under supervisors and stewards: In Paul’s day, the arrangement of the guardianship of a minor was well-known. A supervisor could be legally appointed to act as a guardian for a minor and to manage the child’s financial affairs. Stewards, on the other hand, managed the financial affairs of an entire household. In either case, when “the heir [was] a young child,” he might theoretically be “lord” of his inheritance, but he had no more rights over it than a slave did. (Ga 4:1) His life was controlled by others until he reached adulthood. Paul compares such arrangements to the Jews’ being under the Law until the appointed time came when God’s Son released them.​—Ga 4:4-7.

the elementary things: This expression generally means “the rudimentary elements of anything.” For example, it was applied to the individual sounds and letters of the Greek alphabet, the basic components used to form words. Paul uses the expression here and at Col 2:8, 20 in a negative sense to refer to the basic principles that guide the world, that is, the world of mankind alienated from God. These could include (1) philosophies based on human reasoning and mythology (Col 2:8), (2) unscriptural Jewish teachings that promoted asceticism and “worship of the angels” (Col 2:18), and (3) the teaching that Christians must observe the Mosaic Law in order to gain salvation (Ga 4:4–5:4; Col 2:16, 17). The Galatian Christians had no need of such “elementary things,” for they had a superior way of worship based on faith in Christ Jesus. Christians were not to be like children who were enslaved by the elementary things, voluntarily placing themselves under the Mosaic Law, which Paul likened to a guardian. (Ga 3:23-26) Rather, they were to be like grown sons in a relationship with their Father, God. The Christians certainly should not turn back to the Law or to any of “the weak and beggarly elementary things” promoted by those who were not following Christ.​—Ga 4:9.

the full limit of the time: Lit., “the fullness of time.” Some Bible translations render this expression “the appropriate time”; “the appointed time.” This verse indicates that Jehovah set a fixed time for his only-begotten Son to come to the earth as the Messiah in fulfillment of God’s promise to raise up an “offspring.” (Ge 3:15; 49:10) The apostle Peter also refers to a “particular time” or “season” in connection with Christ. (1Pe 1:10-12) The inspired Hebrew Scriptures indicated that there was a specific time for the Messiah to appear. (Da 9:25) When Jesus was born in the year 2 B.C.E., he was born of a woman, the Jewish virgin Mary.

was under law: During his earthly ministry, Jesus kept the Mosaic Law as one who was born a Jew. (Mt 5:17; see study note on Lu 22:20.) The Law was abolished only after his death.​—Ro 10:4.

release by purchase: Jesus released by purchase those under law, that is, believing Jews. Paul goes on to say “so that we” (apparently referring to all Galatians who have become Christians, both Jews and Gentiles) can “receive the adoption as sons.” The Greek word e·xa·go·raʹzo, here rendered “release by purchase,” is also used at Ga 3:13, where Paul says: “Christ purchased us, releasing us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse instead of us.”​—See study note on Ga 3:13.

the adoption as sons: In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Paul mentions adoption several times with regard to the new status of those called and chosen by God. Such ones are given the prospect of immortal life in heaven. As descendants of imperfect Adam, they were in slavery to sin and therefore were not born as sons of God. Because of Jesus’ sin-atoning sacrifice, they can receive adoption as sons and become “joint heirs with Christ.” (Ro 8:14-17) They themselves do not choose to be adopted as his sons. Rather, God chooses them, according to his will. (Eph 1:5) God acknowledges them as his children, or sons, from the time that he begets them by his spirit. (Joh 1:12, 13; 1Jo 3:1) But they must continue faithful until the end of their life as humans in order to receive the full realization of being adopted as spirit sons of God. (Ro 8:17; Re 21:7) That is why Paul says: “We are earnestly waiting for adoption as sons, the release from our bodies by ransom.” (Ro 8:23; see study note on Ro 8:15.) The concept of adoption was widely known in ancient times. In the Greco-Roman world, adoption was primarily intended for the benefit of the adopter, not of the one being adopted. However, Paul emphasizes that Jehovah has lovingly taken steps for the benefit of those being adopted.​—Ga 4:3, 4.

the spirit of his Son: Here “spirit” refers to God’s holy spirit, or active force, which God by means of his Son sends into the hearts of Christians when anointing them.​—Compare Ac 2:33 and study note on Ac 16:7.

Abba: A Hebrew or Aramaic word (transliterated into Greek) that occurs three times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. The word literally means “the father” or “O Father” and was an endearing form of address used by a son to a beloved father. (See study note on Mr 14:36.) Paul uses it here and at Ro 8:15, both times in connection with Christians called to be spirit-begotten sons of God. Since they had now been adopted as God’s sons, they could address Jehovah with an expression that a slave could not use of his master unless he had received such an adoption. So while anointed Christians are “slaves to God” and are “bought with a price,” they are also sons in the house of a loving Father. Holy spirit makes them clearly aware of this status.​—Ro 6:22; 1Co 7:23.

