4:7a

So: Verse 4:7 is the conclusion of this paragraph: Believers are no longer slaves, but are sons and heirs. The Greek introduces this conclusion with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So.

Some other ways to connect this verse are:

Therefore (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
So then

you are no longer a slave, but a son: In this clause Paul stated that the believer’s status has changed. The believer is no longer a slave to the law. He is a son.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

You are no longer a slave but instead you are a child of God
-or-
You are not a slave anymore, rather you are a son
-or-
You are a son. You are no longer a slave.

you: In Greek, the pronoun you is singular. This form emphasizes that each believer is a son. In some languages, it may be more natural to use “we” or “you” plural. For example:

we are no longer slaves
-or-
you(plur) are no longer slaves

4:7b

and: The conjunction and introduces a second part of the conclusion. Not only are believers sons, they are also heirs.

Some other ways to connect this clause are:

also
-or-
So

since you are a son, you are also an heir through God: This sentence declares a truth and the consequence of that truth. The truth is that we are sons. There is no doubt about that. The consequence of that truth is that we are also heirs.

Some other ways to translate this sentence are:

since you are his child, God has made you his heir (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
because you are a son/child, God has made you his heir

an heir through God: The phrase an heir through God indicates that God is the one who made you his heir.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

God has made you his heir (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
everything he has belongs to you (New Living Translation (1996))

heir: This is the same word that Paul used in 3:29c. It refers to those who will receive an inheritance.

Some ways to translate this word are:

one who receives the inheritance
-or-
the person who receives the blessing

© 2016 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.