Galatians 4:10 kjv
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Galatians 4:10 nkjv
You observe days and months and seasons and years.
Galatians 4:10 niv
You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
Galatians 4:10 esv
You observe days and months and seasons and years!
Galatians 4:10 nlt
You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years.
Galatians 4 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gal 4:9 | But now that you know God—or rather to be known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable elementary principles? | Direct link to verse 10's premise |
| Col 2:16 | Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. | Similar prohibition against legalism |
| Rom 14:5-6 | One person considers one day more special than another, while another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. They who hold one day as special hold it up to the Lord... | Nuance on days of observance |
| Heb 4:9-10 | Therefore, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God; for the one who enters God’s rest does also rest from their works... | Fulfillment of Sabbath in Christ's rest |
| Rom 8:1-2 | Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. | Freedom from law's condemnation |
| 1 Cor 8:8 | But food does not bring us near to God; we neither eat nor if we do eat have we any lack; nor if we do not eat have we any excess. | Indifference of rituals to spiritual standing |
| Acts 15:28-29 | It is by the Holy Spirit’s decision that we place no further burden of these requirements upon you, other than these necessary things: that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. | Specific Old Testament requirements removed for Gentiles |
| Isa 1:13-14 | Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and the calling of assemblies— I cannot bear your wickedness, even your solemn assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They are a burden to me; I weary of bearing them. | God's weariness with empty ritualism |
| Deut 5:15 | Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with your mighty hand and outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. | Sabbath observance tied to redemption from slavery |
| Lev 23:1-44 | Detailed laws concerning various appointed feasts and holy days | Old Testament context of appointed times |
| Num 28:1-31:50 | Laws regarding daily, weekly, monthly, and annual sacrifices and festivals | Sacrificial system tied to specific times |
| Hos 2:11 | I will put an end to all her celebrations: her yearly festivals, her New Moons, her Sabbath days and all her appointed feasts. | God revoking appointed festivals of Israel |
| Matt 6:16 | "When you fast, do not look morose like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show their fasting to men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward." | Warning against outward show in religious observance |
| 1 Cor 10:31 | So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. | General principle of doing all for God's glory |
| Gal 5:1 | It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be enslaved by a yoke of bondage. | Emphasis on freedom in Christ |
| Gal 3:24 | So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. | The Law's role as a temporary tutor |
| John 4:23-24 | Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. | Worship independent of specific times or places |
| Eph 2:11-13 | Therefore remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “circumcised”— a circumcision made in the flesh, done by human hands— remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. | Inclusion of Gentiles and removal of ceremonial distinctions |
Galatians 4 verses
Galatians 4 10 Meaning
This verse signifies the Galatian believers' adherence to specific days and seasons for religious observance, a practice Paul considers a relapse into legalism, as they were previously under the bondage of such observances. They are now to understand their freedom in Christ from such external requirements.
Galatians 4 10 Context
Chapter 4 of Galatians contrasts the freedom found in Christ with the bondage of the Mosaic Law. Paul is addressing the Galatian believers who were being influenced by Judaizers, individuals who insisted that Gentile converts needed to be circumcised and adhere to the Law of Moses to be truly saved. Paul explains that through faith in Christ, believers are adopted into God's family, becoming heirs of God's promises. He uses the allegory of Abraham's sons, Ishmael (born of the flesh) and Isaac (born of the promise), to illustrate that salvation comes through the Spirit, not through the fleshly observance of the Law. This verse immediately follows the explanation of this allegory, pointing out the Galatians' relapse into observing the very "elementary principles" (weak and miserable basic elements) they are now free from.
Galatians 4 10 Word Analysis
- ὑμεῖς (hymeis): Second person plural pronoun, "you all." Emphasizes the collective group of Galatians addressed.
- καὶ (kai): Conjunction, "and." Connects this verse to the preceding ideas.
