Galatians 4 · Verse 28

Galatians 4:28

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Galatians 4:28, King James Version

Galatians 4:28 in other translations

BSB	Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
WEB	Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
ASV	Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
YLT	And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise,
DARBY	But ye, brethren, after the pattern of Isaac, are children of promise.
BBE	Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are the children of the undertaking of God.
Webster	Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

What does Galatians 4:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

28. we--The oldest manuscripts and versions are divided between "we" and "ye." "We" better accords with Ga 4:26, "mother of us." children of promise--not children after the flesh, but through the promise (Ga 4:23, 29, 31). "We are" so, and ought to wish to continue so.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 28. Now we, brethren. We who are Christians.

Are the children of promise. We so far resemble Isaac, that there are great and precious promises made to use. We are not in the condition of Ishmael, to who no promise was made.

(c) "we, brethren" Acts 3:25, Gal 3:29

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 28 Now we - Who believe in the Lord Jesus, are the children of promise - are the spiritual offspring of the Messiah, the seed of Abraham, in whom the promise stated that all the nations of the earth should be blessed.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 4:28-31

The history thus explained is applied. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free. If the privileges of all believers were so great, according to the new covenant, how absurd for the Gentile converts to be under that law, which could not deliver the unbelieving Jews from bondage or condemnation! We should not have found out this allegory in the history of Sarah and Hagar, if it had not been shown to us, yet we cannot doubt it was intended by the Holy Spirit. It is an explanation of the subject, not an argument in proof of it. The two covenants of works and grace, and legal and evangelical professors, are shadowed forth. Works and fruits brought forth in a man's own strength, are legal. But if arising from faith in Christ, they are evangelical. The first covenant spirit is of bondage unto sin and death. The second covenant spirit is of liberty and freedom; not liberty to sin, but in and unto duty. The first is a spirit of persecution; the second is a spirit of love. Let those professors look to it, who have a violent, harsh, imposing spirit, towards the people of God. Yet as Abraham turned aside to Hagar, so it is possible a believer may turn aside in some things to the covenant of works, when through unbelief and neglect of the promise he acts according to the law, in his own strength; or in a way of violence, not of love, towards the brethren. Yet it is not his way, not his spirit to do so; hence he is never at rest, till he returns to his dependence on Christ again. Let us rest our souls on the Scriptures, and by a gospel hope and cheerful obedience, show that our conversation and treasure are indeed in heaven.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Galatians 4:28 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὑμεῖςhumeisyou yourselvesG4771

δέ,denow,G1161

ἀδελφοί,adelphoibrothers,G80

κατὰkatalikeG2596

ἸσαὰκIsaakIsaacG2464

ἐπαγγελίαςepangeliasof promiseG1860

τέκναteknachildrenG5043

ἐστέ.esteyou are.G1510

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Galatians 4:28

Galatians 4:23
But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Romans 9:8-9
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. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
Romans 4:13-18
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, …
Galatians 3:29
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Acts 3:25
Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

23; 3:29; Ac 3:25; Ro 4:13-18; 9:8,9

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Galatians 4:27
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 which hath an husband.
Galatians 4:28
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
Galatians 4:29
But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

Read all of Galatians 4

Galatians 4:28 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Así que, hermanos, nosotros como Isaac somos hijos de la promesa.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Or vous, frères, comme Isaac, vous êtes enfants de promesse.
German Elberfelder 1871	Ihr aber, Brüder seid, gleichwie Isaak, Kinder der Verheißung.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Nos autem, fratres, secundum Isaac promissionis filii sumus.