Galatians 4: Sons and Heirs

Paul explains that an heir who is still a child is no better off than a slave, living under guardians until the time his father set. In the same way, people were enslaved under the basic principles of the world. But when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman and under the law, to redeem those under the law so they could be adopted as children. Because they are children, God sent the Spirit of His Son into their hearts, crying Abba, Father. Paul pleads with the Galatians not to turn back to slavery, recalling their kindness to him. He compares Hagar and Sarah to two covenants and says believers are children of the free woman.

Go to worksheets ↓

Bible:

Read Galatians 4

World English Bible · 31 verses

¹ But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
² but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³ So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁴ But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁵ that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as children.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁶ And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁷ So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁸ However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
⁹ But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁰ You observe days, months, seasons, and years.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹¹ I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹² I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹³ but you know that because of weakness in the flesh I preached the Good News to you the first time.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁴ That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn’t despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁵ What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁶ So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁷ They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁸ But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
¹⁹ My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you—This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁰ but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²¹ Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don’t you listen to the law?This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²³ However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁴ These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁵ For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁷ For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren 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.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁸ Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
²⁹ But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³⁰ However, what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not inherit with the son of the free woman.”This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
³¹ So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

1Pick a grade below
2Look over the worksheet
3Tap Print worksheet. Print the answer key separately.

Pick a grade:

Answer key (print separately)More print options ↓

Open Preschool on its own page

Galatians 4 · Preschool

Abba, Father

Name Date

Color the child running to the Father's arms. God is our loving Father!

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

Galatians 4:7 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Give your child a big hug. Say: Abba is a word like Daddy. God's Spirit helps His children call God their loving Father.

Open Grade 4 on its own page

Galatians 4 · Grade 4

Adopted as Children

Name Date

Read and Think

Paul compares life before Christ to an heir who is still a child. Though the child owns everything, he lives under guardians until the day his father sets. In the same way, people were held under the basic principles of the world. But when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law. Jesus came to redeem those under the law so they could be adopted as God's children.

Because believers are God's children, God sent the Spirit of His Son into their hearts. The Spirit cries out Abba, Father, a warm Aramaic word for father. So the believer is no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Paul asks why the Galatians would turn back to weak and poor principles, keeping special days and seasons, after coming to know God.

Paul reminds them of his first visit. He was ill, but they welcomed him like an angel of God. Now he wonders whether he has become their enemy by telling the truth. Like a mother in labor, he longs for Christ to be formed in them. Finally he uses Abraham's two sons as a picture. Hagar's son stands for slavery under the law, and Sarah's son stands for freedom by God's promise. Believers are children of promise, children of the free woman.

Show What You Know

Whom did God send in the fullness of time?
What does Abba mean?
How did the Galatians first welcome Paul?
What do Hagar and Sarah stand for?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

Godfreeheirwomanchild

Paul compares life before Christ to an who is still a child.
Though the owns everything, he lives under guardians until the day his father sets.
But when the fullness of time came, God sent His Son, born of a , born under the law.
So the believer is no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir through .
Believers are children of promise, children of the woman.

Think About It

God adopts believers as His children and heirs. How might knowing you are a child of God change how you face fear or failure?
Paul longs for Christ to be formed in the Galatians. What do you think it looks like for Christ to be formed in a person?

Memory Verse

“So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

Galatians 4:7 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being my Father. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

How does being God's child change fear?
What does Christ formed in you look like?

Open Grade 5 on its own page

Galatians 4 · Grade 5

The Fullness of Time

Name Date

Read and Think

Paul develops the guardian image from chapter 3. An heir who is a minor differs little from a slave; though owner of all, he remains under managers until the date set by his father. So too humanity was enslaved under the elementary principles of the world. In the fullness of time, at the moment God appointed, He sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, so that believers might receive adoption as sons.

The proof of this adoption is the Spirit. God sent the Spirit of His Son into believers' hearts, crying Abba, Father, the intimate address Jesus Himself used in Gethsemane. Therefore each believer is no longer a slave but a son, and an heir through God. Paul is alarmed that the Galatians, now known by God, want to return to weak and beggarly principles, observing days, months, seasons, and years. He fears his labor among them may have been wasted.

Paul's tone becomes personal. He first preached to them because of a bodily ailment, and rather than despise him, they received him as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. They would have given him their own eyes. Now the false teachers court them to win their loyalty. Paul, like a mother in labor, suffers again until Christ is formed in them. He closes with an allegory from Genesis. Hagar, the slave woman, corresponds to Mount Sinai and the present Jerusalem in slavery. Sarah, the free woman, corresponds to the Jerusalem above. Like Isaac, believers are children of promise, children not of the slave but of the free woman.

Show What You Know

What does the phrase fullness of time mean?
Where did Jesus use the word Abba?
Why did Paul first preach to the Galatians?
What does Sarah correspond to in the allegory?

Crossword

Across

And not only when I am ____ with you

Down

Born to a ____
Then an ____ of God through Christ

Think About It

God sent His Son at the fullness of time. How does trusting God's timing in history help you trust His timing in your own life?
The Spirit enables believers to call God Abba, Father. How does this intimate relationship differ from a relationship based on rules?

Memory Verse

“So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”

Galatians 4:7 (WEB)

Copy It

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for being my Father. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

How does God's timing help us trust?
How is adoption different from rules?
What is one way you could live out this chapter this week?

More print options

Student sheets have no answers on them. The answer key is a separate document for teachers and parents.

This gradeOnly the Preschool sheet

Whole chapterEvery verse of the chapter, in the translation you pickOpen & print

All student sheetsEvery grade, preschool to grade 5Open & print

Answer keyAll grades in one, each grade labeledOpen & print

‹ All Galatians chapters · All books

Galatians 4: Sons and Heirs

Read Galatians 4

Worksheets

Abba, Father

Prayer

Take It Home

God Is My Father

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Mini Maze

Draw It

Prayer

Take It Home

Sons and Heirs

Trace the Words

Match the Pictures

Prayer

Take It Home

God's Children

Read the Story

Show What You Know

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

No Longer a Servant

Read the Story

Answer the Questions

Sons and Heirs

Word Search

Prayer

Take It Home

Adopted as Children

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Word Bank Fill-In

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

The Fullness of Time

Read and Think

Show What You Know

Crossword

Think About It

Copy It

Prayer

Take It Home

More print options