Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Parallel translations
- WEB Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don’t you listen to the law?
- BSB Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?
- NKJV Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?
- NASB Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the Law?
- NLT Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul challenges those who want to be under the law to actually listen to what the law itself says. He prepares to show that Scripture testifies against legalism.
Overview
With pointed irony, Paul asks the would-be law-keepers whether they truly hear the law's own message. He is about to draw from the Genesis account of Abraham's sons to demonstrate that the law's narrative points beyond law-keeping to the freedom of promise. The verse turns the legalists' own authority against their error.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Gal 3:10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
- Rom 3:19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
- Matt 22:29–32Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
- Gal 4:9But 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 3:23–24But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
- John 15:25But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
- Rom 10:3–10For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
- Rom 7:5–6For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
- John 5:46–47For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
- Rom 6:14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
- Rom 9:30–32What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
- John 12:34The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
- Matt 21:42–44Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
- John 10:34Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Christ became a curse for us to redeem us from the law's curse, that we might receive the Spirit and be sons — justified by faith in him, not by works.
How Galatians 4:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.