Galatians 4:23
But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Galatians 4:23 in other translations
| BSB | His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise. |
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| WEB | However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise. |
| ASV | Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise. |
| YLT | but he who is of the maid-servant, according to flesh hath been, and he who is of the free-woman, through the promise; |
| DARBY | But he that was of the maid servant was born according to flesh, and he that was of the free woman through the promise. |
| BBE | Now the son by the servant-woman has his birth after the flesh; but the son by the free woman has his birth through the undertaking of God. |
| Webster | But he who was of the bond-woman, was born according to the flesh; but he of the free-woman was by promise. |
What does Galatians 4:23 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
But he of the free-woman, etc. The birth of Isaac was in accordance with a special promise, and by a remarkable Divine interposition. See Gen 18:10, 21:1,2, Heb 11:11,12. Comp. Rom 4:19-21. The idea here of Paul is, that the son of the slave was in a humble and inferior condition from his very birth. There was no special promise attending him. He was born into a state of inferiority and servitude, which attended him through his whole life. Isaac, however, was met with promises as soon as he was born, and was under the benefit of those promises as long as he lived. The object of Paul is to state the truth in regard to a condition of servitude and slavery. It is attended with evils from beginning to end; from the birth to the grave. By this illustration he means to show them the folly of beaming the voluntary slaves of the law after they had once been made free. (e) "bond woman" Rom 9:7,8
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 4:21-27
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…
Galatians 4:23 in the original Greek
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Cross references for Galatians 4:23
- Hebrews 11:11
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
- Romans 9:7-8
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
- Genesis 21:1-2
And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
- Genesis 18:10-14
And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? …
- Galatians 4:28-29
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
- Genesis 17:15-19
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! …
- Romans 4:18-21
Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
- Romans 10:8
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ro 9:7,8
but.
Ge 17:15-19; 18:10-14; 21:1,2; Ro 4:18-21; 10:8; Heb 11:11
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Galatians 4:22
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
- Galatians 4:23
But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
- Galatians 4:24
Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Galatians 4:23 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Mas el de la sierva nació según la carne; pero el de la libre nació por la promesa. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Mais celui qui naquit de la servante naquit selon la chair, et celui qui naquit de la femme libre naquit par la promesse. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | aber der von der Magd war nach dem Fleische geboren, der aber von der Freien durch die Verheißung, |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Sed qui de ancilla, secundum carnem natus est: qui autem de libera, per repromissionem: |