GAL 4:9 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.

OET (OET-RV) But now that you do know God, or rather than God now knows you, why would you turn back again to useless and inferior beliefs and to serve them all over again?

Key: yellow:verbs, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
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 But now, having come to know God, or rather, having come to be known by God, how are you turning again to the weak and worthless elemental principles to which once more you want to be enslaved again?

UST But now you have come to intimately know God. Perhaps it would be better to say that now God intimately knows each of you. So now you are acting foolishly! You are again believing that by obeying rules and rites you will benefit spiritually! Those rules are ineffective and inadequate! You are wanting to obey them again like slaves obey their masters.

BSB But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?

BLB But now, having known God, but rather having been known by God, how do you turn again to the weak and destitute principles, to which you desire to be enslaved again anew?

AICNT But now, having come to know God, or rather, being known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and poor elements, to which you want to be enslaved once more?

OEB But now that you have found God – or, rather, have been found by him – how is it that you are turning back to that poor and feeble puerile teaching, to which yet once again you are wanting to become slaves?

WEB But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?

NET But 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 worthless basic forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?

LSV and now, having known God—and rather being known by God—how [do] you turn again to the weak and poor elements to which you desire anew to be in servitude?

FBV But now you've come to know God—or better, to be known by God. So how can you go back to those useless and worthless rules? Do you want to be slaves to those rules all over again?

TCNT But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you are turning back again to the weak and worthless elements? Do you wish to be enslaved to them once more?

T4T But now you have come to know God. Perhaps it would be better to say that now God knows you. So now you are acting foolishly! ◄You are again believing that by obeying rules and rites you will benefit spiritually! [RHQ] Those rules are ineffective and inadequate! You are wanting to obey them again [MET] like slaves obey their masters. [RHQ]

LEB But now, because you have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to be enslaved to them[fn] all over again?

?:? Literally “to whom”

BBE But now that you have come to have knowledge of God, or more truly, God has knowledge of you, how is it that you go back again to the poor and feeble first things, desiring to be servants to them again?

MOF No MOF GAL book available

ASV but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?

DRA But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known by God: how turn you again to the weak and needy elements, which you desire to serve again?

YLT and now, having known God — and rather being known by God — how turn ye again unto the weak and poor elements to which anew ye desire to be in servitude?

DBY but now, knowing [fn]God, but rather being known by [fn]God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye desire to be again anew in bondage?

4.9 Elohim

RV but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known of God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?

WBS But now, after ye have known God, or rather are known by God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which ye desire again to be in bondage?

KJB But 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?
(But now, after that ye/you_all have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye/you_all again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye/you_all desire again to be in bondage? )

BB But nowe after that ye haue knowen God, yea, rather are knowen of God, howe turne ye agayne vnto the weake and beggarly rudimentes, whervnto againe ye desire a freshe to be in bondage?
(But now after that ye/you_all have known God, yea, rather are known of God, how turn ye/you_all again unto the weake and beggarly rudimentes, whervnto again ye/you_all desire a freshe to be in bondage?)

GNV But now seeing ye knowe God, yea, rather are knowen of God, howe turne ye againe vnto impotent and beggerly rudiments, whereunto as from the beginning ye wil be in bondage againe?
(But now seeing ye/you_all know God, yea, rather are known of God, how turn ye/you_all again unto impotent and beggarly rudiments, whereunto as from the beginning ye/you_all will be in bondage again? )

CB But now seynge ye knowe God (yee rather are knowne off God) how is it that ye turne you backe agayne vnto the weake and beggerly tradicions, wher vnto ye desyre agayne afresh to be in bondage?
(But now seeing ye/you_all know God (yee rather are known off God) how is it that ye/you_all turn you back again unto the weake and beggarly tradicions, wher unto ye/you_all desyre again afresh to be in bondage?)

TNT But now seinge ye knowe god (yee rather are knowe of God) how is it that ye tourne agayne vnto the weake and bedgarly cerimonies whervnto agayne ye desyre afresshe to be in bondage?
(But now seeing ye/you_all know god (yee rather are know of God) how is it that ye/you_all turn again unto the weake and bedgarly cerimonies whervnto again ye/you_all desyre afresshe to be in bondage? )

WYC But now whanne ye han knowe God, and ben knowun of God, hou ben ye turned eftsoone to the febil and nedi elementis, to the whiche ye wolen eft serue?
(But now when ye/you_all have know God, and been known of God, how been ye/you_all turned eftsoone to the febil and nedi elementis, to the which ye/you_all wolen after serue?)

LUT Nun ihr aber GOtt erkannt habt, ja vielmehr von GOtt erkannt seid, wie wendet ihr euch denn um wieder zu den schwachen und dürftigen Satzungen, welchen ihr von neuem an dienen wollt?
(Nun her but God erkannt have, ja vielmehr from God erkannt seid, like wendet her you because around/by/for again to the schwachen and dürftigen Satzungen, welchen her from neuem at dienen wollt?)

CLV Nunc autem cum cognoveritis Deum, immo cogniti sitis a Deo: quomodo convertimini iterum ad infirma et egena elementa, quibus denuo servire vultis?[fn]
(Nunc however cum cognoveritis God, immo cogniti sitis a Deo: quomodo convertimini iterum to infirma and egena elementa, to_whom denuo servire vultis?)

