World English Bible · Under Rome
Galatians 4
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But I say that so long as the is a child, he is no different from a , though he is of all, 2but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by . So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world. But when the fullness of the time came, sent out his Son, born to a woman, born , that he might those who were , that we might receive the adoption as children. And because you are children, sent out of his Son into your , crying, "!" So you are no longer a , but a son; and if a son, then an of through Christ. However at that time, not knowing , you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know , or rather to be known by , why do you again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you to be in bondage all over again? You observe days, months, seasons, and years. I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you. I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong, but you know that because of weakness in I preached the to you the first time. That which was a to you in my , you didn't despise nor reject; but you received me as of , even as Christ . What was the you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they to alienate you, that you may seek them. But it is always good to be in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you— but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. Tell me, you that to be , don't you listen to ? For that had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman. However, the son by the servant was born according to , but the son by the free woman was born through promise. These things contain an allegory, for these are two . One is from , bearing children to bondage, which is . For this is in , and answers to the that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children. But the that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For , "Rejoice, you who don't bear. Break out and shout, you who don't travail. For the desolate women have more children than her who has a husband." Now we, brothers, as was, are children of promise. But as then, he who was born according to persecuted him who was born according to , so also it is now. However, what does the say? "Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not with the son of the free woman." So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman.
A public domain modern English translation, free to read and share. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.