Galatians 4
1 Now, I [will further] discuss [children and heirs]: [An heir is a person who will later] control all that his father has. But as long as that heir is a child, others [control] him, with the result that he is just like a slave [MET].
λεγω δε εφ οσον χρονον ο κληρονομος νηπιος εστιν ουδεν διαφερει δουλου κυριος παντων ων
2 Until the [day that] his father [previously] determined, [other] persons supervise him and manage his father’s property.
αλλα υπο επιτροπους εστιν και οικονομους αχρι της προθεσμιας του πατρος
3 Likewise, when we [(inc)] (OR, we [(exc) Jews]) were [like] young children [MET], we were controlled by the spiritual powers of this world. They controlled us like [masters control their slaves] [MET].
ουτως και ημεις οτε ημεν νηπιοι υπο τα στοιχεια του κοσμου ημεθα δεδουλωμενοι
4 But exactly at the time [MTY] [that God had previously determined], he sent [Jesus], who is (his Son/the man who is also God), into the world. Jesus was born to a [human] mother. He had to obey the laws [that God gave to Moses].
οτε δε ηλθεν το πληρωμα του χρονου εξαπεστειλεν ο θεος τον υιον αυτου γενομενον εκ γυναικος γενομενον υπο νομον
5 God sent Jesus in order that he might redeem us who had to obey [God’s] laws. God wanted us all to receive from [God] the status of being his children [MET].
ινα τους υπο νομον εξαγοραση ινα την υιοθεσιαν απολαβωμεν
6 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].
οτι δε εστε υιοι εξαπεστειλεν ο θεος το πνευμα του υιου αυτου εις τας καρδιας ημων κραζον αββα ο πατηρ
7 So, [because of what God has done], no longer is [each of] you [like] a slave. Instead, [each of you is] a child [of God]. Furthermore, since [each of you is God’s] child, God has also made you his heir, [one who will receive all that he has promised].
ωστε ουκετι ει δουλος αλλα υιος ει δε υιος και κληρονομος δια θεου
8 When you did not have a relationship with God [MET], you served gods that really did not exist [MET]. You were their slaves.
αλλα τοτε μεν ουκ ειδοτες θεον εδουλευσατε τοις φυσει μη ουσιν θεοις
9 But now you have come to know God. Perhaps [it would be better to say that] now God knows you. [So now you are acting foolishly]! (You are again believing [that by obeying] rules and rites [you will benefit spiritually]! [RHQ] [Those rules are] ineffective and inadequate! You are wanting to [obey them] again [MET] like slaves obey their masters. [RHQ]
νυν δε γνοντες θεον μαλλον δε γνωσθεντες υπο θεου πως επιστρεφετε παλιν επι τα ασθενη και πτωχα στοιχεια οις παλιν ανωθεν {VAR1: δουλευσαι } {VAR2: δουλευειν } θελετε
10 You [non-Jews] are carefully practicing [Jewish rules and rituals about what you should do] (on [Sabbaths/on Jewish days of rest]) and [on the first day of each] month and on [special] seasons and years.
ημερας παρατηρεισθε και μηνας και καιρους και ενιαυτους
11 I (worry/am concerned) about your [mistaken ideas. I do not want] to have [so] strenuously served you in vain.
φοβουμαι υμας μη πως εικη κεκοπιακα εις υμας
12 My fellow believers, I strongly urge you that you do as I do. [Stop thinking that you have to obey (Jewish rules and rituals/ceremonial laws]). [When I was with you], I [did not obey all the Jewish rules and rituals], just like you [did not obey them]. [At that time] you treated me entirely as you should have [LIT].
γινεσθε ως εγω οτι καγω ως υμεις αδελφοι δεομαι υμων ουδεν με ηδικησατε
13 You know that the first time I preached to you, [I went to your area to regain my health, because I was physically weak].
οιδατε δε οτι δι ασθενειαν της σαρκος ευηγγελισαμην υμιν το προτερον
14 [Although] you might have [despised me because] I was physically weak, you did not despise me or act contemptuously/disrespectfully toward me. Instead, you welcomed me like [you would welcome] an angel from God. [You welcomed me] like [you would welcome] Christ Jesus!
και τον πειρασμον υμων εν τη σαρκι μου ουκ εξουθενησατε ουδε εξεπτυσατε αλλα ως αγγελον θεου εδεξασθε με ως χριστον ιησουν
15 (I am disappointed that you have forgotten [that then] you [declared that you were] pleased with [me]./Have you forgotten [that then] you [declared that you were] pleased with [me]?) [RHQ] I can testify that you [would have done anything to help me]. You would have gouged out your eyes [and] given them to me, [if that would have helped me]!
που ουν ο μακαρισμος υμων μαρτυρω γαρ υμιν οτι ει δυνατον τους οφθαλμους υμων εξορυξαντες εδωκατε μοι
16 So I am very disappointed that you [now] act as though [RHQ] I have become hostile to you [because I have kept] speaking the true [message about Christ] to you.
ωστε εχθρος υμων γεγονα αληθευων υμιν
17 Those [who are insisting on obeying Jewish rules] are eagerly [showing interest in] you, but [what they are doing is] not good. They even want you not to associate with [me and other true] believers, because they want you to eagerly show [interest in] them, [not in us].
ζηλουσιν υμας ου καλως αλλα εκκλεισαι υμας θελουσιν ινα αυτους ζηλουτε
18 But [just like] it always feels good to have others show that they appreciate you, [I would like you] always [to appreciate me], and not only when I am with you.
