Parallel Verses
An Understandable Version
But now that you have come to know God [as your Father], or rather, to be known by Him [as His children], how can you turn back again to the weak, cheap, elementary teachings [of the law of Moses], to which you [seem to] desire to become enslaved?
New American Standard Bible
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be
King James Version
But 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?
Holman Bible
But now, since you know God,
International Standard Version
But now that you know God, or rather have been known by God, how can you turn back again to those powerless and bankrupt basic principles? Why do you want to become their slaves all over again?
A Conservative Version
but now knowing God, but rather being known by God, how is it ye turn again to the weak and destitute elements to which ye desire again to be in bondage anew?
American Standard Version
but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?
Amplified
Now, however, since you have come to know [the true] God [through personal experience], or rather to be known by God, how is it that you are turning back again to the weak and worthless elemental principles [of religions and philosophies], to which you want to be enslaved all over again?
Anderson New Testament
now, however, after having known God, rather indeed having been known by God, how is it that you are turning back to the weak and beggarly rudiments, to which you desire again to be in bondage, as at first?
Bible in Basic English
But now that you have come to have knowledge of God, or more truly, God has knowledge of you, how is it that you go back again to the poor and feeble first things, desiring to be servants to them again?
Common New Testament
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things? Do you desire to be enslaved all over again?
Daniel Mace New Testament
or rather that you are favoured by him, how can ye turn again to the weak and beggarly elements of the law, to which you desire again to be in bondage?
Darby Translation
but now, knowing God, but rather being known by God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye desire to be again anew in bondage?
Goodspeed New Testament
but now that you know God, or rather have come to be known by him, how can you turn back to the old, crude notions, so poor and weak, and wish to become slaves to them again?
John Wesley New Testament
But now having known God, or rather being known of God, how turn ye back to the weak and beggarly elements, to which ye desire to be in bondage again?
Julia Smith Translation
And now, having known God, and rather known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and poor elements, to which again ye wish anew to be in a servile condition
King James 2000
But now, after you have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?
Lexham Expanded Bible
But now, [because you] have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?
Modern King James verseion
But now, knowing God, but rather are known by God, how do you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements to which you again desire to slave anew?
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
But now, seeing ye know God - yea rather are known of God - how is it that ye turn again unto the weak and beggarly ceremonies, whereunto again ye desire afresh to be in bondage?
Moffatt New Testament
but now that you know God ??or rather, are known by God ??how is it you are turning back again to the weakness and poverty of the Elemental spirits? Why do you want to be enslaved all over again by them?
Montgomery New Testament
Now, however, when you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you are beginning to turn back to those weak and beggarly externalities, eager to be in bondage to them again?
NET Bible
But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless basic forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again?
New Heart English Bible
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?
Noyes New Testament
but now, after having known God, or rather having been known by God, how is it that ye are turning back to the weak and beggarly rudiments to which ye wish to be again in bondage?
Sawyer New Testament
but now knowing God, or rather being known by God, how do you turn again to the weak and imperfect rudiments, which you wish again to serve?
The Emphasized Bible
Whereas, now, having acknowledged God, - or rather, having been acknowledged by God, how turn ye back again unto the weak and beggarly elementary principles, unto which, over again, ye are wishing, to come into servitude?
Thomas Haweis New Testament
But now after having known God, or rather being known of God, how turn ye back again to those weak and beggarly elements, to which again a second time ye desire to be in bondage?
Twentieth Century New Testament
But now that you have found God--or, rather, have been found by him--how is it that you are turning back to that poor and feeble puerile teaching, to which yet once again you are wanting to become slaves?
Webster
But now, after ye have known God, or rather are known by God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which ye desire again to be in bondage?
Weymouth New Testament
Now, however, having come to know God--or rather to be known by Him--how is it you are again turning back to weak and worthless rudimentary notions to which you are once more willing to be enslaved?
Williams New Testament
but now, since you have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by Him, how can you turn back to your own crude notions, so weak and worthless, and wish to become slaves to them again?
World English Bible
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?
Worrell New Testament
but, after having known God, or rather having been known by God, how are ye turning back again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which ye desire to be in bondage again?
Worsley New Testament
But now that ye know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that ye turn again to the poor weak elements, to which ye desire again to be in bondage as before?
Youngs Literal Translation
and now, having known God -- and rather being known by God -- how turn ye again unto the weak and poor elements to which anew ye desire to be in servitude?
