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

5God sent him to pay for the freedom of those who were controlled by these laws so that we would be adopted as his children. 6Because you are God’s children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into us to call out, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer slaves but God’s children. Since you are God’s children, God has also made you heirs. 8When you didn’t know God, you were slaves to things which are really not gods at all. 9But now you know God, or rather, God knows you. So how can you turn back again to the powerless and bankrupt principles of this world? Why do you want to become their slaves 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 4:1Let me explain further. As long as an heir is a child, he is no better off than a slave, even though he owns everything.
• Galatians 5:1Christ has freed us so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom. Therefore, be firm ⌞in this freedom⌟, and don’t become slaves again.
• Galatians 3:26You are all God’s children by believing in Christ Jesus.
• Galatians 3:29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants and heirs, as God promised.
• Romans 8:16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
• Genesis 15:1Later the Lord spoke his word to Abram in a vision. He said, “Abram, don’t be afraid. I am your shield. Your reward will be very great.”
• Genesis 17:7I will make my promise to you and your descendants for generations to come as an everlasting promise. I will be your God and the God of your descendants.
• Psalms 16:5The Lord is my inheritance and my cup. You are the one who determines my destiny.
• Psalms 73:26My body and mind may waste away, but God remains the foundation of my life and my inheritance forever.
• Jeremiah 10:16Jacob’s God isn’t like them. He made everything, and Israel is the tribe that belongs to him. His name is the Lord of Armies.
• Jeremiah 31:33“But this is the promise that I will make to Israel after those days,” declares the Lord: “I will put my teachings inside them, and I will write those teachings 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 3:24My soul can say, ‘The Lord is my lot ⌞in life⌟. That is why I find hope in him.’
• 1 Corinthians 3:21So don’t brag about people. Everything belongs to you.
• 2 Corinthians 6:16Can God’s temple contain false gods? Clearly, we are the temple of the living God. As God said, “I will live and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
• Revelation 21:7Everyone who wins the victory will inherit these things. 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