- βλέπετε (blepete): Second person plural present active indicative of βλέπω (blepo), meaning "you look," "you observe," "you pay attention to." Implies active, deliberate observation.
- ἡμέρας (hemeras): Accusative plural of ἡμέρα (hemera), meaning "days." Refers to specific calendar days.
- καὶ (kai): Conjunction, "and."
- μῆνας (menas): Accusative plural of μὴν (mēn), meaning "months." Refers to specific calendar months, often linked to new moons.
- καὶ (kai): Conjunction, "and."
- καιροὺς (kairous): Accusative plural of καιρός (kairos), meaning "seasons," "times," "periods," "festivals." Refers to appointed times and festivals of religious significance.
- ἐνιαυτοὺς (eniautous): Accusative plural of ἐνιαυτός (eniautos), meaning "years." Suggests an annual cycle of observance.
- φοβεῖσθε (phobeisthe): Second person plural present passive indicative of φοβέω (phobeo), meaning "you fear." In this context, it implies a fearful, anxious, or perhaps reverential adherence due to a perceived obligation or spiritual threat. It highlights their insecurity.
Words Group Analysis:
- “days and months and seasons and years”: This phrase encompasses the cycle of Jewish observances dictated by the Old Testament Law – the Sabbath days, the new moon festivals, the appointed feasts (like Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles), and the agricultural/religious years (like the Sabbatical year and Year of Jubilee). These were divine institutions, but their meticulous observance had become a sign of covenant faithfulness within the Old Covenant framework.
- "you watch [observe] days and months and seasons and years": This entire clause describes a return to a ritualistic adherence. For Paul, having entered the new covenant through Christ, these temporal observances of the Law are no longer obligatory or salvifically significant for believers. To obsessively observe them suggests a misunderstanding of their role as a "schoolmaster" pointing to Christ (Gal 3:24), or a return to the weakness of elemental principles from which Christ has liberated them.
- "I fear [am afraid]": Paul expresses his deep concern and anxiety. This isn't just an intellectual disagreement; it's a profound pastoral worry that they are undoing the spiritual freedom Christ secured for them. The use of "fear" here conveys apprehension that they are in danger of nullifying God's grace by returning to works-based religion.
Galatians 4 10 Bonus Section
The specific emphasis on "days, months, seasons, and years" resonates with the comprehensive nature of the Mosaic Law's calendar of worship. These were not arbitrary observances but were tied to God's covenant relationship with Israel and the foreshadowing of Christ's redemptive work. The New Moon festivals (mentioned by implication in "months") and the appointed feasts (part of "seasons" and "years") were central to Israel's religious life. By reverting to them, the Galatians were, in effect, re-engaging with the Old Covenant in a way that bypassed or diminished the significance of Christ's singular and final sacrifice, which brought the Old Covenant’s ritualistic system to completion and fulfillment. Their fear (φοβεῖσθε) suggests they may have been taught that failing to observe these times would lead to divine disfavor, a common threat used by legalists.
Galatians 4 10 Commentary
Paul’s concern in this verse is evident. The Galatians, having embraced the gospel of grace, were now turning back to observe the appointed times of the Old Covenant. This wasn't a simple preference for certain holy days; it indicated a mindset that these days, or any such ritualistic observances, were necessary for righteousness or were part of attaining God's favor. Paul reminds them that Christ's work has fulfilled the ceremonial aspects of the Law, and for believers, the entire calendar has been transformed through the cross and resurrection. Every day is now potentially a day to honor God, not dictated by an external legalistic structure. Their return to such observance indicates they were not fully grasping or relying on the completed work of Christ, potentially falling back under the shadows of the Old Covenant, which was a mere preparatory stage.
Practical usage examples:
- Someone insisting that you must fast on certain days to be spiritual, when Christ's sacrifice is sufficient.
- Attending religious meetings only on specific feast days, neglecting the ongoing life in Christ.
- Feeling guilt or judgment for not observing a particular traditional religious day as if it's required for salvation.