Galatians 4:21

THE MESSAGE

Tell me now, you who have become so enamored with the law: Have you paid close attention to that law? Abraham, remember, had two sons: one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. The son of the slave woman was born by human connivance; the son of the free woman was born by God's promise. This illustrates the very thing we are dealing with now. The two births represent two ways of being in relationship with God. One is from Mount Sinai in Arabia. It corresponds with what is now going on in Jerusalem—a slave life, producing slaves as offspring. This is the way of Hagar. In contrast to that, there is an invisible Jerusalem, a free Jerusalem, and she is our mother—this is the way of Sarah. Remember what Isaiah wrote: Rejoice, barren woman who bears no children, shout and cry out, woman who has no birth pangs, Because the children of the barren woman now surpass the children of the chosen woman. Isn't it clear, friends, that you, like Isaac, are children of promise? In the days of Hagar and Sarah, the child who came from faithless connivance (Ishmael) harassed the child who came—empowered by the Spirit—from the faithful promise (Isaac). Isn't it clear that the harassment you are now experiencing from the Jerusalem heretics follows that old pattern? There is a Scripture that tells us what to do: "Expel the slave mother with her son, for the slave son will not inherit with the free son." Isn't that conclusive? We are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Some of you people want to be under the law. Tell me, do you know what the law says?

Revised Standard Version
Tell me, you who desire to be under law, do you not hear the law?

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Tell me ye that desyre to be vnder the lawe have ye not hearde of the lawe?

Hebrew Names Version
Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don't you listen to the law?

New American Standard Bible
Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the Law?

New Century Version
Some of you still want to be under the law. Tell me, do you know what the law says?

Update Bible Version
Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

Webster's Bible Translation
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

English Standard Version
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?

World English Bible
Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don't you listen to the law?

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Tell me, ye that would be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

Weymouth's New Testament
Tell me--you who want to continue to be subject to Law--will you not listen to the Law?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Seie to me, ye that wolen be vndir the lawe, `han ye not red the lawe?

English Revised Version
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

Berean Standard Bible
Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?

Contemporary English Version
Some of you would like to be under the rule of the Law of Moses. But do you know what the Law says?

Amplified Bible
Tell me, you who are bent on being under the Law, do you not listen to [what] the Law [really says]?

American Standard Version
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

Bible in Basic English
Say, you whose desire it is to be under the law, do you not give ear to the law?

Complete Jewish Bible
Tell me, you who want to be in subjection to the system that results from perverting the Torah into legalism, don't you hear what the Torah itself says?

Darby Translation
Tell me, ye who are desirous of being under law, do ye not listen to the law?

International Standard Version
Tell me, those of you who want to live under the law: Are you really listening to what the law says?

Etheridge Translation
Tell me, you who are willing to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

Murdock Translation
Tell me, ye who desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

King James Version (1611)
Tell me, ye that desire to be vnder the Law, doe ye not heare the Law?

New Living Translation
Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says?

New Life Bible
Listen! If you want to be under the Law, why do you not listen to what it says?

New Revised Standard
Tell me, you who desire to be subject to the law, will you not listen to the law?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Tell me, ye that will be vnder the Law, doe ye not heare the Lawe?

George Lamsa Translation
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Tell me! ye who, under law, are wishing to be: The law, do ye not hear?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, have you not read the law?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Tell me, ye that desire to be vnder the lawe, do ye not heare the lawe?

Good News Translation
Let me ask those of you who want to be subject to the Law: do you not hear what the Law says?

Christian Standard Bible®
Tell me, you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law?

King James Version
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

Lexham English Bible
Tell me, you who are wanting to be under the law, do you not understand the law?

Literal Translation
Tell me, those desiring to be under Law, do you not hear the Law?

Young's Literal Translation
Tell me, ye who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Tell me ye that wylbe vnder the lawe, haue ye not herde the lawe?

Mace New Testament (1729)
But tell me, you that are so willing to be under the law, why don't you consider the law?

New English Translation
Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand the law?

New King James Version
Genesis 21:8-21; Isaiah 54:1">[xr] Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

Simplified Cowboy Version
Some of you folks want to live under the Code, but do you really know what is says?

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?

Legacy Standard Bible
Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the Law?

Contextual Overview

²¹Tell me now, you who have become so enamored with the law: Have you paid close attention to that law? Abraham, remember, had two sons: one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. The son of the slave woman was born by human connivance; the son of the free woman was born by God's promise. This illustrates the very thing we are dealing with now. The two births represent two ways of being in relationship with God. One is from Mount Sinai in Arabia. It corresponds with what is now going on in Jerusalem—a slave life, producing slaves as offspring. This is the way of Hagar. In contrast to that, there is an invisible Jerusalem, a free Jerusalem, and she is our mother—this is the way of Sarah. Remember what Isaiah wrote: Rejoice, barren woman who bears no children, shout and cry out, woman who has no birth pangs, Because the children of the barren woman now surpass the children of the chosen woman. Isn't it clear, friends, that you, like Isaac, are children of promise? In the days of Hagar and Sarah, the child who came from faithless connivance (Ishmael) harassed the child who came—empowered by the Spirit—from the faithful promise (Isaac). Isn't it clear that the harassment you are now experiencing from the Jerusalem heretics follows that old pattern? There is a Scripture that tells us what to do: "Expel the slave mother with her son, for the slave son will not inherit with the free son." Isn't that conclusive? We are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye that: Galatians 4:9, Galatians 3:10, Galatians 3:23, Galatians 3:24, Romans 6:14, Romans 7:5, Romans 7:6, Romans 9:30-32, Romans 10:3-10

