Galatians Chapter 4 verse 1 Holy Bible

ASV Galatians 4:1

But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;
read chapter 4 in ASV

BBE Galatians 4:1

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;
read chapter 4 in BBE

DARBY Galatians 4:1

Now I say, As long as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a bondman, though he be lord of all;
read chapter 4 in DARBY

KJV Galatians 4:1

Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
read chapter 4 in KJV

WBT Galatians 4:1


read chapter 4 in WBT

WEB Galatians 4:1

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;
read chapter 4 in WEB

YLT Galatians 4:1

And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant -- being lord of all,
read chapter 4 in YLT

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 1. - Now I say (λέγω δέ). A form of expression usual with the apostle when introducing a new statement designed either to explain or elucidate something before said (cf. Galatians 3:17; Galatians 5:16; Romans 15:8, according to the Received Text; 1 Corinthians 1:12. So τοῦτο δέ φημι, 1 Corinthians 7:29; 1 Corinthians 15:50). It is intended apparently to quicken attention: "Now I wish to say this." In the present case the apostle designs to throw further light upon the position taken in Galatians 3:24, that God's people, while under the Law, were under a bondage from which they have now been emancipated. Compare the somewhat similar process of illustration adopted in Romans 7:2-4. In both passages it is not a logical demonstration that is put forward, but an illustratively analogous case in human experience. A metaphor, though not strictly an argument, yet frequently helps the reader to an intuitive perception of the justness of the position laid down. That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all (ἐφ ὅσον χρόνονὁ κληρονόμος νήπιός ἐστιν οὐδὲν διαφέερει δόλου κύριος πάντων ὤν); so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant, though he is lord of all. The article before κληρονόμος, heir, is the class article, as before μεσίτης, mediator (Galatians 3:20) - "an heir." In the word νήπιος the apostle evidently has in view one who as yet is in his nonage - as in English law phrase, "an infant." In Roman law language, infans is a child under seven, the period of minority reaching to twenty-five. In Attic Greek, the correlate to one registered amongst "men" was a παῖς. It does not appear that the apostle means to use a technical legal expression. He contrasts νήπιος with ἀνὴρ in 1 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:13, 14. "Differeth nothing from a bond-servant;" i.e. is nothing better than a bond-servant, as Matthew 6:26; Matthew 10:31; Matthew 12:12. The verb διαφέρειν seems used only in the sense of your differing from another to your advantage, so that τὰ διαφέροντα are things that are more excellent. "Lord," "proprietor;" the title to the property inheres in him, though he is not yet fit to handle it.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(1-7) A further description, continued from the last chapter, of the state of wardship, with its restraints and servitude, compared with that Christian freedom--the freedom of sons--to which the Galatians had been admitted through their adoption into the Messianic family by adhesion to Christ.It may be observed that the allusions to the condition of minors are not in strict accordance either with Jewish or Roman law. It has been suggested that they have reference to a special code current in Galatia. It is, however, far more probable that the Apostle is referring exclusively to neither, but has in his mind a sort of abstraction of the law of minority, such as would present itself to one who had not himself had a legal education.(1) Now I say.--This phrase introduces a further and fuller explanation of what is involved in the state of nonage, as compared with that of adult freedom.A child--i.e., an infant, a minor; though the term is not technically chosen.Differeth nothing from a servant.--Both the child and the slave were incapable of any valid act in a legal sense; the guardian was as entirely the representative of the one as the master of the other. Both the child and the slave were subject to the same restraint, discipline, correction.Though he be lord of all.--Strictly speaking, the inference from this would be that the father was dead. This, however, is a point that does not really enter into the Apostle's thoughts. The illustration does not hold good in all particulars, but in the chief particulars--viz., the state of constraint and subordination in which the minor is placed so long as he is a minor.