GAL 4:8 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. Ἀλλά
2. alla
3. But
4. -
5. 2350
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. PS
10. Y58
11. 126976
1. τότε
2. tote
3. then
4. -
5. 51190
6. D·······
7. then
8. then
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126977
1. μέν
2. men
3. on one hand
4. -
5. 33030
6. C·······
7. on_one_hand
8. on_one_hand
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126978
1. οὐκ
2. ou
3. not
4. didn't aren't
5. 37560
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126979
1. εἰδότες
2. eidō
3. having known
4. -
5. 14920
6. VPEA·NMP
7. ˓having˒ known
8. ˓having˒ known
9. -
10. Y58; R126826
11. 126980
1. Θεόν
2. theos
3. god
4. God
5. 23160
6. N····AMS
7. god
8. God
9. GN
10. Y58; Person=God
11. 126981
1. ἐδουλεύσατε
2. douleuō
3. you all served
4. served
5. 13980
6. VIAA2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ served
8. ˱you_all˲ served
9. -
10. Y58; R126826
11. 126982
1. τοῖς
2. ho
3. for the ones
4. -
5. 35880
6. R····DMP
7. ˱for˲ the ‹ones›
8. ˱for˲ the ‹ones›
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126983
1. μή
2. mē
3. -
4. -
5. 33610
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. -
11. 126984
1. φύσει
2. fusis
3. by nature
4. -
5. 54490
6. N····DFS
7. ˱by˲ nature
8. ˱by˲ nature
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126985
1. μή
2. mē
3. not
4. -
5. 33610
6. D·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126986
1. οὖσι
2. eimi
3. being
4. -
5. 15100
6. VPPA·DMP
7. being
8. being
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126987
1. θεοῖς
2. theos
3. gods
4. gods
5. 23160
6. N····DMP
7. gods
8. gods
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126988

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:8–20: Paul begged the Galatians not to turn away from the true gospel

In this section, Paul again rebuked the Galatians for turning to the law and turning away from the true gospel. He begged them to change their thinking and their actions. He said that turning to the law put them back into the slavery that they were in before they knew Christ. He equated obeying the law with paganism. This is a startling and shocking comparison.

Paul appealed to the Galatians on the basis of the emotional bond between him and them. He reminded them of how that bond had developed and that it had resulted in their full acceptance of the true gospel. But now their turning away from the true gospel had perplexed him. He said that they were now like enemies because they followed the false teachers and had turned away from the true gospel.

But the false teachers were the real enemies. For selfish reasons, they taught the Galatians to add something to their faith. They taught them to obey the law. They were not working for the good of the Galatians.

Some possible headings for this section are:

The folly of turning to the law

Paul’s concern for the Galatians

Paragraph 4:8–11

In Greek this paragraph begins with a conjunction that introduces a contrast. The contrast is between the Galatians’ position as adopted sons in the family of God and their pre-Christian past. Some ways to begin this paragraph are:

But

However, (NASB)

Many English versions, including the BSB, do not translate this conjunction. In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate it either.

4:8a

Formerly, when you did not know God,

¶ But in the past, when you^(plur) did not yet know God,
¶ Before you knew God, (CEV)

Formerly, when you did not know God: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Formerly also means “then” or “back then.” This word, together with the clause when you did not know God, refers to the time before the Galatians were believers.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

In the past, before you knew God

Back then, when you did not know God

4:8b

you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

you^(plur) were slaves of idols/spirits which are not really/truly God.
you^(plur) served things that should not be worshiped.

you were slaves to: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as you were slaves to can also be translated as “you were slaves of.” Paul reminded the Galatians that before they believed in Christ, they were not free. They were like slaves.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

it was as if you were in slavery to

you were controlled by

you served

those who by nature are not gods: This clause refers to:

The idols that the Galatians worshiped. In the books of Romans and 1 Corinthians, Paul taught that idols in themselves are not gods/spirits. Their nature is wood and stone, and men carve them.
The spirits/beings that the Galatians worshiped. These spirits are fallen angels or demons, and their nature is evil. They are false gods. They do not merit worship.