καλον δε ζηλουσθαι εν καλω παντοτε και μη μονον εν τω παρειναι με προς υμας
19 You [who are like] my children, [once] again I am very worried/concerned about you [MET], [and I will continue to] be worried/concerned until Christ’s [nature becomes developed] in you [completely and wholeheartedly] [MET] [as a child] becomes developed [in his mother’s womb].
{VAR1: τεκνια } {VAR2: τεκνα } μου ους παλιν ωδινω μεχρις ου μορφωθη χριστος εν υμιν
20 But I do wish that I could be with you now and that I might talk [more gently with you], because I do not know [what to do about] you [while we are apart].
ηθελον δε παρειναι προς υμας αρτι και αλλαξαι την φωνην μου οτι απορουμαι εν υμιν
21 Some of you desire [to obey all the laws] that God gave Moses. [I say that] you [should] consider [RHQ] [the implications of what Moses wrote in] the Scriptures.
λεγετε μοι οι υπο νομον θελοντες ειναι τον νομον ουκ ακουετε
22 [He] wrote that Abraham became the father of two sons. His female slave, [Hagar], bore one son, and his [wife Sarah], who was not a slave, bore the other.
γεγραπται γαρ οτι αβρααμ δυο υιους εσχεν ενα εκ της παιδισκης και ενα εκ της ελευθερας
23 Also, [the sons differed. Ishmael], the [son born by] the female slave, was conceived naturally. But [Isaac], the [son born by] his wife who was not a slave, was conceived [miraculously] as a result of what [God] had promised [Abraham].
αλλ ο {VAR1: [μεν] } {VAR2: μεν } εκ της παιδισκης κατα σαρκα γεγεννηται ο δε εκ της ελευθερας δι επαγγελιας
24 [I am telling you this] as an illustration. These [two women] symbolize two agreements. [God made] the first [agreement, which involved obeying the laws that God gave to Moses] at Sinai Mountain. [Because that agreement forces those who accept it to keep obeying all its rules] [MET], [it is like a slave mother who] gives birth to slaves. [So] Hagar, [the female slave, symbolizes] that [agreement].
ατινα εστιν αλληγορουμενα αυται γαρ εισιν δυο διαθηκαι μια μεν απο ορους σινα εις δουλειαν γεννωσα ητις εστιν αγαρ
25 Also, the [word] ‘Hagar’ is [associated with] Sinai Mountain, [which is] in Arabia [land. Hagar, the female slave, also] represents Jerusalem as it is today. Jerusalem is [like] [MET] a slave [mother, and those who live there] [PRS] [are like] her slave children [MET] [because they all must obey the laws that God gave to Moses].
το δε αγαρ σινα ορος εστιν εν τη αραβια συστοιχει δε τη νυν ιερουσαλημ δουλευει γαρ μετα των τεκνων αυτης
26 But there will be a [new] Jerusalem in heaven [MTY], and we [who will go there] are free [from having to obey Jewish laws]. We [who belong to that city consider it to be] our mother [MET] [city because we are God’s true children].
η δε ανω ιερουσαλημ ελευθερα εστιν ητις εστιν μητηρ ημων
27 [Our new city will have more people than those who live in Jerusalem now. It will be just like] Isaiah foretold about [the people whom he expected would come back to Jerusalem from exile. He expected that they would be more numerous than those who] were taken into exile. He wrote: [You who live in Jerusalem, you will] rejoice! Now you have no children, like a barren [woman] who does not give birth to [children! But some day you will] shout [joyfully], (without restraint/as loudly as you can), [even though now you are few in number, like a woman who] cannot give birth [to children, and you] feel deserted. [You will be very happy] because [you will have many children who will come to you. Those children will be] more than [the children] any woman with a husband [could have borne].
γεγραπται γαρ ευφρανθητι στειρα η ου τικτουσα ρηξον και βοησον η ουκ ωδινουσα οτι πολλα τα τεκνα της ερημου μαλλον η της εχουσης τον ανδρα
28 Now, [my] fellow believers, you have become children [of God as a result of believing God’s] promise to us, as Isaac [was born as a result of Abraham believing what God promised to him] [MET].
{VAR1: ημεις } {VAR2: υμεις } δε αδελφοι κατα ισαακ επαγγελιας τεκνα {VAR1: εσμεν } {VAR2: εστε }
29 [Also, long ago Abraham’s son] Ishmael, the one who was conceived naturally, caused trouble for [Abraham’s son] Isaac, who [was conceived] supernaturally [MET]. Similarly, now [those who think that we must obey the laws that God gave Moses in order that God will save us are causing trouble for those who are trusting Abraham’s descendant, Christ].
αλλ ωσπερ τοτε ο κατα σαρκα γεννηθεις εδιωκεν τον κατα πνευμα ουτως και νυν
30 But these are [RHQ] the words in the Scriptures [PRS]: “The son of the [woman] who was not a slave will inherit [what his father has]. The female slave’s son will certainly not inherit those things. So send away from [this place] the female slave and her son [MET]!” [That means that you should certainly expel from your groups those who insist that we obey all the laws God gave Moses] [MET].
αλλα τι λεγει η γραφη εκβαλε την παιδισκην και τον υιον αυτης ου γαρ μη κληρονομησει ο υιος της παιδισκης μετα του υιου της ελευθερας
31 [My] fellow believers, [Hagar symbolizes the laws that God gave to Moses. But we are not those who must obey all the laws that God gave to Moses] [MET]. [So] we are not [the] female slave [Hagar’s spiritual] descendants [MET]. But [Sarah’s descendants are those who were born as a result of believing what God promised to Abraham. So we are] the [spiritual] descendants of [Sarah, the woman] who was not a slave [MET].
διο αδελφοι ουκ εσμεν παιδισκης τεκνα αλλα της ελευθερας
