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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Galatians 4:1

Let me show you the implications of this. As long as the heir is a minor, he has no advantage over the slave. Though legally he owns the entire inheritance, he is subject to tutors and administrators until whatever date the father has set for emancipation. That is the way it is with us: When we were minors, we were just like slaves ordered around by simple instructions (the tutors and administrators of this world), with no say in the conduct of our own lives.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Children;   Heir;   Instruction;   Minors;   Tutor;   Scofield Reference Index - Test-Tempt;   Thompson Chain Reference - Backsliding;   Deterioration-Development;   Immaturity, Spiritual;   Spiritual;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Children;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Adoption;   Freedom;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Faith;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Adoption;   Elements;   Galatians, the Epistle to the;   Hebrews, the Epistle to the;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Galatians, Letter to the;   Hagar;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Adoption;   Children (Sons) of God;   Law;   Slave, Slavery;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Heir Heritage Inheritance;   Law;   Lord;   Lots;   Metaphor;   1910 New Catholic Dictionary - names of our lord;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Adoption;   Babe;   Element;   Galatians, Epistle to the;   Heir;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for November 27;  

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything,
Legacy Standard Bible
Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything,
Simplified Cowboy Version
It's like this, if a dad dies and leaves an inheritance to his kids, they're not much better off until they grow up. They may own what their dad had, but it's not really theirs until they grow up.
Bible in Basic English
But I say that as long as the son is a child, he is in no way different from a servant, though he is lord of all;
Darby Translation
Now I say, As long as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a bondman, though he be lord of all;
Christian Standard Bible®
Now I say that as long as the heir is a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the owner of everything.
World English Bible
But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all;
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now I say the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
Weymouth's New Testament
Now I say that so long as an heir is a child, he in no respect differs from a slave, although he is the owner of everything,
King James Version (1611)
Now I say, that the heire, as long as hee is a child, differeth nothing from a seruant, though hee bee Lord of all,
Literal Translation
But I say, Over so long a time the heir is an infant, he being lord of all, does not differ from a slave,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But I saye: As longe as the heyre is a childe, there is no difference betwene him and a seruaunt, though he be lorde of all ye goodes:
Mace New Testament (1729)
Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, is in a state of servitude, tho' he is to be lord of all;
Amplified Bible
Now what I mean [when I talk about children and their guardians] is this: as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave even though he is the [future owner and] master of all [the estate];
American Standard Version
But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;
Revised Standard Version
I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate;
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And I saye that the heyre as longe as he is a chylde differth not from a servaunt though he be Lorde of all
Update Bible Version
But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a slave though he is lord of all;
Webster's Bible Translation
Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he is lord of all;
Young's Literal Translation
And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant -- being lord of all,
New Century Version
I want to tell you this: While those who will inherit their fathers' property are still children, they are no different from slaves. It does not matter that the children own everything.
New English Translation
Now I mean that the heir, as long as he is a minor, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything.
Berean Standard Bible
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything.
Contemporary English Version
Children who are under age are no better off than slaves, even though everything their parents own will someday be theirs.
Complete Jewish Bible
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a minor he is no different from a slave, even though he is the legal owner of the estate;
English Standard Version
I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything,
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then I say, that the heire as long as hee is a childe, differeth nothing fro a seruant, though he be Lord of all,
George Lamsa Translation
NOW this I say, That the heir as long as he is young, cannot be distinguished from the servants, though he is the lord of them all.
Hebrew Names Version
But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all;
International Standard Version
Now what I am saying is this: As long as an heir is a child, he is no better off than a slave, even though he owns everything.
Etheridge Translation
But I say that what time the heir is a child, he differeth not from a servant, though he be lord of all,
Murdock Translation
But I say, that the heir, so long as he is a child, differeth not from a servant, although he is lord of all;
New King James Version
Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,
New Living Translation
Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had.
New Life Bible
Let me say this another way. A young child who will get all the riches of his family is not different from a servant who is owned by the family. And yet the young child owns everything.
English Revised Version
But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant, though he is lord of all;
New Revised Standard
My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than slaves, though they are the owners of all the property;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But I say: - for as long a time as, the heir, is an infant, he differeth, nothing, from a servant, though, lord of all,
Douay-Rheims Bible
As long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all,
King James Version
Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
Lexham English Bible
Now I say, for as long a time as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is master of everything,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And I say, that the heyre, as long as he is a chylde, differeth nothyng from a seruaut, though he be Lorde of all,
Easy-to-Read Version
This is what I am saying: When young children inherit all that their father owned, they are still no different from his slaves. It doesn't matter that they own everything.
New American Standard Bible
Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is owner of everything,
Good News Translation
But now to continue—the son who will receive his father's property is treated just like a slave while he is young, even though he really owns everything.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But Y seie, as long tyme as the eir is a litil child, he dyuersith no thing fro a seruaunt, whanne he is lord of alle thingis;

Contextual Overview

1Let me show you the implications of this. As long as the heir is a minor, he has no advantage over the slave. Though legally he owns the entire inheritance, he is subject to tutors and administrators until whatever date the father has set for emancipation. That is the way it is with us: When we were minors, we were just like slaves ordered around by simple instructions (the tutors and administrators of this world), with no say in the conduct of our own lives. 4But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law. Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, "Papa! Father!" Doesn't that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you're also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

