Galatians 4:9,21
Galatians 4:9 New International Version (NIV)
But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
Galatians 4:21 New International Version (NIV)
Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?
Galatians 4:9 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
Galatians 4:21 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?
Galatians 4:8-11 The Message (MSG)
Earlier, before you knew God personally, you were enslaved to so-called gods that had nothing of the divine about them. But now that you know the real God—or rather since God knows you—how can you possibly subject yourselves again to those tin gods? For that is exactly what you do when you are intimidated into scrupulously observing all the traditions, taboos, and superstitions associated with special days and seasons and years. I am afraid that all my hard work among you has gone up in a puff of smoke!
Galatians 4:21-31 The Message (MSG)
Tell me now, you who have become so enamored with the law: Have you paid close attention to that law? Abraham, remember, had two sons: one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. The son of the slave woman was born by human plotting; the son of the free woman was born by God’s promise. This illustrates the very thing we are dealing with now. The two births represent two ways of being in relationship with God. One is from Mount Sinai in Arabia. It corresponds with what is now going on in Jerusalem—a slave life, producing slaves as offspring. This is the way of Hagar. In contrast to that, there is an invisible Jerusalem, a free Jerusalem, and she is our mother—this is the way of Sarah. Remember what Isaiah wrote: Rejoice, barren woman who bears no children, shout and cry out, woman who has no birth pangs, Because the children of the barren woman now surpass the children of the chosen woman. Isn’t it clear, friends, that you, like Isaac, are children of promise? In the days of Hagar and Sarah, the child who came from faithless plotting (Ishmael) harassed the child who came—empowered by the Spirit—from the faithful promise (Isaac). Isn’t it clear that the harassment you are now experiencing from the Jerusalem heretics follows that old pattern? There is a Scripture that tells us what to do: “Expel the slave mother with her son, for the slave son will not inherit with the free son.” Isn’t that conclusive? We are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
Galatians 4:9 King James Version (KJV)
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?
Galatians 4:21 King James Version (KJV)
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Galatians 4:9 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
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 elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?
Galatians 4:21 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?
Galatians 4:9 New Century Version (NCV)
But now you know the true God. Really, it is God who knows you. So why do you turn back to those weak and useless rules you followed before? Do you want to be slaves to those things again?
Galatians 4:21 New Century Version (NCV)
Some of you still want to be under the law. Tell me, do you know what the law says?
Galatians 4:9 American Standard Version (ASV)
but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?
Galatians 4:21 American Standard Version (ASV)
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Galatians 4:9 New King James Version (NKJV)
But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?
Galatians 4:21 New King James Version (NKJV)
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?
Galatians 4:9 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Now, however, since you have come to know [the true] God [through personal experience], or rather to be known by God, how is it that you are turning back again to the weak and worthless elemental principles [of religions and philosophies], to which you want to be enslaved all over again?
Galatians 4:21 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Tell me, you who are bent on being under the Law, do you not listen to [what] the Law [really says]?
Galatians 4:9 New Living Translation (NLT)
So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?
Galatians 4:21 New Living Translation (NLT)
Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says?