Some challenges in translating this verse are:

In some languages, the word for “idols/fetishes” is the same as the word for gods. So it is not possible to say that these things are not really gods when people can see them. If that is true in your language, you may need to translate this as:
idols that should not be worshiped
In others languages, the word “God” cannot be made plural. If that is true in your language, you may need to translate this as:
those spirits/idols that are not God

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

things which are really not gods at all (GW)

things/beings that are only false gods

by nature: The Greek word that the BSB translates as by nature means “has the character of.”

Another way to translate this word is:

really/truly

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-contrast

ἀλλὰ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀλλά τότε μέν οὐκ εἰδότες Θεόν ἐδουλεύσατε τοῖς φύσει μή οὖσι θεοῖς)

The word But is introducing a contrast. Paul is contrasting the life of the Galatian believers before they believed in Christ with their life after they believed in Christ and as a result became God’s sons (which he explained in [4:1-7](../04/01.md)). Use a natural form in your language for introducing a contrast.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

εἰδότες Θεὸν

˓having˒_known (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀλλά τότε μέν οὐκ εἰδότες Θεόν ἐδουλεύσατε τοῖς φύσει μή οὖσι θεοῖς)

Here, the phrase having known God means knowing God in a close personal relationship. It means more than simply having heard about God or knowing some things about God. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: [having been in a close relationship with God]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐδουλεύσατε τοῖς φύσει μὴ οὖσι θεοῖς

˱you_all˲_served ˱for˲_the_‹ones› ˱by˲_nature (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀλλά τότε μέν οὐκ εἰδότες Θεόν ἐδουλεύσατε τοῖς φύσει μή οὖσι θεοῖς)

Paul speaks of the Galatians' former way of life in which they practiced false religions and worshiped false gods 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 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τοῖς φύσει μὴ οὖσι θεοῖς

˱for˲_the_‹ones› ˱by˲_nature (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀλλά τότε μέν οὐκ εἰδότες Θεόν ἐδουλεύσατε τοῖς φύσει μή οὖσι θεοῖς)

The phrase, the ones by nature not being gods refers to the beings which the Galatians served when they were pagans and which were considered by them to be gods though they were not really gods. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: [false gods which were not really gods at all]

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

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. But
2. -
3. 2350
4. PS
5. alla
6. C-·······
7. but
8. but
9. PS
10. Y58
11. 126976
1. then
2. -
3. 51190
5. tote
6. D-·······
7. then
8. then
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126977
1. on one hand
2. -
3. 33030
5. men
6. C-·······
7. on_one_hand
8. on_one_hand
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126978
1. not
2. didn't aren't
3. 37560
5. ou
6. D-·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126979
1. having known
2. -
3. 14920
5. eidō
6. V-PEA·NMP
7. ˓having˒ known
8. ˓having˒ known
9. -
10. Y58; R126826
11. 126980
1. god
2. God
3. 23160
4. GN
5. theos
6. N-····AMS
7. god
8. God
9. GN
10. Y58; Person=God
11. 126981
1. you all served
2. served
3. 13980
5. douleuō
6. V-IAA2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ served
8. ˱you_all˲ served
9. -
10. Y58; R126826
11. 126982
1. for the ones
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. R-····DMP
7. ˱for˲ the ‹ones›
8. ˱for˲ the ‹ones›
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126983
1. by nature
2. -
3. 54490
5. fusis
6. N-····DFS
7. ˱by˲ nature
8. ˱by˲ nature
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126985
1. not
2. -
3. 33610
5. mē
6. D-·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126986
1. being
2. -
3. 15100
5. eimi
6. V-PPA·DMP
7. being
8. being
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126987
1. gods
2. gods
3. 23160
5. theos
6. N-····DMP
7. gods
8. gods
9. -
10. Y58
11. 126988

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.

OET interlinear GAL 4:8

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 4:8–20: Paul begged the Galatians not to turn away from the true gospel

Paragraph 4:8–11

4:8a

4:8b

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