Galatians 4:1 BSB — MannaFest

Galatians 4:1

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.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;

KJV

Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

⋯

Commentary

2 voices

Jerome

Commentary on Galatians (420)

(Chapter IV - 1, 2) However, I say that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, even though he is the Lord of all, but he is under guardians and managers until the appointed time by the father. This little heir, who is no different from a slave even though he is the Lord of all, is under guardians and managers until the appointed time by the father, represents the whole human race until the coming of Christ, and, to say more, until the end of the world.

The record, by era

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

It is not, as in earthly inheritances, the death of the father, but our Father's sovereign will simply that makes us heirs. child--Greek, "one under age." differeth nothing, &c.--that is, has no more freedom than a slave (so the Greek for "servant" means).

Voices on this verse

loading…

Original language & word study

15 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
Λέγω	Legō	I say	G3004 →
δέ,	de	now,	G1161 →
ἐφ᾽	eph᾽	for	G1909 →
ὅσον	hoson	as long as	G3745 →
χρόνον	chronon	time	G5550 →
ὁ	ho	the	G3588 →
κληρονόμος	klēronomos	heir	G2818 →
νήπιός	nēpios	a child	G3516 →
ἐστιν,	estin	is,	G1510 →
οὐδὲν	ouden	[in] no[thing]	G3762 →
διαφέρει	diapherei	he differs	G1308 →
δούλου	doulou	from a slave	G1401 →
κύριος	kurios	[though] owner	G2962 →
πάντων	pantōn	of everything	G3956 →
ὤν·	ōn	being;	G1510 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Galatians 4:29
At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now.
leads to
- Genesis 21:9
  But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking her son,
- Romans 8:13
  For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
- Galatians 5:11
  Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
Through
Galatians 4:23
His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.
leads to
- Hebrews 11:11
  By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.
- Romans 9:7–8
  Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”
- Genesis 21:1–2
  Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised.
Through
2 Kings 11:12
Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live…
leads to
- 1 Samuel 10:24
  Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
- Exodus 25:16
  And place inside the ark the Testimony, which I will give you.

Featured studies on this passage

Walks through Galatians 4

Hagar and Sarah: the Allegory, MannaFest

Open the study →

Walks through Galatians 4

Jesus on the Father

Open the study →

Judas Maccabeus before the Army of Nicanor — engraving by Gustave Doré

Walks through Galatians 4

The Intertestamental Period

Open the study →

Walks through Galatians 4

Zion & Jerusalem

Open the study →

About Galatians

The Crucifixion — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Galatians: the study guide →Read chapter 4 →The featured study →

Continue: Galatians 4 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Galatians

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Galatians