Themes
Backsliders » Instances of » Galatians
Backsliding » Results of » Bondage to forms
Ceremonialism » False religion, characteristics of
Divine Knowledge » God's knowledge of the saints » True love recognized
saints Known » True love recognized
Law » Christ being the end of the law
Topics
Interlinear
De
theos
θεός
theos
Usage: 1151
De
Hos
References
Word Count of 36 Translations in Galatians 4:9
Verse Info
Context Readings
Do Not Be Enslaved Again
8 At that time, when you did not know God [as your Father], you were in bondage to those who were, by nature, not really gods at all. 9 But now that you have come to know God [as your Father], or rather, to be known by Him [as His children], how can you turn back again to the weak, cheap, elementary teachings [of the law of Moses], to which you [seem to] desire to become enslaved? 10 You are observing [certain] days, and months, and seasons, and years [as binding religious holidays].
Names
Cross References
1 Corinthians 8:3
But if anyone loves God, that person is known by God.
Romans 8:3
For what the law was not able to do [for mankind], since it was [too] weak [to deliver them from condemnation] because fleshly people [were unable to obey it perfectly], God condemned sin in the flesh [i.e., sin was declared evil and its power over man broken]. God did this by sending His own Son in a body like sinful man's, and to destroy sin,
Galatians 3:3
Are you so foolish [as to believe that after] having begun [your Christian lives] through [the power of] the Holy Spirit, you can [now] become complete by [living according to your human strength]?
Hebrews 7:18
For on one hand, the previous command [i.e., the law of Moses] was set aside because it was weak and useless,
Matthew 11:27
"All things have been entrusted to me by my Father and no one [truly] knows the Son except the Father. And neither does anyone [truly] know the Father except the Son and that person to whom the Son wants to reveal Him.
John 10:14
I am the good shepherd and I know my sheep [intimately], and they know me [that way],
John 10:27
My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
John 17:3
And this is never ending life; that people may know you [as] the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the One whom you have sent.
Romans 8:29
For [that class of] persons whom God knew beforehand He also predetermined to become conformed to the [spiritual] likeness of His Son, so that He could be the firstborn One among [His] many brothers [i.e., so He could be the preeminent example to all His followers. See Heb. 2:11].
1 Corinthians 13:12
For now [i.e., during the church's infant state] we see in a mirror [Note: God's word is elsewhere likened to a mirror. See James 1:22-25] indistinctly [i.e., because of having only partial knowledge and prophecy], but then [i.e., when the church matures and has the completed Scriptures], we will see face to face [i.e., clearly]. Now I have [only] partial knowledge, but then I will have full knowledge, just as [God has] full knowledge of me.
1 Corinthians 15:34
Come to your senses; do what is right and stop sinning. Some of you do not know God [i.e., in a personal way]. I am saying this to make you ashamed.
2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said [Gen. 1:3], "Light will shine out of darkness," has [also] shone in our hearts to provide [us with] the light of the knowledge of God's splendor [as it shines] on the face of Christ. [Note: This allusion to "splendor shining on Christ's face" may be a continuation of the analogy used in 3:13].
Ephesians 1:17
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, will give you a spirit [i.e., a disposition] of wisdom and revelation [or, "give you the spiritual gifts of wisdom and revelation"], so you can have full knowledge of God.
Colossians 2:20-23
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of the world, [then] why, as though you [still] lived in [harmony with] the world, do you submit yourselves to [its] rules, [such as]:
2 Timothy 2:19
However, the solid foundation of God stands firm. [Note: This probably refers to the church. See I Tim. 3:15]. It is sealed with these words [i.e., certifying God's ownership and a commitment to Him]: "The Lord knows those who are His people," [See Num. 16:5], and "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord should stop practicing wickedness." [See Isa. 36:13].
Hebrews 10:38-39
And my [i.e., God's] righteous person will [obtain] life by [his] faith [in God]. But if he turns back [from me], my soul is not pleased with him."
2 Peter 2:20
For if people who have escaped from the defiling practices of the world by coming to know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, become tangled up in them again, and are overcome by them, these people are worse off than before they were converted.
1 John 2:3-4
And here is how we can be assured that we know Jesus [i.e., that we are saved]: [It is] by obeying what He commands us.
1 John 5:20
And [in addition], we know that the Son of God has come [in a physical body, See 4:2] and has given us understanding, so that we can know the True One [i.e., God], and that we are in [fellowship with] the True One, even His Son Jesus Christ. This Son is the true God and eternal life.