GAL 4:6 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. ὅτι
2. hoti
3. because
4. because
5. 37540
6. C·······
7. because
8. because
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126940
1. Δέ
2. de
3. And
4. So
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. S
10. Y58
11. 126941
1. ἐστέ
2. eimi
3. you all are
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ are
8. ˱you_all˲ are
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126942
1. υἱοί
2. huios
3. sons
4. -
5. 52070
6. N····NMP
7. sons
8. sons
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126943
1. ἐξαπέστειλεν
2. exapostellō
3. sent away
4. -
5. 18210
6. VIAA3··S
7. sent_away
8. sent_away
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126944
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126945
1. Θεός
2. theos
3. god
4. God
5. 23160
6. N····NMS
7. god
8. God
9. GN
10. Y58; Person=God
11. 126946
1. τό
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····ANS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126947
1. Πνεῦμα
2. pneuma
3. spirit
4. spirit
5. 41510
6. N····ANS
7. spirit
8. Spirit
9. GN
10. Y58; Person=Holy_Spirit
11. 126948
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. of the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMS
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126949
1. υἱοῦ
2. huios
3. son
4. -
5. 52070
6. N····GMS
7. son
8. son
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126950
1. αὐτοῦ
2. autos
3. of him
4. his
5. 8460
6. R···3GMS
7. ˱of˲ him
8. ˱of˲ him
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126951
1. εἰς
2. eis
3. into
4. -
5. 15190
6. P·······
7. into
8. into
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126952
1. τάς
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AFP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126953
1. καρδίας
2. kardia
3. hearts
4. hearts
5. 25880
6. N····AFP
7. hearts
8. hearts
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126954
1. ἡμῶν
2. egō
3. of us
4. our
5. 14730
6. R···1G·P
7. ˱of˲ us
8. ˱of˲ us
9. -
10. Y58; R125554; Person=Paul; R125580; R126771; R126183; R126187; Person=Barnabas; R126206; R126826
11. 126955
1. ὑμῶν
2. su
3. -
4. -
5. 47710
6. R···2G·P
7. ˱of˲ you_all
8. ˱of˲ you_all
9. -
10. -
11. 126956
1. κρᾶζον
2. krazō
3. crying out
4. -
5. 28960
6. VPPA·ANS
7. crying_out
8. crying_out
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126957
1. Ἀββα
2. abba
3. father
4. -
5. 50
6. T·······
7. father
8. Abba
9. GD
10. Y58
11. 126958
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E···2VMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126959
1. Πατήρ
2. patēr
3. father
4. -
5. 39620
6. N····VMS
7. father
8. Father
9. GV
10. Y58; Person=God
11. 126960

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:26–4:7: A child of God is not a slave of the law

In the previous section, Paul talked about people from a Jewish background. In this section, he returned to focus on the non-Jews whom he had talked about earlier.

This section has two parts. In the first one (3:26 to 3:29), Paul reminded the non-Jewish Christians in Galatia that they had become children of God through faith. When people become children of God, there is no longer a difference between Jew or non-Jew, male or female, slave or free. He further pointed out that once people have become children of God, they are entitled to all the blessings of the new life in Christ.

In the second part (4:1 to 4:7), Paul compared the time under the law to a time of slavery. But when Christ came, he freed people from slavery. The time under the law ended. So believers in Jesus Christ are God’s sons. They are not slaves to the law. It is no longer necessary to follow the law.

Some other examples for a heading for this section are:

By faith we are sons of God and are rescued from the law

You are not slaves but children of God

No longer prisoners to the law but sons

Paragraph 4:1–7

In this paragraph, Paul further explained that the period of the law was temporary. He compared the period under the law to a period of slavery. When Christ came, he redeemed the people who were in slavery. They are no longer slaves. Instead, they are now adopted as God’s sons and are his heirs. The time of the law is over.

4:6a

And because you are sons,

Because you^(plur) are sons,
And now that we^(incl) are his children,

And: Verse 4:6 is an additional point in Paul’s discussion about being sons of God. The BSB connects this verse to the previous verse with the conjunction And.

Some English versions do not begin this sentence with such a conjunction. In some languages, it will not be necessary to begin this sentence with such a conjunction either.

because you are sons: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the BSB translates as because:

It means because. According to this interpretation, this word is a conjunction and introduces the reason why God has given us the Spirit. Paul is saying that because we are his children, God has given us the Spirit.Elsewhere in his writings, “Paul has argued from his converts’ reception of the Spirit (3:2–5, 14b) to their being “sons of God” (3:26), which is also the order of his presentation in Rom 8:15–17. Here, however, that relationship seems to be reversed in saying ‘because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his son into your hearts’ (4:6).…The argument as to whether the proper order is first sonship and then the gift of the Spirit, or first the reception of the Spirit and then sonship, has been fervent and heated.…Clearly, Ὅτι here is causal (because, since)…Paul is not here setting out stages in the Christian life, whether logical or chronological. Rather his emphasis is on the reciprocal relation or correlational nature of sonship and the reception of the Spirit” (Longenecker, p. 173). For example:
Because you are sons (NIV) (BSB, ESV, NIV, NET, RSV, KJV, NASB, GW, NLT, NCV, JBP)
It means that. According to this interpretation, God gives us his Spirit, and that confirms that we are his children. So this verse should read, “That which shows that we are his children is that God gave us the Spirit.” For example:
To show that you are his children (GNT) (GNT, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Most English versions follow this interpretation.

