DBY So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the principles of the world;

RV So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:

WBS Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

KJB Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

BB Euen so we, when we were chyldren, were in bondage vnder ye rudimentes of the worlde:
(Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under ye/you_all rudimentes of the world:)

GNV Euen so, we when wee were children, were in bondage vnder the rudiments of the world.
(Even so, we when we were children, were in bondage under the rudiments of the world. )

CB Euen so we also, wha we were children, were in bondage vnder the outwarde tradicions.
(Even so we also, wha we were children, were in bondage under the outward tradicions.)

TNT Even so we as longe as we were chyldren were in bondage vnder the ordinaunces of the worlde.
(Even so we as long as we were children were in bondage under the ordinaunces of the world. )

WYC So we, whanne we weren litle children, we serueden vndur the elementis of the world.
(So we, when we were little children, we serueden under the elementis of the world.)

LUT Also auch wir, da wir Kinder waren, waren wir gefangen unter den äußerlichen Satzungen.
(So also wir, there wir children waren, waren wir gefangen under the äußerlichen Satzungen.)

CLV ita et nos cum essemus parvuli, sub elementis mundi eramus servientes.[fn]
(ita and nos cum essemus parvuli, sub elementis mundi eramus servientes.)

4.3 Sub elementis. In elementis neomenias, id est lunares dies, et sabbatum significat, non quod in elementis sperarent ut pagani, sed quod in his Deum venerarentur. Mundi. Quia lex non cœlestia sed terrena promittebat: vel transitoria, ut est mundus.

4.3 Sub elementis. In elementis neomenias, id it_is lunares dies, and sabbatum significat, not/no that in elementis sperarent as pagani, but that in his God venerarentur. Mundi. Quia lex not/no cœlestia but terrena promittebat: or transitoria, as it_is mundus.

UGNT οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι, ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἤμεθα δεδουλωμένοι.
(houtōs kai haʸmeis, hote aʸmen naʸpioi, hupo ta stoiⱪeia tou kosmou aʸmetha dedoulōmenoi.)

SBL-GNT οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι, ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ⸀ἤμεθα δεδουλωμένοι·
(houtōs kai haʸmeis, hote aʸmen naʸpioi, hupo ta stoiⱪeia tou kosmou ⸀aʸmetha dedoulōmenoi; )

TC-GNT Οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι, ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου [fn]ἦμεν δεδουλωμένοι·
(Houtō kai haʸmeis, hote aʸmen naʸpioi, hupo ta stoiⱪeia tou kosmou aʸmen dedoulōmenoi;)

4:3 ημεν ¦ ημεθα NA SBL WH

Key for above GNTs: red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

οὕτως

thus

Here, the word So indicates that what follows is comparable to, and similar in some way to what has just been described in 4:1-2. Use a natural form in your language for introducing something that corresponds to something that was introduced previously. Alternate translation: “In a similar way”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

ἦμεν

˱we˲_were

The word we here refers to all Christians, including Paul’s readers, so we would be inclusive. Your language may require you to mark these forms.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι

when ˱we˲_were infants

Paul speaks of people who have not yet trusted in Jesus as if they were children. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly, or you could translate this phrase as a simile. Alternate translation: “when we did not yet believe in Jesus” or “when we were like children spiritually”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἤμεθα δεδουλωμένοι

under the principles ˱of˲_the world (Some words not found in SR-GNT: οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἦμεν δεδουλωμένοι)

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you must state who was doing the action, Paul says that the elemental principles of the world were doing it. See the note on personification regarding the elemental principles of this world. Alternate translation: “the elemental principles of the world were enslaving us”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

δεδουλωμένοι

/having_been/_enslaved

Paul speaks of being under the control of the elemental principles of the world as if it were slavery. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent metaphor from your culture. Alternatively, you could express the meaning plainly.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ὑπὸ

under

Here, the word under means “under the power of” or “under the authority of.” See how you translated the word under in 4:2 where Paul uses it with a similar meaning. Alternate translation: “under the power of” or “under the authority of”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου & δεδουλωμένοι

under the principles ˱of˲_the world & /having_been/_enslaved

Here, Paul speaks of the elemental principles of the world as though they were a person who could enslave other people. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this meaning plainly. Paul speaks of the elemental principles of the world as though they have the power to enslave a person, but it is actually humans who do not yet believe in the Messiah, who willing submit to these elemental principles and allow themselves to be enslaved. See 5:1.

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου

the principles ˱of˲_the world

Here, the elemental principles of the world could refer to: (1) the religious and/or moral teachings that people, whether they be a Jew or non-Jew, seek to obey in order to please God and think of themselves as praiseworthy and good. Alternate translation: “the elemental rules of this world” or “the rudimentary principles of this world” (2) the things prescribed by the Mosaic law. Alternate translation: “the things prescribed by the law of Moses”

Parallel GAL 4:3