Galatians 4:9
What does Galatians 4:9 mean?
A plain-English look at Galatians 4:9 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Galatians 4:9 means
Now that the Galatians have come to know God—or better, to be known by God—Paul asks why they are turning back to weak and beggarly rudiments. The correction “or rather to be known by God” underlines grace: salvation begins with God’s initiative. The “rudiments” are the elementary religious principles they once served. To seek bondage again is to prefer poverty to riches, immaturity to sonship. Paul’s language warns that adopting legalistic practices as pathways to favor with God is a downgrade from the gospel. The verse calls believers to remember who called them and to measure practices by whether they reinforce or erode freedom in Christ.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000but 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?
KJV
King James Version · 1611But 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?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901but 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?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949But now that you have come to have knowledge of God, or more truly, God has knowledge of you, how is it that you go back again to the poor and feeble first things, desiring to be servants to them again?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and now, having known God--and rather being known by God--how turn ye again unto the weak and poor elements to which anew ye desire to be in servitude?
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known by God: how turn you again to the weak and needy elements which you desire to serve again?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890but now, knowingGod, but rather being known byGod, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye desire to be again anew in bondage?
Context
Following the reminder of pagan past (v. 8), verse 9 presses the inconsistency of returning to basic elements after being claimed by God. It introduces the concrete example in verse 10—observance of religious times—as symptomatic of relapse. The flow moves from identity (known by God) to critique (why turn back?) to evidence (calendar observance), and then to Paul’s fear that his labor may have been in vain (v. 11).
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Jeremiah 31:34
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith Jehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.
- 1 John 5:20
And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
- Matthew 11:27
All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him.
- Ephesians 1:17
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him;
- 2 Corinthians 4:6
Seeing it is God, that said, Light shall shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
- Habakkuk 2:14
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea.
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