Προς Γαλατας 4
1 λεγω δε εφ οσον χρονον ο κληρονομοσ νηπιοσ εστιν ουδεν διαφερει δουλου κυριοσ παντων ων
My point is this — As long as the heir is under age, there is no difference between him and a slave, though he is master of the whole estate.
2 αλλα υπο επιτροπουσ εστιν και οικονομουσ αχρι τησ προθεσμιασ του πατροσ
He is subject to the control of guardians and stewards, during the period for which his father has power to appoint them.
3 ουτωσ και ημεισ οτε ημεν νηπιοι υπο τα στοιχεια του κοσμου ημεν δεδουλωμενοι
And so is it with us; when we were under age, as it were, we were slaves to the puerile teaching of this world;
4 οτε δε ηλθεν το πληρωμα του χρονου εξαπεστειλεν ο θεοσ τον υιον αυτου γενομενον εκ γυναικοσ γενομενον υπο νομον
but, when the full time came, God sent his Son — born a woman’s child, born subject to Law —
5 ινα τουσ υπο νομον εξαγοραση ινα την υιοθεσιαν απολαβωμεν
To ransom those who were subject to Law, so that we might take our position as sons.
6 οτι δε εστε υιοι εξαπεστειλεν ο θεοσ το πνευμα του υιου αυτου εισ τασ καρδιασ υμων κραζον αββα ο πατηρ
And it is because you are sons that God sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, with the cry — ‘Abba, our Father.’
7 ωστε ουκετι ει δουλοσ αλλ υιοσ ει δε υιοσ και κληρονομοσ θεου δια χριστου
You, therefore, are no longer a slave, but a son; and, if a son, then an heir also, by God’s appointment.
8 αλλα τοτε μεν ουκ ειδοτεσ θεον εδουλευσατε τοισ μη φυσει ουσιν θεοισ
Yet formerly, in your ignorance of God, you became slaves to ‘gods’ which were no gods.
9 νυν δε γνοντεσ θεον μαλλον δε γνωσθεντεσ υπο θεου πωσ επιστρεφετε παλιν επι τα ασθενη και πτωχα στοιχεια οισ παλιν ανωθεν δουλευειν θελετε
But now that you have found God — or, rather, have been found by him — how is it that you are turning back to that poor and feeble puerile teaching, to which yet once again you are wanting to become slaves?
10 ημερασ παρατηρεισθε και μηνασ και καιρουσ και ενιαυτουσ
You are scrupulous in keeping Days and Months and Seasons and Years!
11 φοβουμαι υμασ μηπωσ εικη κεκοπιακα εισ υμασ
You make me fear that the labour which I have spent on you may have been wasted.
12 γινεσθε ωσ εγω οτι καγω ωσ υμεισ αδελφοι δεομαι υμων ουδεν με ηδικησατε
I entreat you, Brothers, to become like me, as I became like you. You have never done me any wrong.
13 οιδατε δε οτι δι ασθενειαν τησ σαρκοσ ευηγγελισαμην υμιν το προτερον
You remember that it was owing to bodily infirmity that on the first occasion I told you the Good News.
14 και τον πειρασμον μου τον εν τη σαρκι μου ουκ εξουθενησατε ουδε εξεπτυσατε αλλ ωσ αγγελον θεου εδεξασθε με ωσ χριστον ιησουν
And as for what must have tried you in my condition, it did not inspire you with scorn or disgust, but you welcomed me as if I had been an angel of God — or Christ Jesus himself!
15 τισ ουν ην ο μακαρισμοσ υμων μαρτυρω γαρ υμιν οτι ει δυνατον τουσ οφθαλμουσ υμων εξορυξαντεσ αν εδωκατε μοι
What has become then, of your blessings? For I can bear witness that, had it been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me!
16 ωστε εχθροσ υμων γεγονα αληθευων υμιν
Am I to think, then, that I have become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 ζηλουσιν υμασ ου καλωσ αλλα εκκλεισαι υμασ θελουσιν ινα αυτουσ ζηλουτε
Certain people are seeking your favour, but with no honourable object. No, indeed, they want to isolate you, so that you will have to seek their favour.
18 καλον δε το ζηλουσθαι εν καλω παντοτε και μη μονον εν τω παρειναι με προσ υμασ
It is always honourable to have your favour sought in an honourable cause, and not only when I am with you, my dear children —
19 τεκνια μου ουσ παλιν ωδινω αχρι ου μορφωθη χριστοσ εν υμιν
You for whom I am again enduring a mother’s pains, till a likeness to Christ shall have been formed in you.
20 ηθελον δε παρειναι προσ υμασ αρτι και αλλαξαι την φωνην μου οτι απορουμαι εν υμιν
But I could wish to be with you now and speak in a different tone, for I am perplexed about you.
21 λεγετε μοι οι υπο νομον θελοντεσ ειναι τον νομον ουκ ακουετε
Tell me, you who want to be still subject to Law — Why do not you listen to the Law?
22 γεγραπται γαρ οτι αβρααμ δυο υιουσ εσχεν ενα εκ τησ παιδισκησ και ενα εκ τησ ελευθερασ
Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one the child of the slave-woman and the other the child of the free woman.
23 αλλ ο μεν εκ τησ παιδισκησ κατα σαρκα γεγεννηται ο δε εκ τησ ελευθερασ δια τησ επαγγελιασ
But the child of the slave-woman was born in the course of nature, while the child of the free woman was born in fulfilment of a promise.
24 ατινα εστιν αλληγορουμενα αυται γαρ εισιν δυο διαθηκαι μια μεν απο ορουσ σινα εισ δουλειαν γεννωσα ητισ εστιν αγαρ
This story may be taken as an allegory. The women stand for two Covenants. One Covenant, given from Mount Sinai, produces a race of slaves and is represented by Hagar
25 το γαρ αγαρ σινα οροσ εστιν εν τη αραβια συστοιχει δε τη νυν ιερουσαλημ δουλευει δε μετα των τεκνων αυτησ
(The word Hagar meaning in Arabia Mount Sinai) and it ranks with the Jerusalem of to-day, for she and her children are in slavery.
26 η δε ανω ιερουσαλημ ελευθερα εστιν ητισ εστιν μητηρ παντων ημων
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she it is who is our mother.
27 γεγραπται γαρ ευφρανθητι στειρα η ου τικτουσα ρηξον και βοησον η ουκ ωδινουσα οτι πολλα τα τεκνα τησ ερημου μαλλον η τησ εχουσησ τον ανδρα
For Scripture says — ‘Rejoice, thou barren one, who dost never bear, Break into shouts, thou who art never in labour, For many are the children of her who is desolate — aye, more than of her who has a husband.’
28 ημεισ δε αδελφοι κατα ισαακ επαγγελιασ τεκνα εσμεν
As for ourselves, brothers, we, like Isaac, are children born in fulfilment of a promise.
29 αλλ ωσπερ τοτε ο κατα σαρκα γεννηθεισ εδιωκεν τον κατα πνευμα ουτωσ και νυν
Yet at that time the child born in the course of nature persecuted the child born by the power of the Spirit; and it is the same now.
30 αλλα τι λεγει η γραφη εκβαλε την παιδισκην και τον υιον αυτησ ου γαρ μη κληρονομηση ο υιοσ τησ παιδισκησ μετα του υιου τησ ελευθερασ
But what does the passage of Scripture say? ‘Send away the slave-woman and her son; for the slave’s son shall not be co-heir with the son of the free woman.’
31 αρα αδελφοι ουκ εσμεν παιδισκησ τεκνα αλλα τησ ελευθερασ
And so, Brothers, we are not children of a slave, but of her who is free.
