OET interlinear GAL 4:3

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”