Father: All three instances of Abba in the Christian Greek Scriptures are followed by the translation ho pa·terʹ in Greek, which literally means “the father” or “O Father.”

you have come to know God: Many of the Galatian Christians had “come to know God” through Paul’s preaching. The verb rendered “come to know” and “be known” in this verse may denote a favorable relationship between the person and the one he knows. (1Co 8:3; 2Ti 2:19) So “to know God” is not just a matter of knowing basic facts about God. It involves cultivating a personal relationship with him.​—See study note on Joh 17:3.

or, rather, have come to be known by God: Using this wording, Paul shows that to “come to know God,” a person must also be recognized as known, or approved, by Him. One lexicon defines the Greek word for “to know; be known” as to “have a personal relationship involving recognition of another’s identity or value.” To enjoy such favorable recognition from God, a person must conduct himself in a way that is in harmony with God’s personality, ways, and dealings.

beggarly: Some Galatian Christians were turning back again to the “elementary things” they had formerly practiced. These may have included such things as human philosophies or the idea that Christians should return to keeping the Mosaic Law or at least parts of it. (Col 2:8, 16-18, 20; see study note on Ga 4:3.) Paul describes these “elementary things” as “beggarly,” using a Greek term that literally means “poor, needy.” In a figurative sense, the term could mean “miserable” or “worthless.” Such things were truly “beggarly” in comparison with the spiritual riches obtainable through Christ Jesus.

days and months and seasons and years: Paul here refers to special occasions that God’s people were required to commemorate under the Mosaic Law. For example, there were the Sabbaths and sabbath years (Ex 20:8-10; Le 25:4, 8, 11), the new moon observances (Nu 10:10; 2Ch 2:4), the annual Day of Atonement (Le 16:29-31), the Passover (Ex 12:24-27), the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Le 23:6), the Festival of Weeks (Ex 34:22), and the Festival of Booths (Le 23:34). Each of these events took place at designated times. Some of the Christians in Galatia were formerly under the Mosaic Law and for many years had faithfully observed it. However, on learning of Christ’s ransom sacrifice, they happily accepted its benefits and the freedom from servitude to the Mosaic Law. (Ac 13:38, 39) Paul rightly feared for those who were again becoming enslaved to the Law and who were scrupulously commemorating those special occasions. (Ga 4:11) Likewise, if any Gentiles who became Christians returned to some of the religious observances from their pagan past, this would show a lack of faith in Christ’s ransom sacrifice.

because of a physical illness: Paul might have suffered from an affliction of the eyes. (Ga 4:15; 6:11; compare Ac 23:1-5.) Whatever the health problem referred to here, it led in some way to Paul’s first opportunity to declare the good news in Galatia. This may have been about 47-48 C.E., during his first missionary tour. It was then that he and Barnabas traveled into Galatia, there visiting the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. (Ac 13:14, 51; 14:6, 21) Later, about 49 C.E., prior to writing this letter, Paul revisited those cities in Galatia.​—Ac 15:40–16:1.

you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me: Paul uses a common figure of speech to emphasize how much affection the Galatians had for him. They would have been willing to sacrifice anything in his behalf, even something as precious as their eyesight. His use of this expression was especially appropriate if he suffered from a chronic eye affliction, which may have been the “physical illness” he had just mentioned.​—Ga 4:13, 14; see also Ac 23:2-5; 2Co 12:7-9; Ga 6:11.

my little children: In this verse, Paul compares himself to a mother and the Christians in Galatia to his children. Regarding them, he says: for whom I am again experiencing birth pains. Paul is apparently referring to his deep interest in the Galatian believers and his fervent desire to see them develop fully as Christians. Although some ancient manuscripts use the Greek word for “child” (teʹknon) here, other authoritative manuscripts use the diminutive form (te·kniʹon) of this word. Therefore, the New World Translation uses the expression “little children.” In the Christian Greek Scriptures, a diminutive is often used to indicate affection and familiarity, so this Greek word could also be rendered “dear children” or “beloved children.”​—See Glossary, “Diminutive.”

the free woman: This term is used with reference to Abraham’s wife, Sarah, and “the Jerusalem above.” (Ga 4:26) Paul compares the enslaved Jerusalem of his day with the servant girl Hagar. (Ga 4:25) The nation of Israel, with its capital Jerusalem, could not be called a free woman because the Law did not give it that status. Rather, the Law showed that the Israelites were subject to sin, hence they were slaves. In contrast, God’s figurative wife, the Jerusalem above, has always been, like Sarah, a free woman. Those who become “children . . . of the free woman” have been set free by the Son of God from the bondage of sin and the Mosaic Law.​—Ga 4:31; 5:1 and study note; Joh 8:34-36.

through natural descent: Lit., “according to the flesh.”​—See study note on Ro 1:3.

taken as a symbolic drama: Or “considered as an allegory.” Here Paul uses an allegory, that is, a narrative in which people, objects, and events serve as symbols of other things. In this symbolic drama, based on Genesis 16 through 21, Paul contrasts “the free woman” (Sarah) with “the servant girl” (Hagar).​—Ga 4:22–5:1; see Media Gallery, “Two Women in a Symbolic Drama.”

these women mean two covenants: These covenants were apparently the Mosaic Law covenant and the Abrahamic covenant. Hagar and Sarah themselves are not these covenants. In the prophetic drama, however, they correspond to different aspects of God’s relationship with his people​—the Law covenant involving figurative slavery and the Abrahamic covenant leading to true freedom.

through natural descent: Lit., “according to the flesh.”​—See study note on Ro 1:3.

began persecuting: Paul here refers to Ge 21:9, where the account says that Ishmael “was mocking Isaac.” Ishmael was the one born through natural descent. Isaac is called the one born through spirit because Jehovah used His holy spirit to revive the reproductive powers of Abraham and Sarah in order to fulfill His promise. (Ge 12:3; 13:14-16; 17:7-9, 19; Ga 4:28) In relating the part of the “symbolic drama” where Ishmael was persecuting Isaac (Ga 4:24), Paul made a connection to his day by saying so also now; he explains that Jesus’ spirit-anointed followers, “children of the promise” (Ga 4:28), were being persecuted by natural Jews, who viewed themselves as Abraham’s legitimate heirs.