Galatians 4:1

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

I say that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, even though he is the master of everything.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

¶Λέγω δέ, ἐφʼ ὅσον χρόνον ὁ κληρονόμος, νήπιός ἐστιν, οὐδὲν διαφέρει δούλου, κύριος πάντων ὤν·

Transliteration

I legō de, for as much chronos the klēronomos, nēpios estin, nothing diapherei from doulos, kyrios of all ōn

Grammar Details

• *legō*: present indicative active, 1st person singular - I say/speak
• *de*: postpositive particle - but/and/now
• *chronos*: accusative, masculine, singular - time/period
• *klēronomos*: nominative, masculine, singular - heir
• *nēpios*: nominative, masculine, singular - infant/minor/immature person
• *estin*: present indicative, 3rd person singular - is
• *diapherei*: present indicative active, 3rd person singular - differs/distinguishes
• *doulos*: genitive, masculine, singular - slave/servant
• *kyrios*: nominative, masculine, singular - lord/master/owner
• *ōn*: present participle, nominative, masculine, singular - being

Word Meanings

• *legō*: say/speak/tell
• *de*: but/and/now (transitional)
• *chronos*: time/duration/period
• *klēronomos*: heir/inheritor
• *nēpios*: infant/child/minor/immature person
• *diapherei*: differs/distinguishes/excels
• *doulos*: slave/servant/bondservant
• *kyrios*: lord/master/owner
• *ōn*: being/existing/while being

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a servant, though he is lord of all;

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And I saye that the heyre as longe as he is a chylde differth not from a servaunt though he be Lorde of

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  But I saye: As longe as the heyre is a childe, there is no difference betwene him and a seruaunt, though he be lorde of all ye goodes:

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then I say, that the heire as long as hee is a childe, differeth nothing fro a seruant, though he be Lord of all,

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And I say, that the heyre, as long as he is a chylde, differeth nothyng from a seruaut, though he be Lorde of all,

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all;

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant -- being lord of all,

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But I say that as long as the son is a child, he is in no way different from a servant, though he is lord of all;

• World English Bible (2000)

  But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all;

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Now I mean that the heir, as long as he is a minor, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything.

Referenced Verses

• Gal 4:23 : 23 But the son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, while the son by the free woman was born through the promise.
• Gal 4:29 : 29 But just as the one born according to the flesh persecuted the one born through the Spirit, so it is also now.
• Gen 24:2-3 : 2 Abraham said to his servant, the eldest in his household who managed all he owned, "Please, place your hand under my thigh. 3 I want you to swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am living.
• 2 Kgs 10:1-2 : 1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria, and Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of Ahab’s children, saying: 2 When this letter reaches you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weapons,
• 2 Kgs 11:12 : 12 Jehoiada brought out the king's son, crowned him, presented him with the testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, clapped their hands, and shouted, 'Long live the king!'
• 2 Kgs 12:2 : 2 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, and she was from Beersheba.