GAL 4:6 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

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

ULT And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father.”

UST Furthermore, God sent the Spirit to live in our inner beings because we are now in such a close relationship with God it is as though we are his children. It is his Spirit who enables us to fervently call out to God, “Father, Father!”

BLB And because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!"

AICNT And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into {our}[fn] hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”

4:6, our: Later manuscripts read “your.” BYZ TR

OEB And it is because you are sons that God sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, with the cry – “Abba, our Father.”

WEBBE And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba,[fn] Father!”

4:6 Abba is a Greek spelling for the Aramaic word for “Father” or “Daddy” used in a familiar, respectful, and loving way.

WMBB (Same as above including footnotes)

NET And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls “ Abba! Father!”

LSV and because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

FBV To show you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son to convince us, causing us to call out, “Abba,” meaning “Father.”

TCNT And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into [fn]your hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!”

4:6 your ¦ our CT

T4T Furthermore, we know that we are God’s children because God sent the Spirit, who is intimately related to Jesus, to live in our ◄inner beings/hearts►. The Spirit enables us to pray fervently, “Daddy, Father!” This shows that we are God’s children.

LEB And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba![fn] (Father!),”

4:6 “Abba” is Aramaic for “father”

BBE And because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, saying, Abba, Father.

Moff It is because you are sons that God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying "Abba! Father!"

Wymth And because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of His Son to enter your hearts and cry "Abba! our Father!"

ASV And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

DRA And because you are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying: Abba, Father.

YLT and because ye are sons, God did send forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father!'

Drby But because ye are sons, [fn]God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

4.6 Elohim

RV And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
(And because ye/you_all are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. )

SLT And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Wbstr And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

KJB-1769 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
(And because ye/you_all are sons, God hath/has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. )

KJB-1611 And because yee are sonnes, God hath sent foorth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts, crying Abba, Father.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps Because ye are sonnes, God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your heartes, crying, Abba, father.
(Because ye/you_all are sons, God hath/has sent the spirit of his son into your hearts, crying, Abba, father.)

Gnva And because ye are sonnes, God hath sent foorth the Spirit of his Sonne into your heartes, which crieth, Abba, Father.
(And because ye/you_all are sons, God hath/has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, which crieth/cries, Abba, Father. )

Cvdl For so moch the as ye are children, God hath sent the sprete of his sonne in to oure hertes, which cryeth: Abba, deare father.
(For so much thee/you as ye/you_all are children, God hath/has sent the spirit of his son in to our hearts, which crieth/cries: Abba, dear father.)

TNT Because ye are sonnes God hath sent the sprete of his sonne in to oure hertes which cryeth Abba father.
(Because ye/you_all are sons God hath/has sent the spirit of his son in to our hearts which crieth/cries Abba father. )

Wycl And for ye ben Goddis sones, God sente his spirit in to youre hertis, criynge, Abba, fadir.
(And for ye/you_all been God’s sons, God sent his spirit in to your(pl) hearts, crying, Abba, father.)

Luth Weil ihr denn Kinder seid, hat GOtt gesandt den Geist seines Sohnes in eure Herzen, der schreiet: Abba, lieber Vater!
(Since/Because you(pl)/their/her because/than children are, has God sent the spirit his son in your(pl) heart(s), the/of_the screams/cries_out: Abba, love(v) father!)

ClVg Quoniam autem estis filii, misit Deus Spiritum Filii sui in corda vestra, clamantem: Abba, Pater.[fn]
(Since however you_are children, he_sent God Spirit Children self in/into/on hearts your, they_shoutem: Abba, Pater. )

4.6 Misit Deus. Ut enim probaremur adoptati esse a Deo in filios, Spiritum suum dedit nobis qui signum Patris ostendat in filios, ut quia nos hoc non auderemus dicere infirmitate et indignitate nostra, suggerat ut audeamus dicere. Spiritum Filii. Nota Spiritum etiam esse Filii. Et nota etiam hic trinitatem. AUG. Si forsitan aliquis quærat utrum a Filio procedat Spiritus, etc., usque ad ab illo habet, ut et de illo procedat Spiritus sanctus. Clamantem. Notandum quod clamor in Scripturis non magnæ vocis emissio, sed scientiæ intelligatur, et dogmatum magnitudo. Abba pater. Eleganter duo verba idem significantia posuit, propter universum populum qui de Judæis et gentibus in unitatem fidei vocatus est, ut Hebræorum verbum ad Hebræos, Græcum ad gentes pertineat. Utriusque autem verbi eadem significatio ad ejusdem fidei Spiritusque unitatem pertinet. Qui natura non sunt, etc. Unam Dei veri esse naturam ostendit, scilicet Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus sancti. Quid autem est natura Deum esse, nisi verum Deum esse? Unde alibi Apostolus: Conversi estis servire Deo vivo et vero I Petr. 2..

4.6 He_sent God. As because probaremur adoptati to_be from to_God in/into/on children, Spirit his_own he_gave us who/which sign/signal Father's show in/into/on children, as because us this not/no auderemus to_say weakness and indignitate our, suggerat as audeamus to_say. Spirit Children. Note Spirit also to_be Children. And note also this/here trinitatem. AUG. When/But_if perhaps someone seek whether from Filio procedat Spirit, etc., until to away that/there has, as and from/about that/there procedat Spirit holy. Clamantem. Note that clamor in/into/on Scripturis not/no great voices emissio, but of_knowledge be_understood, and dogma magnitudo. Abba father. Eleganter two words the_same significantia put, because whole the_people who/which from/about To_the_Jews and nations in/into/on unity of_faith called it_is, as Hebræorum the_word/saying to Hebræos, Græcum to people/nations pertineat. Utriusque however words the_same meansio to of_the_same of_faith Spiritque unity belongs. Who nature/element not/no are, etc. Unam of_God true to_be nature he_showed, namely Father's, and Children, and Spirit holy. What however it_is nature/element God to_be, except true God esse? From_where/who alibi Apostolus: Conversi you_are to_serve to_God I_live and indeed/however I Petr. 2..

UGNT ὅτι δέ ἐστε υἱοί, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν κρᾶζον, Ἀββά, ὁ Πατήρ!
(hoti de este huioi, exapesteilen ho Theos to Pneuma tou huiou autou eis tas kardias haʸmōn krazon, Abba, ho Pataʸr!)

SBL-GNT ὅτι δέ ἐστε υἱοί, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς καρδίας ⸀ἡμῶν, κρᾶζον· Αββα ὁ πατήρ.
(hoti de este huioi, exapesteilen ho theos to pneuma tou huiou autou eis tas kardias ⸀haʸmōn, krazon; Abba ho pataʸr.)

RP-GNT Ὅτι δέ ἐστε υἱοί, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, κρᾶζον, Ἀββᾶ, ὁ πατήρ.
(Hoti de este huioi, exapesteilen ho theos to pneuma tou huiou autou eis tas kardias humōn, krazon, Abba, ho pataʸr.)

TC-GNT Ὅτι δέ ἐστε υἱοί, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰς καρδίας [fn]ὑμῶν, κρᾶζον, Ἀββᾶ, ὁ πατήρ.
(Hoti de este huioi, exapesteilen ho Theos to pneuma tou huiou autou eis tas kardias humōn, krazon, Abba, ho pataʸr. )

4:6 υμων ¦ ημων CT

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

SOTN 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.

UTN 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.

Parallel GAL 4:6

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

Paragraph 4:1–7

4:6a

4:6b

4:6c