Galatians 4:7

Galatians 4:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
• New International Version (NIV)So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Context of Galatians 4:7

5to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then God has made you an heir. 8But in the past, since you didn’t know God, you were enslaved to things that by nature are not gods. 9But now, since you know God, or rather have become known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elements? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?

Galatians 4:7 word by word

ὥστε οὐκέτι εἶ δοῦλος ἀλλ᾽ υἱός· εἰ δὲ υἱός, καὶ κληρονόμος διὰ θεοῦRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whereforeὥστεhōste · soG5620
• thou artεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• no moreοὐκέτιouketi · not any moreG3765
• a servantδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• a sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• andδέde · thenG1161
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• thenκαίkai · andG2532
• an heirκληρονόμοςklēronomos · heirG2818
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• throughδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547

Cross-references for Galatians 4:7

• Galatians 4:1Now I say that as long as the heir is a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the owner of everything.
• Galatians 5:1For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.
• Galatians 3:26for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus.
• Galatians 3:29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.
• Romans 8:16The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,
• Genesis 15:1After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great.
• Genesis 17:7I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you.
• Psalms 16:5Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future.
• Psalms 73:26My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever.
• Jeremiah 10:16Jacob’s Portion is not like these because he is the one who formed all things. Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the Lord of Armies is his name.
• Jeremiah 31:33“Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days” — the Lord’s declaration. “I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
• Jeremiah 32:38They will be my people, and I will be their God.
• Lamentations 3:24I say, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in him.”
• 1 Corinthians 3:21So let no one boast in human leaders, for everything is yours —
• 2 Corinthians 6:16And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, as God said: I will dwell and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.
• Revelation 21:7The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son.

Commentaries on Galatians 4:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Thou art no more a servant - Thou who hast believed in Christ art no longer a slave, either under the dominion of sin or under obligation to the Mosaic ritual; but a son of God, adopted into the heavenly family. And if a son, then an heir - Having a right to the inheritance, because one of the family, for none can inherit but the children; but this heirship is the most extraordinary of all: it is not an heirship of any tangible possession, either in…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Wherefore - In consequence of this privilege of addressing God as your Father. Thou art no more - You who are Christians. A servant - In the servitude of sin; or treated as a servant by being bound under the oppressive rites and ceremonies of the Law; compare the note at Galatians 4:3 But a son - A child of God, adopted into his family, and to be treated as a son. And if a son … - Entitled to all the privileges of a son, and of course to be regarded as an…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-7Paul argues that the purpose of the law of Moses for God's children was fulfilled when Jesus came, so we are no longer bound by it.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311-7. The fact of God's sending His Son to redeem us who were under the law (Ga 4:4), and sending the Spirit of His Son into our hearts (Ga 4:6), confirms the conclusion (Ga 3:29) that we are "heirs according to the promise." the heir--(Ga 3:29). 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 4:7

• Adoption
• God
• Heir
• Jesus Continued

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• God
• Christ, Messiah
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Doubt
• Flesh
• Observe
• Zealously
• Adoption
• Bondservant

Commentaries on Galatians 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings