Galatians 4:1 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;
Galatians 4:1 nkjv
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,
Galatians 4:1 niv
What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.
Galatians 4:1 esv
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,
Galatians 4:1 nlt
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.
Galatians 4 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Galatians 4:1 | As long as he is a child, he is no different from a slave... | Continues the analogy of the son and heir |
| Genesis 21:1-2 | Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age... | Isaac, the promised son, born after Abraham's lifetime |
| Genesis 24:36 | And Abraham's servant said, "The LORD has greatly blessed my master..." | Abraham entrusting his heir |
| Genesis 25:5-6 | Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. | Legal transfer of inheritance |
| Genesis 26:12-14 | Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold... | Isaac as heir receiving blessings |
| Genesis 36:6-7 | Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters and all the members of his household... | Separation of family and inheritance |
| Romans 8:14-17 | For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. | Those led by the Spirit are sons and heirs |
| Romans 9:4-5 | They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants... | Special status of Israel, adopted sons |
| Romans 9:7-13 | "Yet before the twins had been born and while they had done nothing either good or bad..." | Predestination of Jacob over Esau |
| 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 | Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you...? | Believers as temples, owned by God |
| 1 Corinthians 7:21-23 | Were you a bondservant when called? Do not worry about it. But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of it. | Freedom available to believers |
| Ephesians 1:3-5 | Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing... | Chosen and predestined as sons |
| Ephesians 5:1 | Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. | Call to live as children of God |
| Hebrews 1:1-2 | Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke in times past to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son... | Jesus as heir of all things |
| Hebrews 9:15-17 | Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance... | Jesus mediating a new covenant and inheritance |
| 1 Peter 1:3-4 | Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading... | Our inheritance as born-again believers |
| 1 John 3:1-2 | See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. | We are children of God |
| Psalm 16:5-6 | The LORD is my allotted portion and my cup; you, LORD, determine my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. | The LORD as our inheritance |
| Isaiah 54:5 | For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth he is called. | God as husband and redeemer |
| Jeremiah 31:33 | But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. | The new covenant relationship |
Galatians 4 verses
Galatians 4 1 Meaning
An heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything.
Galatians 4 1 Context
Paul continues his extended analogy in Galatians, contrasting the bondage of the Mosaic Law with the freedom found in Christ. Having just described himself and believers as children of Abraham through faith (Gal 3:29), he now explains the transition from childhood to maturity under God's plan of inheritance. In the Greco-Roman culture of the time, an heir was legally recognized as a child but was subject to tutors and guardians until reaching the age of majority. This legal framework is used to illustrate the believer's position before Christ.
Galatians 4 1 Word Analysis
- "Ouk heōs an" (οὐχ ἕως ἂν): Literally, "not until when." This introduces a time-dependent condition. It signifies that the state described ("no different from a slave") continues until a specific point in time is reached.
- "ē, mikros ōn" (ᾖ, μικρὸς ὢν): "is, being little." Refers to immaturity. In the context of inheritance laws, this meant the period before the heir legally came of age.
- "diapherei ouden" (διαφέρει οὐδέν): "differs by not anything," meaning "is no different" or "makes no difference." This emphasizes the equality in legal status and treatment between a young heir and a slave.
- "tou doulou" (τοῦ δούλου): "of the slave" (genitive case). Highlights the comparative status. Although the heir owns everything, during his minority, his practical experience and rights are similar to those of a slave.
- "esti de kyrios pantōn" (ἐστι δὲ κύριος πάντων): "but is lord of all." This part of the verse is crucial. It points out the inherent, legal, and ultimate reality: the child, despite his current limitations, is the owner of everything. This highlights the present, though temporary, lesser reality versus the future, secured reality. The word "kyrios" (lord, master, owner) asserts his ultimate title.
Words-Group Analysis
- "mikros ōn, doulos esti" (μικρὸς ὢν, δοῦλος ἐστι): "being little, is a slave." This Greek phrasing succinctly captures the paradox: present minority equals a state functionally similar to servitude, despite future ownership. It underlines the idea of a transitional phase.
- "kyrios pantōn" (κύριος πάντων): "lord of all." This group of words is the counterpoint to the heir's current subordinate state. It signifies his legal possession and future dominion, distinguishing him from a true slave who has no ownership.
Galatians 4 1 Bonus Section
The analogy extends the understanding that while believers in the "Age of the Law" were under strict guidance, much like a minor heir, their relationship with God was still one of adoption and promised inheritance, as seen in figures like Abraham and Isaac. This concept anticipates the freedom and full rights of sonship and inheritance revealed fully in Christ, who is Himself the ultimate Heir (Hebrews 1:2). The "guardians and managers" mentioned in the subsequent verse (Galatians 4:2) further clarify this temporary stewardship, pointing to the Law as a guide to Christ, not the destination itself.
Galatians 4 1 Commentary
This verse uses the legal reality of inheritance in the ancient world to illustrate a profound spiritual truth about the believer's journey with God. Just as a young heir, though destined to own everything his father possessed, was under guardians and tutors and treated similarly to a slave, so too the believer, under the Mosaic Law, experienced limitations and disciplines. This was not a permanent state, but a preparatory one until the "fullness of time." The key distinction is the heir's inherent ownership. His current condition does not negate his ultimate rights and possessions. This underscores that while the Law (like a tutor) had its purpose in guiding and restraining, it was not the final estate. The freedom and inheritance of believers in Christ are already secured, even if they are still growing into the full experience of that freedom and inheritance.