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

5In that way, he made us free from the authority of the Law. Before that, we were like slaves under the Law. But God's Son paid our debt, so that God would accept us as his true children. 6Because we are his children, God has sent his Son's Spirit to live inside us. His Spirit causes us to call God, ‘Father, my Father’. So you are not slaves any more, but you are God's children. And because of that, you will receive all the good things that God has promised. 8Before, when you did not know God, you served false gods. They were not gods at all, but you were their slaves. 9But now you do know God. Or really, I should say that God knows you. So you must not turn back to serve those weak spirits that rule this world. Why do you want to obey their useless rules and become their slaves 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 4:1I will say it like this. Think about a son who will one day receive what belongs to his father. While he is still a child, he is like a slave in the family. That is true, even though all his father's things really belong to him.
• Galatians 5:1Christ has made us free so that we can be really free! So be strong and do not turn back. Do not let yourselves become slaves to the Jewish rules again.
• Galatians 3:26All of you are God's children because you believe in Christ Jesus.
• Galatians 3:29And if you belong to Christ, then you are descendants of Abraham. Because of that, you will receive all the good things that God promised to Abraham.
• Romans 8:16God's Spirit himself causes us to know that we are God's children. God's Spirit and our own spirits agree that this is true.
• Genesis 15:1After this, the Lord spoke to Abram in a dream. God said, ‘Do not be afraid Abram. I will keep you safe. I myself will give you many good gifts.’
• Genesis 17:7My covenant with you is very strong. I am making it with you and with your descendants. It will continue for generation after generation of your descendants, for all time. I will be your God. I will also be the God of all your descendants.
• Psalms 16:5You, Lord, are all that I need. What you give to me is enough, for me and for my descendants.
• Psalms 73:26My body and my mind may become weak, but God will always keep me safe and strong.
• Jeremiah 10:16The God that Jacob's descendants worship is not like those idols. He created everything. He chose the Israelites as the people who would belong to him. His name is the Lord Almighty.
• Jeremiah 31:33‘Yes, I will make a new covenant with Israel's people at that time. It will be like this: I will put my law deep inside them, in their hearts and minds. I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ That is what the Lord says.
• Jeremiah 32:38They will be my people and I will be their God.
• Lamentations 3:24‘He is my Lord,’ I say to myself. ‘He is the reason why I can hope for good things.’
• 1 Corinthians 3:21Because of that, you should not be proud of any human leader. All leaders are there to serve you, as God's people.
• 2 Corinthians 6:16Idols do not belong in God's house. Remember that we believers are the house of the God who lives for ever. This is what God has said: ‘I will make my home with them and I will live among them. I will be their God and they will be my people.’
• Revelation 21:7Everyone who wins against Satan will receive all these things from me. I will be their God and they will be my children.

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