That: Galatians 4:23, Galatians 4:29, Genesis 24:2, Genesis 24:3, 2 Kings 10:1, 2 Kings 10:2, 2 Kings 11:12, 2 Kings 12:2

Reciprocal: Acts 15:10 - which 1 Corinthians 13:11 - I spake Galatians 3:19 - till Galatians 3:23 - faith came Galatians 3:25 - we Galatians 4:7 - thou Colossians 2:14 - the handwriting Hebrews 9:26 - in

Cross-References

Genesis 4:25
Adam slept with his wife again. She had a son whom she named Seth. She said, "God has given me another child in place of Abel whom Cain killed." And then Seth had a son whom he named Enosh. That's when men and women began praying and worshiping in the name of God .
1 John 3:12
We must not be like Cain, who joined the Evil One and then killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because he was deep in the practice of evil, while the acts of his brother were righteous. So don't be surprised, friends, when the world hates you. This has been going on a long time.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now I say,.... To illustrate what he had said of the law's being a schoolmaster to the Jews until the coming of Christ, and then ceasing as such, he proposes the case of an heir during his minority, till he come to the proper time of enjoying his estate.

that the heir, as long as he is a child; anyone that is an heir to his father's estate, or another's, whilst under age, being reckoned as a child, as he is from his infancy to his manhood,

differeth nothing from a servant: he is not his own man, nor at his own dispose; he cannot do as he pleases; he is under restraint; he is kept to school or to business, and is liable to correction and chastisement according as he behaves; nor can he have the free use of his father's estate,

though he be Lord of all, of all the servants, according to the Arabic version; or of the whole estate his father left him, of which he is Lord in right, but not in possession; he is right heir to it, though as yet it is not in his hands, nor can he do with it as he will.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now I say - He had before said Galatians 3:24-25 that while they were under the Law they were in a state of minority. This sentiment he proceeds further to illustrate by showing the true condition of one who was a minor.

That the heir - Any heir to an estate, or one who has a prospect of an inheritance. No matter how great is the estate; no matter how wealthy his father; no matter to how elevated a rank he may be raised on the moment that he enters on his inheritance, yet until that time he is in the condition of a servant.

As long as he is a child - Until he arrives at the age. The word rendered “child” (νήπιοι nēpioi) properly means an infant; literally, “one not speaking” (νη nē insep. un, ἔπος epos), and hence, a child or babe, but without any definite limitation - Robinson. It is used as the word “infant” is with us in law, to denote “a minor.”

Differeth nothing from a servant - That is, he has no more control of his property; he has it not at his command. This does not mean that he does not differ in any respect, but only that in the matter under consideration he does not differ. He differs in his prospects of inheriting the property, and in the affections of the father, and usually in the advantages of education, and in the respect and attention shown him. but in regard to property, he does not differ, and he is like a servant, under the control and direction of others.

Though he be lord of all - That is, in prospect. He has a prospective right to all the property, which no one else has. The word “lord” here (κύριος kurios), is used in the same sense in which it is often in the Scriptures, to denote master or owner. The idea which this is designed to illustrate is, that the condition of the Jews before the coming of the Messiah was inferior in many respects to what the condition of the friends of God would be under him - as inferior as the condition of an heir was before he was of age, to what it would be when he should enter on his inheritance. The Jews claimed, indeed, that they were the children or the sons of God, a title which the apostle would not withhold from the pious part of the nation; but it was a condition in which they had not entered on the full inheritance, and which was far inferior to that of those who had embraced the Messiah, and who were admitted to the full privileges of sonship. They were indeed heirs. They were interested in the promises. But still they were in a condition of comparative servitude, and could be made free only by the gospel.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER IV.

The apostle shows that, as an heir in nonage is under tutors

and guardians, so were the Galatians while under the law; and,

as the heir when he comes of age is no longer under guardians,

so they, when the Gospel came, arrived at full maturity, and

were redeemed from the law, 1-3.

He shows, farther, that when the fulness of the time came God

sent forth his Son, that we might obtain the adoption of sons,

and have the strongest evidence of that adoption, 4-6.

Those who are children of God are heirs of heaven, 7.

He compares their former and latter state, and shows the reason

he had to fear that his labour on their behalf was in vain,

8-11.

He mentions his trials among them, and their kindness to him,

12-16.

Shows his tender affection for them, and exhorts them to return

to the Gospel, 17-20.

Shows the excellence of the Gospel beyond that of the law, by

the allegory of Mount Sinai and Jerusalem, 21-27.

Shows also that the believing Gentiles are children of the

promise, as Isaac was; and have been elected in the place of

the Jews, who have been cast out according to the Scriptures,

28-31.

NOTES ON CHAP. IV.

Verse Galatians 4:1. The heir, as long as He is a child — Though he be appointed by his father's will heir of all his possessions yet till he arrive at the legal age he is master of nothing, and does not differ from one of the common domestics.


 
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