Galatians 4

1 What I am saying [to explain, to make clear] is that as long as the heir [child of God, one who receives an inheritance] is a child [young, immature], he is no different [none, no distinction] from a slave [bondservant, one in bondage], although he is the owner [lord, master] of everything [all things, the whole]. word study 2 He is subject [under the authority of] to guardians [managers, overseers] and trustees [stewards, caretakers] until [up to the point of] the date [appointed time, set time] set [designated, predetermined] by [under the authority of] his father [parent, patriarch]. word study 3 So also [in this way, thus], when we [as believers, including myself] were children [immature, youthful], we were enslaved [brought into bondage, held in servitude] under [subject to, under the authority of] the basic principles [fundamental elements, rudiments] of the world [the earthly realm, the system of things]. word study 4 But when [at the appointed moment, the fulness of time] the time had fully come, God [the one true deity, Creator] sent His Son [the Messiah, Jesus], born [come into being, generated] of a woman [a female, a wife], born [come into being, generated] under [in subjection to, under the authority of] the law [the Mosaic law, God’s commandments], word study 5 to redeem [rescue, buy back] those under [subject to, ruled by] the law [Mosaic law, God’s commandments], that we might receive [get back, obtain] our adoption [sonship, position as children] as sons [children of God, heirs]. word study 6 And because you are [as children of God, sons and daughters] sons, God [the Father, Creator of all] sent [dispatched, commissioned] the Spirit [the divine breath, the vital principle] of His Son [the Messiah, Jesus Christ] into our hearts [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions], crying out [with a loud voice, fervently], “Abba [an intimate term, Daddy], Father [the supreme Parent, Provider]!” word study 7 So you are no longer [not anymore, no more] a slave [bondservant, servant], but a son [child, heir]; and since you are a son [child of God], you are also an heir [recipient of God’s promises, co-heir with Christ] through [because of, by means of] God [the Father, Creator]. word study 8 Formerly [at that time, in the past], when you did not know [were unaware of, had no relationship with] God [the one true deity], you were slaves [in bondage, servants] to those who by nature [innately, inherently] are not [do not exist as] gods [false deities, idols]. word study 9 But now [at this present time] that you know [have come to understand, are acquainted with] God [the one true deity], or rather [more accurately] are known [recognized, acknowledged] by God [the all-knowing Creator], how [in what way, to what extent] is it that you are turning back [reverting, returning] to those weak [feeble, lacking strength] and worthless [of no value, unprofitable] principles [fundamental elements, basic teachings] [which are like spiritual bondage]? Do you wish [desire, intend] to be enslaved [held in bondage, made servants] by them all over again [once more, anew]? word study 10 You are observing [watching closely, paying attention to] special days [holy days, festivals] and months [periods of time, lunar cycles] and seasons [times, opportunities] and years [cycles of time, annual festivals]! word study 11 I fear [am afraid, have apprehension] for you, that my efforts [labor, hard work] for you may have been [perhaps, possibly] in vain [without result, to no purpose]. word study 12 I beg [plead, strongly urge] you, brothers [fellow believers, brethren], become [be, come into being] like me [as I am], for I became [was, came to be] like you [as ye are]. You have done [did, acted towards] me no wrong [no harm, no injury, none]. word study 13 You know [are aware, perceive] that it was because of an illness [weakness, infirmity of the flesh] that I first [previously, at the beginning] preached [proclaimed, shared] the gospel [good news, message of salvation] to you [personally, directly]. word study 14 And although my illness [trial, temptation] was a [testing, difficult] trial to you, you did not despise [treat with contempt] or reject [spurn, refuse] me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel [messenger] of God [the supreme Creator], as if I were Christ Jesus [the Anointed One, God’s Messiah] Himself. word study 15 What then [where is] has become of your blessing [blessedness, happy condition, gratulation]? For I can testify [bear you witness, give evidence] that, if it were possible [able, if it could be done], you would have torn out [plucked out, dug out, gouged out] your eyes [sight, vision] and given them to me [bestowed them upon me, granted them to me]. word study 16 Have I [so then, in this way] now become your [personal, hostile] enemy [a foe] by telling [speaking, proclaiming] you the truth [being