Galatians 4:27

KJV1611 – Modern English

For it is written: 'Rejoice, O barren, you who do not bear! Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Γέγραπται γάρ, Εὐφράνθητι, στεῖρα ἡ οὐ τίκτουσα· ῥῆξον καὶ βόησον, ἡ οὐκ ὠδίνουσα: ὅτι πολλὰ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἐρήμου μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς ἐχούσης τὸν ἄνδρα.

Transliteration

It has been gegraptai for, Euphranthēti, steira the not tiktousa; rhēxon and boēson, the not ōdinousa: because many the tekna of the erēmou mallon ē of the echousēs the andra

Grammar Details

• *gegraptai*: perfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular - it has been written
• *euphranthēti*: aorist passive imperative, 2nd person singular - rejoice/be glad
• *steira*: nominative, feminine, singular - barren woman
• *tiktousa*: present active participle, nominative, feminine, singular - bearing children
• *rhēxon*: aorist active imperative, 2nd person singular - break forth
• *boēson*: aorist active imperative, 2nd person singular - cry out
• *ōdinousa*: present active participle, nominative, feminine, singular - experiencing birth pains
• *tekna*: nominative, neuter, plural - children
• *erēmou*: genitive, feminine, singular - desolate/forsaken woman
• *mallon*: adverb - more/rather
• *ē*: comparative particle - than
• *echousēs*: present active participle, genitive, feminine, singular - having
• *andra*: accusative, masculine, singular - husband/man

Word Meanings

• *euphranthēti*: rejoice/be glad/cheer up
• *steira*: barren woman/sterile woman
• *tiktousa*: bearing children/giving birth
• *rhēxon*: break forth/burst out
• *boēson*: cry out/shout/call loudly
• *ōdinousa*: experiencing birth pains/in labor
• *tekna*: children/offspring/descendants
• *erēmou*: desolate/forsaken/abandoned woman
• *echousēs*: having/possessing
• *andra*: husband/man/male

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  For it is written: 'Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband.'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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 which hath an husband.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  For{G1063} it is written,{G1125} Rejoice,{G2165} thou barren{G4723} that{G3588} bearest{G5088} not;{G3756} Break forth{G4486} and{G2532} cry,{G994} thou that{G3588} travailest{G5605} not:{G3756} For{G3754} {G4183} more{G4183} are the children{G5043} of{G2048} the desolate than{G2228} of her that{G3588} hath{G2192} the husband.{G435}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  For{G1063} it is written{G1125}{(G5769)}, Rejoice{G2165}{(G5682)}, thou barren{G4723} that bearest{G5088}{(G5723)} not{G3756}; break forth{G4486}{(G5657)} and{G2532} cry{G994}{(G5657)}, thou that travailest{G5605}{(G5723)} not{G3756}: for{G3754} the desolate{G2048} hath many more{G4183} children{G5043} than{G3123}{G2228} she which hath{G2192}{(G5723)} an husband{G435}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  For it is written: reioyce thou bare that bearest no chyldre: breake forthe and crye thou that travelest not. For the desolate hath many moo chyldren then she which hath an husband.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  For it is wrytte: Reioyse thou baren, that bearest no childre: breake forth and crye thou yt trauaylest not, for the desolate hath many mo childre, then she which hath an hussbande.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  For it is written, Reioyce thou barren that bearest no children: breake forth, & cry, thou that trauailest not: for the desolate hath many moe children, then she which hath an husband.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  For it is written: Reioyce thou baren, that bearest no chyldren, breake foorth and crye, thou that trauaylest not: For the desolate hath many mo chyldren, then she which hath an husbande.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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 which hath an husband.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  For it is written, "Rejoice, you barren who don't bear. Break forth and shout, you that don't travail. For more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  for it hath been written, `Rejoice, O barren, who art not bearing; break forth and cry, thou who art not travailing, because many `are' the children of the desolate -- more than of her having the husband.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  For it is in the Writings, You who have never given birth, be glad; give cries of joy, you who have had no birth-pains; for the children of her who has been given up by her husband are more than those of the woman who has a husband.

• World English Bible (2000)

  For it is written, "Rejoice, you barren who don't bear. Break forth and shout, you that don't travail. For more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  For it is written:“Rejoice, O barren woman who does not bear children; break forth and shout, you who have no birth pains, because the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than those of the woman who has a husband.”

Referenced Verses

• Ruth 1:11-13 : 11 And Naomi said, Turn back, my daughters: why will you go with me? Are there still sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? 12 Turn back, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have a husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have a husband tonight and also bear sons; 13 Would you wait for them till they were grown? Would you restrain yourselves from having husbands? No, my daughters; for it grieves me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.
• Ruth 4:14-16 : 14 Then the women said to Naomi, 'Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without a kinsman, and may his name be famous in Israel. 15 He shall be a restorer of your life and a provider for your old age; for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.' 16 Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap, and became his nurse.
• 1 Sam 2:5 : 5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread; and those who were hungry have ceased to hunger: so that the barren has borne seven; and she who has many children has become feeble.
• 2 Sam 13:20 : 20 And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon your brother been with you? But hold your peace now, my sister: he is your brother; do not consider this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.
• Ps 113:9 : 9 He makes the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD.
• Isa 49:21 : 21 Then you shall say in your heart, Who has begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and moving to and fro? and who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where have they been?
• Isa 54:1-5 : 1 Sing, O barren, you who did not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, says the LORD. 2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: do not spare, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes; 3 For you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; and your descendants shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. 4 Fear not; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be you confounded; for you shall not be put to shame: for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore. 5 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called.
• 1 Tim 5:5 : 5 Now she who is truly a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.