4.9 Imo cogniti estis. Hoc genere locutionis frequenter utitur Scriptura; unde: Sic in sancto apparui tibi, ut viderem virtutem tuam et gloriam tuam Psal. 62., id est, vidisti me, ut viderem te. Cognoscit nos Deus, id est, cognitionem sui nobis præstat. Non enim a nobis est, quod novimus eum, ab æterno quidem novit: sed tunc cognoscere dicitur, quando ut ea cognoscantur, facit. Infirma. Vere lex est egenum elementum: quia perfecte non justificat. Egena. Quia quantum juvat, non per se, sed respectu gratiæ facit. Egena elementa dicuntur quæ sui invicem egent ad regendum mundum.

4.9 Imo cogniti estis. Hoc genere locutionis frequenter utitur Scriptura; unde: So in sancto apparui tibi, as viderem virtutem tuam and gloriam tuam Psal. 62., id it_is, vidisti me, as viderem you(sg). Cognoscit nos God, id it_is, cognitionem sui nobis præstat. Non because a nobis it_is, that novimus him, away æterno quidem novit: but tunc cognoscere dicitur, quando as ea cognoscantur, facit. Infirma. Vere lex it_is egenum elementum: because perfecte not/no justificat. Egena. Quia quantum yuvat, not/no per se, but respectu gratiæ facit. Egena elementa dicuntur which sui invicem egent to regendum the_world.

UGNT νῦν δὲ γνόντες Θεόν, μᾶλλον δὲ γνωσθέντες ὑπὸ Θεοῦ, πῶς ἐπιστρέφετε πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀσθενῆ καὶ πτωχὰ στοιχεῖα, οἷς πάλιν ἄνωθεν δουλεύειν θέλετε?
(nun de gnontes Theon, mallon de gnōsthentes hupo Theou, pōs epistrefete palin epi ta asthenaʸ kai ptōⱪa stoiⱪeia, hois palin anōthen douleuein thelete?)

SBL-GNT νῦν δὲ γνόντες θεόν, μᾶλλον δὲ γνωσθέντες ὑπὸ θεοῦ, πῶς ἐπιστρέφετε πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀσθενῆ καὶ πτωχὰ στοιχεῖα, οἷς πάλιν ἄνωθεν ⸀δουλεύειν θέλετε;
(nun de gnontes theon, mallon de gnōsthentes hupo theou, pōs epistrefete palin epi ta asthenaʸ kai ptōⱪa stoiⱪeia, hois palin anōthen ⸀douleuein thelete? )

TC-GNT νῦν δέ, γνόντες Θεόν, μᾶλλον δὲ γνωσθέντες ὑπὸ Θεοῦ, πῶς ἐπιστρέφετε πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀσθενῆ καὶ πτωχὰ στοιχεῖα, οἷς πάλιν ἄνωθεν [fn]δουλεύειν θέλετε;
(nun de, gnontes Theon, mallon de gnōsthentes hupo Theou, pōs epistrefete palin epi ta asthenaʸ kai ptōⱪa stoiⱪeia, hois palin anōthen douleuein thelete?)

4:9 δουλευειν ¦ δουλευσαι WH

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, orange:accents differ (from our SR-GNT base).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

δὲ

on_the_other_hand

Here, the word But is introducing a contrast. Use a natural form in your language for introducing a contrast. Alternate translation: “So”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

γνόντες & γνωσθέντες

/having/_known & /having_been/_known

Make sure that you translate the words know and known with the same type of expression as you used to translate the word “known” in 4:8. The phrase “not having known God” in 4:8 and the phrases know God and known by God in this verse are all referring to having intimate personal knowledge that comes from a close relationship.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

γνωσθέντες ὑπὸ Θεοῦ

/having_been/_known by God

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. Alternate translation: "God having come to know you”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

πῶς ἐπιστρέφετε πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰ ἀσθενῆ καὶ πτωχὰ στοιχεῖα

how ˱you_all˲_/are/_turning_back again to the weak and poor principles

Paul is not asking for information, but is using the question form to rebuke the Galatian believers. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate his words as a statement or an exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐπιστρέφετε πάλιν

˱you_all˲_/are/_turning_back again

Here, turning again means “to return.” If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “are you returning”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τὰ ἀσθενῆ καὶ πτωχὰ στοιχεῖα

the weak and poor principles

See how you decided to translate the phrase elemental principles in Galatians 4:3.

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

οἷς πάλιν ἄνωθεν δουλεύειν θέλετε

˱for˲_which again again /to_be/_serving ˱you_all˲_/are/_wanting

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

οἷς πάλιν ἄνωθεν δουλεύειν θέλετε

˱for˲_which again again /to_be/_serving ˱you_all˲_/are/_wanting

Here, to be enslaved is a metaphor for being obligated to obey certain rules and regulations. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent metaphor from your culture. See how you translated the word enslaved in 4:8 where it is also used with a metaphorical use. Alternate translation: “to which once more you want to act like a slave who must obey his master”

Parallel GAL 4:9