truthful, honest]? word study 17 Those people are zealous [eagerly seeking, with a strong desire] for you, but not in a good [moral, righteous] way. Instead, they want to isolate [exclude, shut out] you from us, so that you may be zealous [enthusiastically devoted, with a strong affection] for them. word study 18 Nevertheless, it is good [beneficial, advantageous] to be zealous [eagerly devoted, enthusiastically committed] if it serves a noble [good, honorable] purpose [cause, intention]—at any time [always, constantly], and not only [exclusively] when I am with [present among, in the company of] you. word study 19 My [little, dear] children [beloved ones], for whom I am again [once more, anew] in the pains [labor, travail] of childbirth [birth pangs, spiritual labor] until Christ [the Anointed One, Jesus] is formed [molded, shaped] in you [within your hearts, among you], word study 20 how I wish [desire to will, intentionally want] I could be with [present among, in the company of] you now [at this moment, in the present time] and change [alter, make different] my tone [voice, manner of speaking], because I am [stand in a state of] perplexed [confused, unsure] about [concerning, regarding] you. word study 21 Tell me [answer this question], you who want [desire, intentionally choose] to be under [subject to, governed by] the law [Moses’ law, God’s commandments], do you not [is it not the case that you] understand [hear, listen to, and comprehend] what the law [God’s regulations, divine instructions] says [teaches, declares]? word study 22 For [as it is recorded] it is written [in Scripture, as a matter of fact] that Abraham [the father of faith] had two [a pair, a duo] sons, one [a child, an offspring] by the [female] slave woman [a maidservant, a bondmaid] and the other [another child] by the free woman [a woman of liberty, not a slave]. word study 23 His son by the slave woman [maidservant, female servant] was born according to [in line with, following] the flesh [physical body, human nature], but his son by the free woman [unrestricted, not a slave] was born through [as a result of, because of] the promise [commitment, assurance from God]. word study 24 These things serve as illustrations [an allegory, a symbolic representation], for the women represent [symbolize, are a picture of] two covenants [formal agreements, divine contracts]. One covenant [agreement, testament] is from Mount Sinai [the mountain where God gave the law] and bears children into slavery [bondage, servitude]: This is Hagar [the slave mother, a symbol of the old covenant]. word study 25 Now Hagar [a servant, the concubine of Abraham] stands for [represents, symbolizes] Mount Sinai [a mountain in Arabia, the site of the covenant] in Arabia [a region in Asia] and corresponds to [matches, is equivalent to] the present-day [current, existing now] Jerusalem [the capital of Palestine, the city of God’s people], because she is in [a state of, under] slavery [bondage, servitude] with her children [offspring, descendants]. word study 26 But the Jerusalem [heavenly, our mother city] above [on high, in heaven] is free [unrestricted, liberated, having freedom], and she [our mother, the mother of us all] is our [belonging to us, of us] mother [nourisher, caregiver, the one who gives birth]. word study 27 For it is written: “Rejoice [be glad, celebrate], O barren [childless, unable to bear children] woman, who bears no children [has not given birth]; break forth [shout joyfully, cry out] and cry aloud [shout for joy], you who have never travailed [been in labor, experienced birth pangs]; because more [many more, a greater number] are the children [offspring, spiritual descendants] of the desolate [abandoned, lonely] woman than of her who has a husband [is married, has a spouse].” word study 28 Now you, brothers [fellow believers, brethren], like Isaac [as Isaac was, in the manner of Isaac], are children [sons and daughters] of promise [divine undertaking, God’s assurance]. word study 29 At that time [then, in those days], however, the son born [begotten, brought into being] by the flesh [physical body, human nature] persecuted [pursued, harassed] the son born [begotten, supernaturally conceived] by the Spirit [the divine breath, God’s vital principle]. It is the same [thus, in like manner] now [at this present time, currently]. word study 30 But what does the Scripture [holy writings, God’s Word] say? “Expel [cast out, send away] the slave woman [maidservant, bondwoman] and her son, for the slave woman’s [bondwoman’s] son will never [under no circumstances] share in the inheritance [legacy, gift] with the free woman’s [freewoman’s] son [child, heir].” word study 31 Therefore [in light of this truth], brothers [fellow believers], we are not children [born to parents] of the slave woman [a maidservant], but [in contrast] of the free woman [the eleuthera, unrestricted and liberated]. word study