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Galatians 4-6
21st Century King James Version
Galatians 4-6
21st Century King James Version
4 Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth in nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all.
2 But he is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father.
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father.”
7 Therefore thou art no more a servant but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8 However that be, then when ye knew not God, ye did service unto those which by nature are not gods.
9 But now after ye have known God, or rather are known by God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements unto which ye desire again to be in bondage?
10 Ye observe days and months and times and years.
11 I am afraid for you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.
12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am, for I am as ye are. Ye have not injured me at all.
13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at the first.
14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected, but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15 Where is then the blessedness ye spoke of? For I bear you record that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes and have given them to me.
16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 They zealously seek after you, but for no good; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might seek after them.
18 But it is good to be zealously sought after, always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
19 My little children, over whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
20 I desire to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I stand in doubt of you.
21 Tell me, ye who desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24 These things are an allegory, for these are the two covenants: The one is from Mount Sinai, which engendereth bondage; this is Hagar.
25 For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem as it is now, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But the Jerusalem which is above is free, and is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written: “Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for the desolate hath many more children than she who hath a husband.”
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
29 But as then, he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Nevertheless what saith the Scripture? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
5 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Behold, I, Paul, say unto you that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3 For I testify again to every man who is circumcised, that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
4 Christ then becomes of no effect unto you, whosoever of you claim justification by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
5 For we, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.
7 Ye were running well; who hindered you, that ye should not obey the truth?
8 This persuasion cometh not from Him that calleth you.
9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
10 I have confidence in you through the Lord that ye will be not otherwise minded; but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why then do I yet suffer persecution? Then would the offense of the cross cease.
12 I would that they were even cut off which trouble you!
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion of the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye not be consumed one by another.
16 This I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, and they are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, quarreling, rivalry, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 envying, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like. About these things I tell you again, as I have also told you in times past, that those who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another and envying one another.
6 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
4 But let every man put to the proof his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
6 Let him that is taught in the Word share with him that teacheth, in all good things.
7 Be not deceived, God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in welldoing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
10 As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto those who are of the household of faith.
11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.
12 As many as desire to make a fair showing in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised, only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.
13 For not even they themselves who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
17 From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Galatians 4-6
New International Version
Galatians 4-6
New International Version
4 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery(A) under the elemental spiritual forces[a] of the world.(B) 4 But when the set time had fully come,(C) God sent his Son,(D) born of a woman,(E) born under the law,(F) 5 to redeem(G) those under the law, that we might receive adoption(H) to sonship.[b](I) 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son(J) into our hearts,(K) the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[c] Father.”(L) 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.(M)
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians
8 Formerly, when you did not know God,(N) you were slaves(O) to those who by nature are not gods.(P) 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God(Q)—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces[d]? Do you wish to be enslaved(R) by them all over again?(S) 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!(T) 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.(U)
12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters,(V) become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. 13 As you know, it was because of an illness(W) that I first preached the gospel to you, 14 and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.(X) 15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?(Y)
17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.(Z) 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.(AA) 19 My dear children,(AB) for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,(AC) 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
Hagar and Sarah
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law,(AD) are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman(AE) and the other by the free woman.(AF) 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh,(AG) but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.(AH)
24 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. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above(AI) is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:
“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”[e](AJ)
28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.(AK) 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh(AL) persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.(AM) It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”[f](AN) 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman,(AO) but of the free woman.(AP)
Freedom in Christ
5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.(AQ) Stand firm,(AR) then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.(AS)
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,(AT) Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.(AU) 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law(AV) have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.(AW) 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.(AX) 6 For in Christ Jesus(AY) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.(AZ) The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.(BA)
7 You were running a good race.(BB) Who cut in on you(BC) to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.(BD) 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”(BE) 10 I am confident(BF) in the Lord that you will take no other view.(BG) The one who is throwing you into confusion,(BH) whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?(BI) In that case the offense(BJ) of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators,(BK) I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!
Life by the Spirit
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.(BL) But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[g];(BM) rather, serve one another(BN) humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[h](BO) 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit,(BP) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.(BQ) 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.(BR) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[i] you want.(BS) 18 But if you are led by the Spirit,(BT) you are not under the law.(BU)
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,(BV) impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.(BW) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.(BX)
22 But the fruit(BY) of the Spirit is love,(BZ) joy, peace,(CA) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.(CB) Against such things there is no law.(CC) 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh(CD) with its passions and desires.(CE) 25 Since we live by the Spirit,(CF) let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited,(CG) provoking and envying each other.
Doing Good to All
6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit(CH) should restore(CI) that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.(CJ) 3 If anyone thinks they are something(CK) when they are not, they deceive themselves.(CL) 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone,(CM) without comparing themselves to someone else,(CN) 5 for each one should carry their own load.(CO) 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.(CP)
7 Do not be deceived:(CQ) God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.(CR) 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh,(CS) from the flesh will reap destruction;(CT) whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.(CU) 9 Let us not become weary in doing good,(CV) for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.(CW) 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good(CX) to all people, especially to those who belong to the family(CY) of believers.
Not Circumcision but the New Creation
11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!(CZ)
12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh(DA) are trying to compel you to be circumcised.(DB) The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted(DC) for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law,(DD) yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.(DE) 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,(DF) through which[j] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.(DG) 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything;(DH) what counts is the new creation.(DI) 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to[k] the Israel of God.
17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks(DJ) of Jesus.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ(DK) be with your spirit,(DL) brothers and sisters. Amen.
Footnotes
- Galatians 4:3 Or under the basic principles
- Galatians 4:5 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture.
- Galatians 4:6 Aramaic for Father
- Galatians 4:9 Or principles
- Galatians 4:27 Isaiah 54:1
- Galatians 4:30 Gen. 21:10
- Galatians 5:13 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 16, 17, 19 and 24; and in 6:8.
- Galatians 5:14 Lev. 19:18
- Galatians 5:17 Or you do not do what
- Galatians 6:14 Or whom
- Galatians 6:16 Or rule and to
21st Century King James Version (KJ21)
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.