Galatians 4 · Verse 7

Galatians 4:7

Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Galatians 4:7, King James Version

Galatians 4:7 in other translations

BSBSo you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.
WEBSo you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
ASVSo that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
YLTso that thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.
DARBYSo thou art no longer bondman, but son; but if son, heir also through God.
BBESo that you are no longer a servant, but a son; and if a son, then the heritage of God is yours.
WebsterWherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

What does Galatians 4:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Galatians 4:1-7

Ga 4:1-31. The Same Subject Continued: Illustration of Our Subjection to the Law Only till Christ Came, from the Subjection of an Heir to His Guardian till He Is of Age. Peter's Good Will to the Galatians Should Lead Them to the Same Good Will to Him as They Had at First Shown. Their Desire to Be under the Law Shown by the Allegory of Isaac and Ishmael to Be Inconsistent with Their Gospel Liberty. 1-7. The fact of…

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Barnes' Notes
Verse 7. Wherefore. In consequence of this privilege of addressing God as your Father.

Thou art no more. You who are Christians.

A servant. In the servitude of sin; or treated as a servant by being bound under the oppressive rites and ceremonies of the law. Comp. Gal 4:3.

But a son. A child of God, adopted into his family, and to be treated as a son.

And if a son, etc. Entitled to all the privileges of a son, and of course to be regarded as an heir through the Redeemer, and with him. See the sentiment here expressed explained: Rom 8:17.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 7 Thou art no more a servant - Thou who hast believed in Christ art no longer a slave, either under the dominion of sin or under obligation to the Mosaic ritual; but a son of God, adopted into the heavenly family. And if a son, then an heir - Having a right to the inheritance, because one of the family, for none can inherit but the children; but this heirship is the most extraordinary of all: it is not an heirship of any tangible possession, either in heaven or earth; it is not to possess a part or even the whole of either, it is to possess Him who made all things; not God's works, but God himself: heirs of God through Christ.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 4:1-7

The apostle deals plainly with those who urged the law of Moses together with the gospel of Christ, and endeavoured to bring believers under its bondage. They could not fully understand the meaning of the law as given by Moses. And as that was a dispensation of darkness, so of bondage; they were tied to many burdensome rites and observances, by which they were taught and kept subject like a child under tutors and…

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Galatians 4:7 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.

ὥστεhōsteSoG5620
οὐκέτιouketino longerG3756
εἶeiyou areG1510
δοῦλοςdoulosa slaveG1401
ἀλλ᾽all᾽butG235
υἱός·huiosa son;G5207
εἰeiifG1487
δὲdenowG1161
υἱός,huiosa son,G5207
καὶkaialsoG2532
κληρονόμοςklēronomosan heir ofG2818
διὰdiathroughG1223
θεοῦtheouGodG2316
Χριστοῦ.¶ChristouChrist.G5547

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

Cross references for Galatians 4:7

  • Galatians 3:29-4:2

    And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

  • Romans 8:16-17

    The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

  • Galatians 3:26

    For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

  • 1 Corinthians 3:21-23

    Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

  • Galatians 4:5-6

    To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

  • Galatians 4:31-5:1

    So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

  • Psalms 73:26

    My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:16-18

    And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

  • Lamentations 3:24

    The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

  • Psalms 16:5

    The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

  • Jeremiah 10:16

    The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The Lord of hosts is his name.

  • Genesis 17:7-8

    And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
thou.
1,2,5,6,31; 5:1
but.
3:26
if.
3:29; Ro 8:16,17
heir.
Ge 15:1; 17:7,8; Ps 16:5; 73:26; Jer 10:16; 31:33; 32:38-41; La 3:24
1Co 3:21-23; 2Co 6:16-18; Re 21:7

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

Context

  • Galatians 4:6

    And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

  • Galatians 4:7

    Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

  • Galatians 4:8

    Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

Read all of Galatians 4

Galatians 4:7 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Así que ya no eres más siervo, sino hijo; y si hijo, también heredero de Dios por Cristo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		de sorte que tu n’es plus esclave, mais fils; et, si fils, héritier aussi par Dieu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Also bist du nicht mehr Knecht, sondern Sohn; wenn aber Sohn, so auch Erbe durch Gott.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Itaque jam non est servus, sed filius: quod si filius, et hæres per Deum.