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Galatians 4:3

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

KJV

οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι, ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἤμεθα δεδουλωμένοι·

Greek NT

ita et nos cum essemus parvuli, sub elementis mundi eramus servientes.

Vulgate

So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:

ASV

So we also, when we were children, were serving under the elements of the world.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

11 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

δουλόω
douloo
verb · 8×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
κόσμος
kosmos
noun · 184×
νήπιος
nepios
adjective · 14×
οὕτω
outo
adverb · 208×
στοιχεῖον
stoicheion
noun · 7×
ἡμεῖς
emeis
pronoun · 862×
o
article · 19778×
ὅτε
ote
adverb · 100×
ὑπό
upo
preposition · 221×

Textual variants

1 variant unit attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

minor
SBLGNT: ἤμεθα | WH/NIV: ἤμεθα | Treg/RP: ἦμεν
  • ἤμεθαSBLGNT
  • ἤμεθαWestcott-Hort, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • ἦμενTregelles, Robinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Historic Christian voices

5 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§1972The New Law is called a law of love because it makes us act out of the love infused by the Holy Spirit, rather than from fear; a law of grace, because it confers the strength of grace to act, by means of faith and the sacraments; a law of freedom, because it sets us free from the ritual and juridical observances of the Old Law, inclines us to act spontaneously by the prompting …
The seventh day is called the Sabbath and signifies rest. For in it God rested from all His works Genesis 2:2, as the divine Scripture says: and so the number of the days goes up to seven and then circles back again and begins at the first. This is the precious number with the Jews, God having ordained that it should be held in honour, and that in no chance fashion but with the…

Cross-references

  • 2Cor 11:20 — For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
  • Acts 6:14 — For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
  • Acts 15:10 — Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
  • Col 2:8 — Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
  • Col 2:8 — Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
  • Col 2:20 — Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
  • Col 2:20 — Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
  • Eph 4:6 — One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
  • Gal 2:4 — And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
  • Gal 2:4 — And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
  • Gal 4:9 — But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
  • Gal 4:31 — So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
  • Heb 7:16 — Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
  • Heb 9:10 — Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
  • John 8:31 — Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
  • Rom 8:15 — For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.