Galatians 4:24

Galatians 4:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
• New International Version (NIV)These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.
• New King James Version (NKJV)which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—

Context of Galatians 4:24

22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which beareth children for bondage, which is Hagar. 25For this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Galatians 4:24 word by word

ἅτινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμενα· αὗται γάρ εἰσιν δύο διαθῆκαι, μία μὲν ἀπὸ ὄρους Σινᾶ εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἁγάρ.Read the interlinear

• thingsὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• areἐστίesti · he isG2076
• allegoryἀλληγορέωallēgoreo · to use an analogyG238
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• areεἰσίeisi · they areG1526
• twoδύοduo · twoG1417
• covenantsδιαθήκηdiathēkē · covenantG1242
• oneμίαmia · firstG3391
• oneμένmen · on the other handG3303
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• mountὄροςoros · mountainG3735
• SinaiΣινᾶSina · (Mount) SinaiG4614
• childrenγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• bondageδουλείαdouleia · slaveryG1397
• HagarἌγαρAgar · HagarG28

Cross-references for Galatians 4:24

• Ezekiel 20:49Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
• Hosea 11:10They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.
• Matthew 13:35That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
• 1 Corinthians 10:11Now all these things happened to them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
• Hebrews 11:19Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from which also he received him in a figure.
• Galatians 4:25For this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
• Luke 22:19And he took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave to them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
• 1 Corinthians 10:4And all drank the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
• Galatians 3:15Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it is but a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no man setteth it aside, or addeth to it.
• Hebrews 7:22By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
• Hebrews 8:6But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
• Hebrews 9:15And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
• Hebrews 10:15Of this the Holy Spirit also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
• Hebrews 12:24And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
• Hebrews 13:20Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
• Galatians 5:1Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Commentaries on Galatians 4:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24Which things are an allegory - They are to be understood spiritually; more being intended in the account than meets the eye. Allegory, from , another, and , or , to speak, signifies a thing that is a representative of another, where the literal sense is the representative of a spiritual meaning; or, as the glossary expresses it, ̔ , · "where the thing is to be understood differently in the interpretation than it appears in the reading." Allegories are…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24Which things - The different accounts of Ishmael and Isaac. Are an allegory - May be regarded allegorically, or as illustrating great principles in regard to the condition of slaves and freemen; and may therefore be used to illustrate the effect of servitude to the Law of Moses compared with the freedom of the gospel. He does not mean to say that the historical record of Moses was not true, or was merely allegorical; nor does he mean to say that Moses…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. 24serve as illustrations (literally are being allegorized): In allegorical writing, every character and event symbolizes a deeper meaning. Allegorical interpretations often ignore the text's historical meaning and create imaginative meanings. Here, however, Paul understood the story in its historical context and saw it as history. But he interpreted the story's characters as symbols of the current situation. Paul's opponents were also using allegorical…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2424. are an allegory--rather, "are allegorical," that is, have another besides the literal meaning. these are the two covenants--"these [women] are (that is, mean; omit 'the' with all the oldest manuscripts) two covenants." As among the Jews the bondage of the mother determined that of the child, the children of the free covenant of promise, answering to Sarah, are free; the children of the legal covenant of bondage are not so. one from--that is, taking…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 4:24

• Abraham
• Allegory
• Hagar
• Justification
• Parables
• Sinai

In the dictionaries

• Sinai
• Sinai, or Sinai
• Sinai, Horeb
• Allegory
• Doubt
• Flesh
• Hagar
• Observe
• Sarah
• Zealously

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