Galatians 4:21

Galatians 4:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
• New International Version (NIV)Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?
• New King James Version (NKJV)Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

Context of Galatians 4:21

19my children, of whom I again travail in birth until Christ shall have been formed in you: 20and I should wish to be present with you now, and change my voice, for I am perplexed as to you. Tell me, ye who are desirous of being under law, do ye not listen to the law? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons; one of the maid servant, and one of the free woman. 23But he [that was] of the maid servant was born according to flesh, and he [that was] of the free woman through the promise.

Galatians 4:21 word by word

Λέγετέ μοι, οἱ ὑπὸ νόμον θέλοντες εἶναι, τὸν νόμον οὐκ ἀκούετε;Read the interlinear

• Tellλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• listenἀκούωakouō · to hearG191

Cross-references for Galatians 4:21

• Galatians 4:9but now, knowing God, but rather being known by God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye desire to be again anew in bondage?
• Galatians 3:10For as many as are on the principle of works of law are under curse. For it is written, Cursed is every one who does not continue in all things which [are] written in the book of the law to do them;
• Romans 6:14For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under law but under grace.
• Romans 7:5For when we were in the flesh the passions of sins, which [were] by the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit to death;
• Romans 9:30What then shall we say? That [they of the] nations, who did not follow after righteousness, have attained righteousness, but [the] righteousness that is on the principle of faith.
• Romans 10:3For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own [righteousness], have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
• Matthew 21:42Jesus says to them, Have ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which they that builded rejected, this has become the corner-stone: this is of [the] Lord, and it is wonderful in our eyes?
• Matthew 22:29And Jesus answering said to them, Ye err, not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God.
• John 5:46for if ye had believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me.
• John 10:34Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
• John 12:34The crowd answered him, We have heard out of the law that the Christ abides for ever; and how sayest thou that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this, the Son of man?
• John 15:25But that the word written in their law might be fulfilled, They hated me without a cause.
• Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the things the law says, it speaks to those under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be under judgment to God.

Commentaries on Galatians 4:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Ye that desire to be under the law - Ye who desire to incorporate the Mosaic institutions with Christianity, and thus bring yourselves into bondage to circumcision, and a great variety of oppressive rites. Do ye not hear the law? - Do ye not understand what is written in the Pentateuch relative to Abraham and his children. It is evident that the word law is used in two senses in this verse. It first means the Mosaic institutions; secondly, the Pentateuch…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Tell me … - In order to show fully the nature and the effect of the Law, Paul here introduces an illustration from an important fact in the Jewish history. This allegory has given great perplexity to expositors, and, in some respects, it is attended with real difficulty. An examination of the difficulties will be found in the larger commentaries. My object, without examining the expositions which have been proposed, will be to state, in as few words as…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-27Verses 21-27 The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal and historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two different dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from above, represented by Sarah…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21Do you not understand what the law actually says?: The Galatians tried to achieve righteousness through the law, but they did not truly understand its meaning (see Luke 24:25–27; 1 Timothy 1:7).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. desire--of your own accord madly courting that which must condemn and ruin you. do ye not hear--do ye not consider the mystic sense of Moses' words? [Grotius]. The law itself sends you away from itself to Christ [Estius]. After having sufficiently maintained his point by argument, the apostle confirms and illustrates it by an inspired allegorical exposition of historical facts, containing in them general laws and types. Perhaps his reason for using…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 4:21

• Justification

In the dictionaries

• Doubt
• Flesh
• Observe
• Zealously
• Abraham
• Allegory
• Galatians, Epistle to the
• Genesis
• Hagar
• Hebrews, Epistle to the

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