KJV: Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
YLT: Tell me, ye who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear?
Darby: Tell me, ye who are desirous of being under law, do ye not listen to the law?
ASV: Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
| Λέγετέ | Tell |
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Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural Root: λέγω Sense: to say, to speak. |
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| μοι | me |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular Root: ἐγώ Sense: I, me, my. |
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| οἱ | those |
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Parse: Article, Vocative Masculine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| ὑπὸ | under |
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Parse: Preposition Root: ὑπό Sense: by, under. |
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| νόμον | [the] Law |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: νόμος Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command. |
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| θέλοντες | wishing |
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Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Vocative Masculine Plural Root: θέλω Sense: to will, have in mind, intend. |
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| εἶναι | to be |
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Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active Root: εἰμί Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present. |
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| νόμον | Law |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: νόμος Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command. |
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| ἀκούετε | you do listen to |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural Root: ἀκουστός Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf. |
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Greek Commentary for Galatians 4:21
“Under law” (no article), as in Galatians 3:23; Galatians 4:4, legalistic system. Paul views them as on the point of surrender to legalism, as “wanting” Paul makes direct reference to these so disposed to “hear the law.” He makes a surprising turn, but a legitimate one for the legalists by an allegorical use of Scripture. [source]
He plunges into the subject without introduction, and with a direct appeal. [source]
Are bent on being under the law. See on Galatians 4:9. [source]
For νόμος with and without the article, see on Romans 2:12. Here, unquestionably, of the Mosaic law. [source]
(Do ye not) hear what the law really says: listen to it so as to catch its real meaning? Comp. 1 Corinthians 14:2; lxx, Genesis 11:7; Deuteronomy 28:49. [source]
In a different sense, referring to the O.T. For a similar double sense see Romans 3:19. For νόμος as a designation of the O.T. generally, see 1 Corinthians 14:21; John 10:24; John 11:34; John 15:25. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Galatians 4:21
He was emancipated from the law as a means of salvation, yet he knew how to speak to them because of his former beliefs and life with them (Galatians 4:21). He knew how to put the gospel to them without compromise and without offence. [source]
Note particularly the absence of the article. Γράμματα is used in N.T. in several senses. Of characters of the alphabet (2 Corinthians 3:7; Galatians 6:11): of a document (Luke 16:6, take thy bill )epistles (Acts 28:21): of the writings of an author collectively (John 5:47): of learning (Acts 26:24, πολλά γράμματρα muchlearning ). In lxx, ἐπιστάμενος γράμματα knowinghow to read (Isaiah 29:11, Isaiah 29:12). The Holy Scriptures are nowhere called ἱερὰ γράμματα in N.T. In lxx, γράμματα is never used of sacred writings of any kind. Both Josephus and Philo use τὰ ἱερὰ γράμματα for the O.T. Scriptures. The words here should be rendered sacred learning. The books in the writer's mind were no doubt the Old Testament. Scriptures, in which Timothy, like every Jewish boy, had been instructed; but he does not mean to designate those books as ἱερὰ γράμματα . He means the learning acquired from Scripture by the rabbinic methods, according to which the Old Testament books were carefully searched for meanings hidden in each word and letter, and especially for messianic intimations. Specimens of such learning may be seen here and there in the writings of Paul as 1 Corinthians 9:9f.; 1 Corinthians 10:1f.; Galatians 3:16.; Galatians 4:21f. In Acts 4:13, the council, having heard Peter's speech, in which he interpreted Psalm 118:22and Isaiah 28:16of Christ, at once perceived that Peter and John were ἀγράμματοι , not versed in the methods of the schools. Before Agrippa, Paul drew the doctrine of the Resurrection from the Old Testament, whereupon Festus exclaimed, “much learning ( πολλὰ γράμματα , thy acquaintance with the exegesis of the schools) hath made thee mad” (Acts 26:24). To Agrippa, who was “expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews” (Acts 26:3), the address of Paul, a pupil of Hillel, was not surprising, although he declared that Paul's reasoning did not appeal to him. In John 7:15, when Jesus taught in the temple, the Jews wondered and said: “How knoweth this man letters? ” That a Jew should know the Scriptures was not strange. The wonder lay in the exegetical skill of one who had not been trained by the literary methods of the time. [source]
Sharp contrast to Hebrews 12:18 with same form προσεληλυτατε proselēluthate Unto Mount Zion Dative case of ορος oros as with the other substantives. In contrast to Mount Sinai (Hebrews 12:18-21). Paul has contrasted Mount Sinai (present Jerusalem) with the Jerusalem above (heaven) in Galatians 4:21-31. City As in Hebrews 11:10, Hebrews 11:16. Heaven is termed thus a spiritual mountain and city. The heavenly Jerusalem See Hebrews 11:10, Hebrews 11:16; Isaiah 60:14. Innumerable hosts of angels “Myriads of angels.” Μυριας Murias is an old word (from μυριος murios 1 Corinthians 4:15) as in Luke 12:1. [source]