do: Matthew 21:42-44, Matthew 22:29-32, John 5:46, John 5:47

the law: John 10:34, John 12:34, John 15:25, Romans 3:19

Reciprocal: Isaiah 8:20 - the law Mark 10:3 - What Mark 10:19 - knowest John 8:17 - also Romans 7:1 - them that 1 Corinthians 9:20 - are under Galatians 4:5 - redeem 1 Timothy 1:7 - to Hebrews 2:15 - subject Hebrews 7:18 - the weakness

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law,.... Not merely to obey it, as holy, just, and good, from a principle of love, and to testify subjection and gratitude to God; so all believers desire to bc under the law: but these men sought for justification and salvation by their obedience to it: they desired to be under it as a covenant of works, which was downright madness and folly to the last degree, since this was the way to come under the curse of it; they wanted to be under the yoke of the law, which is a yoke of bondage, an insupportable one, which the Jewish fathers could not bear; and therefore it was egregious weakness in them to desire to come under it: wherefore the apostle desires them to answer this question,

do ye not hear the law? meaning either the language and voice of the law of Moses, what it says to transgressors, and so to them; what it accused them of, and charged them with; how it declared them guilty before God, pronounced them accursed, and, ministered sententially condemnation and death unto them; and could they desire to be under such a law? or rather the books of the Old Testament, particularly the five books of Moses, and what is said therein; referring them, as Christ did the Jews, to the Scriptures, to the writings of Moses, and to read, hear, and observe what is in them, since they professed so great a regard to the law; from whence they might learn, that they ought not to be under the bondage and servitude of it. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "have ye not read the law?" and so one of Stephens's copies; that is, the books of the law; if you have, as you should, you might observe what follows.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Tell me ... - In order to show fully the nature and the effect of the Law, Paul here introduces an illustration from an important fact in the Jewish history. This allegory has given great perplexity to expositors, and, in some respects, it is attended with real difficulty. An examination of the difficulties will be found in the larger commentaries. My object, without examining the expositions which have been proposed, will be to state, in as few words as possible, the simple meaning and design of the allegory. The design it is not difficult to understand. It is to show the effect of being under the bondage or servitude of the Jewish law, compared with the freedom which the gospel imparts. Paul had addressed the Galatians as having a real desire to be under bondage, or to be servants; the note at Galatians 4:9. He had represented Christianity as a state of freedom, and Christians as the sons of God - not servants, but freemen.

To show the difference of the two conditions, he appeals to two cases which would furnish a striking illustration of them. The one was the case of Hagar and her son. The effect of bondage was well illustrated there. She and her son were treated with severity, and were cast out and persecuted. This was a fair illustration of bondage under the Law; of the servitude to the laws of Moses; and was a fit representation of Jerusalem as it was in the time of Paul. The other case was that of Isaac. He was the son of a free woman, and was treated accordingly. He was regarded as a son, not as a servant. And he was a fair illustration of the case of those who were made free by the gospel. They enjoyed a similar freedom and sonship, and should not seek a state of servitude or bondage. The condition of Isaac was a fit illustration of the New Jerusalem; the heavenly city; the true kingdom of God. But Paul does not mean to say, as I suppose, that the history of the son of Hagar and of the son of Rebecca was mere allegory, or that the narrative by Moses was designed to represent the different condition of those who were under the Law and under the gospel.

He uses it simply, as showing the difference between servitude and freedom, and as a striking illustration of the nature of the bondage to the Jewish law, and of the freedom of the gospel, just as anyone may use a striking historical fact to illustrate a principle. These general remarks will constitute the basis of my interpretation of this celebrated allegory. The expression “tell me,” is one of affectionate remonstrance and reasoning; see Luke 7:42, “Tell me, therefore, which of these will love him most?” Compare Isaiah 1:18, “Come, now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord.”

Ye that desire to be under the law - See the note at Galatians 4:9. You who wish to yield obedience to the laws of Moses. You who maintain that conformity to those laws is necessary to justification.

Do ye not hear the law? - Do you not understand what the Law says? Will you not listen to its own admonitions, and the instruction which may be derived from the Law on the subject? The word “law” here refers not to the commands that were uttered on Mount Sinai, but to the book of the Law. The passage to which reference is made is in the Book of Genesis; but; all the five books of Moses were by the Jews classed under the general name of the Law; see the note at Luke 24:44. The sense is, “Will you not listen to a narrative found in one of the books of the Law itself, fully illustrating the nature of that servitude which you wish?”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 21. Ye that desire to be under the law — Ye who desire to incorporate the Mosaic institutions with Christianity, and thus bring yourselves into bondage to circumcision, and a great variety of oppressive rites.

Do ye not hear the law? — Do ye not understand what is written in the Pentateuch relative to Abraham and his children. It is evident that the word law is used in two senses in this verse. It first means the Mosaic institutions; secondly, the Pentateuch, where the history is recorded to which the apostle refers.