complete verse (Galatians 4:2)

Following are a number of back-translations of Galatians 4:2:

  • Uma: “There is/are person(s) who take care of him and manage his belongings, until the time that his father set arrives.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Because he and his wealth are yet governed/ruled over by the people who take-care-of him. But when the day that his father had instructed arrives, he has authority to rule over his wealth.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For example, there is a child of a chief and his father died while he was still a child. And even though he is the one who will inherit all of the possessions of his dead father, while he is still a child he is only like a servant, because there is still someone who is in charge of him. There is someone who takes care of him who also cares for his possessions until the time comes, set by his father, then he at last will receive the authority to be in charge of his possessions.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Because he isn’t free to do what he wants but rather someone is in charge-of him and there is also someone who handles his father’s wealth until the time arrives when his father said he would get his inheritance.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because he is still under the oversight of the one to whom his father gave the oversight of the household until the time appointed by his father arrives when he will have the ability to take control.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “There are people who are appointed to care for his possessions until there comes the day decided upon by his father.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Galatians 4:2

Men who take care of him and manage his affairs translates two Greek words, literally “guardians” and “trustees.” The former is a general term, used to describe someone who is entrusted with the total care of the child, and the latter is a specific term, referring to one who has financial responsibilities (used also in Rom 16.23; Luke 12.42; 16.1). One should not, however, regard Paul as being precise in this statement; his main point is that there are persons who make decisions for the child and his property. The phrase take care of him may be rendered as “provide him with what he needs,” but it is possible to understand this in a sense of “instruct him as to what to do.” The expression manage his affairs may be rendered as “have responsibility for the property which will some day be his,” or “make decisions about the property which will later belong to him.”

The phrase until the time set by his father gives rise to a problem of legal interpretation. Under Roman law, a father had nothing to do with the setting of the time when his son became of age. This was set by law, which ordained that a minor whose father died remained under the care of a guardian until age fourteen, and then under a trustee until age twenty-five, at which time he attained maturity. However, this difficulty disappears when Paul is understood as referring to a special case, where a guardianship is established during the lifetime of the father, who then can appoint the guardians and set a limit to the duration of their authority. In some languages it may be necessary to make the clause until the time set by his father more specific, for example, “until the day which his father said would mark the time when he would no longer have other people manage his affairs.” In other languages it may be better to render this clause as “for as long as the father said it would be necessary.”

Quoted with permission from Arichea, Daniel C. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1976. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Galatians 4:2

4:2a

There is a contrast between 4:1 and 4:2. The contrast is between the future promise and the present reality. Paul introduced this contrast with a Greek conjunction that most English versions translate as “but.” Some other ways to translate this conjunction are:

Instead
-or-
Rather

The Berean Standard Bible has not translated this conjunction, and some other versions, such as the New International Version and New Living Translation (2004), also do not translate it. In some languages, it will not be necessary to translate this conjunction either. Connect 4:2a to 4:1d in a way that is natural in your language.

He is subject to guardians and trustees: In this clause, Paul clarified how the heir is no different from a slave when he is a child. He is no different because he too is under the authority of other people. (The words guardians and trustees are explained below.)

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

He is placed under the control of guardians and trustees (God’s Word)
-or-
He must obey guardians and managers

It is possible to translate the two terms guardians and trustees as one term. For example:

He must obey the people who take care of him

guardians: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as guardians refers to people whom the father has appointed to look after his son when he is young. These people have authority to give the son orders.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

men who take care of him (Good News Translation)
-or-
people who are in charge of him
-or-
protectors

This word is similar to the word translated as “guardian” in 3:24a. But it is a different Greek word.

trustees: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as trustees refers to those who are responsible for looking after what the son will inherit.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

men who manage the property
-or-
men who are in charge of his possessions/wealth
-or-
stewards/administrators

4:2b

until the date set by his father: This clause refers to the time when the heir would no longer be under the authority of guardians and managers. His father had decided when that would be. It was at that time that the heir would control the property that belonged to his father.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

until he reaches the age set by his father
-or-
until the day that his father has decided ?for him to receive his possessions?
-or-
until the time which his father has chosen for him to receive his inheritance (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

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