Galatians 4, Additional Reading Deuteronomy 31

Friday, September 27, 2024
 

Sonship in Christ

Now I say, as long as the heir is a [a]child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is [b]owner of everything, but he is under guardians and [c]managers until the date set by the father. So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the [d]elemental things of the world. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under [e]the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under [f]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir [g]through God.

However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless [h]elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [i]over you in vain.

12 I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; 13 but you know that it was because of a [j]bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the [k]first time; 14 and that which was a [l]trial to you in my [m]bodily condition you did not despise or [n]loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. 15 Where then is [o]that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So have I become your enemy by [p]telling you the truth? 17 They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable [q]manner, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you— 20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Bond and Free

21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the bondwoman [r]was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 [s]This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children [t]who are to be slaves; [u]she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free; [v]she is our mother. 27 For it is written,

Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear;
Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;
For more numerous are the children of the desolate
Than of the one who has a husband.”

28 And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also. 30 But what does the Scripture say?

Cast out the bondwoman and her son,
For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”

31 So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, [w]but of the free woman.

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:1 Or minor
  2. Galatians 4:1 Lit lord
  3. Galatians 4:2 Or stewards
  4. Galatians 4:3 Or rudimentary teachings or principles
  5. Galatians 4:4 Or law
  6. Galatians 4:5 Or law
  7. Galatians 4:7 I.e. through the gracious act of
  8. Galatians 4:9 Or rudimentary teachings or principles
  9. Galatians 4:11 Or for
  10. Galatians 4:13 Lit weakness of the flesh
  11. Galatians 4:13 Or former
  12. Galatians 4:14 Or temptation
  13. Galatians 4:14 Lit flesh
  14. Galatians 4:14 Lit spit out at
  15. Galatians 4:15 Lit the congratulation of yourselves
  16. Galatians 4:16 Or dealing truthfully with you
  17. Galatians 4:18 Or thing
  18. Galatians 4:23 Lit has been born
  19. Galatians 4:24 Lit Which
  20. Galatians 4:24 Lit into slavery
  21. Galatians 4:24 Lit which
  22. Galatians 4:26 Lit which
  23. Galatians 4:31 V 5:1, note 1
 
 

Moses’ Last Counsel

31 So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. And he said to them, “I am a hundred and twenty years old today; I am no longer able to come and go, and the Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross this Jordan.’ It is the Lord your God who will cross ahead of you; He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua is the one who will cross ahead of you, just as the Lord has spoken. The Lord will do to them just as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when He destroyed them. The Lord will deliver them up before you, and you shall do to them according to all the commandments which I have commanded you. Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”

Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance. The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 Then Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place which He will choose, you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and [a]the alien who is in your [b]town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the Lord your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law. 13 Their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live on the land [c]which you are about to cross the Jordan to [d]possess.”

Israel Will Fall Away

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, [e]the time for you to die is near; call Joshua, and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, that I may commission him.” So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves at the tent of meeting. 15 The Lord appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud stood at the doorway of the tent. 16 The Lord said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the harlot with the strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. 17 Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed, and many evils and troubles will come upon them; so that they will say in that day, ‘Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?’ 18 But I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they will do, for they will turn to other gods.

19 “Now therefore, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it [f]on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel. 20 For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they have eaten and are satisfied and become [g]prosperous, then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn Me and break My covenant. 21 Then it shall come about, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify before them as a witness (for it shall not be forgotten from the [h]lips of their descendants); for I know their intent which they are [i]developing today, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.” 22 So Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the sons of Israel.

Joshua Is Commissioned

23 Then He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them, and I will be with you.”

24 It came about, when Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book until they were complete, 25 that Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, 26 “Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may [j]remain there as a witness against you. 27 For I know your rebellion and your [k]stubbornness; behold, while I am still alive with you today, you have been rebellious against the Lord; how much more, then, after my death? 28 Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to witness against them. 29 For I know that after my death you will act corruptly and turn from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days, for you will do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger with the work of your hands.”

30 Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song, until they were complete:

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 31:12 Lit your alien
  2. Deuteronomy 31:12 Lit gates
  3. Deuteronomy 31:13 Lit where
  4. Deuteronomy 31:13 Lit possess it
  5. Deuteronomy 31:14 Lit your days to die are
  6. Deuteronomy 31:19 Lit in their mouths
  7. Deuteronomy 31:20 Lit fat
  8. Deuteronomy 31:21 Lit mouth of its seed
  9. Deuteronomy 31:21 Lit making
  10. Deuteronomy 31:26 Lit be
  11. Deuteronomy 31:27 Lit stiff neck

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