Another way to translate this clause is:

Now that you are sons

you: Paul used the pronoun you to address the Galatians directly. He then changed to the pronoun “our” in 4:6b to focus on the fact that all believers are sons and have the Spirit. In some languages, it may not be natural to change pronouns in this way. If that is true in your language, you may use the pronoun “we” here. For example:

And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts (NLT)

4:6b

God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts,

God sent the Spirit of his Son to live/stay in our hearts,
God has sent the Spirit of his Son, the Holy Spirit, to live in us.

God sent: The Greek verb that the BSB here translates as sent is the same Greek word as in 4:4b.

Another way to translate this is:

God gave us

the Spirit of His Son: The phrase the Spirit of His Son refers to the Holy Spirit. In other passages, he is also called “the Spirit of God” and “the Spirit of Christ.” Your word for the Spirit of His Son must make it clear that this is the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

the Spirit of his Son, that is, the Holy Spirit

the Holy Spirit, the Spirit that his Son promised

See Spirit in the Glossary.

into our hearts: The word that the BSB translates as hearts refers to the inner being of a person. It is who we are as a person.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

to live in our hearts/minds

to stay in us

to be with us

Many languages use a different part of the body such as “liver,” “kidney,” “intestines,” or “mind” to refer to the inner being of a person.

4:6c

crying out, “Abba, Father!”

enabling us to call out “Abba, Father.”
It is the Spirit who says, “Abba” which means “Father.”

crying out: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as crying out refers to earnest, intense “calling out.” It describes what the Holy Spirit does in our hearts. He enables us to call God “Father.” It does not refer to weeping.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

It’s the Spirit living in us who urgently calls out

The Spirit enables us to say

“Abba, Father!”: The word Abba is the Aramaic word that means Father. Jesus called God “Abba.” Jesus is God’s Son. Now we are God’s sons, so we too can call him “Abba.” Before Christ came, people did not address God as “Father.”

Some ways to translate these words are:

Transliterate the word “Abba” and use the word for “Father” in your language. This is what many English versions do. For example:
Abba, Father If you choose this option, you may want to include a footnote explaining that “Abba” means “Father” in Aramaic.
Transliterate the word “Abba” and then explain that it means “Father.” For example:
“Abba,” which means Father.
Use only one term. Either transliterate “Abba” or use your word for “Father.” For example:
Abba
Father (NCV)

If the word “Abba” is already a word in your language that means something else, you should not transliterate that word.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

δέ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅτι Δέ ἐστέ υἱοί ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ Θεός τό Πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τάς καρδίας ἡμῶν κρᾶζον Ἀββα ὁ Πατήρ)

Here, Paul is using the word And to introduce new information into his ongoing argument. Use a natural form for introducing new information. Alternate translation: [Now]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

ὅτι

because

The word because is introducing the reason that God sent the Spirit of his Son into the hearts of believers, namely, because believers are God’s sons. Use a natural form in your language for introducing a reason.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

υἱοί

sons

Although the term sons is masculine, Paul is using the word here in a generic sense that includes both men and women. Alternate translation: [sons and daughters]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

υἱοί

sons

Paul speaks of the Galatian believers as though God were their biological, physical father. He means that these people have a father-son relationship with God because they trust in Jesus. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. See how you translated the word sons in [4:5](../04/05.md), where it is used with the same meaning. Alternate translation: [the spiritual children of God]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

εἰς τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν

into (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅτι Δέ ἐστέ υἱοί ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ Θεός τό Πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τάς καρδίας ἡμῶν κρᾶζον Ἀββα ὁ Πατήρ)

Here, the word hearts refers to the innermost part of a person. Paul is describing the innermost part of a person by association with their physical heart. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent term from your culture that is used to describe the center of a person’s inner being or you could use plain language. Alternate translation: [to live within each of us]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

κρᾶζον

crying_out

The phrase crying out means calling out loudly. This phrase does not mean to cry or weep from sorrow. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: [calling out loudly]

Note 7 topic: translate-transliterate

Ἀββά, ὁ Πατήρ

The word Abba is an Aramaic word meaning Father and which the Jews used to address their fathers. Paul writes it as it sounds in Aramaic (he transliterates it) and then translates its meaning into Greek for his readers. Since the Aramaic word Abba is followed by the Greek word Father, it is best to transliterate Abba and then give its meaning in your language, as Paul does.

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.