4:5a
to redeem those under the law: This clause states God’s purpose for sending his Son to earth. He sent his Son (4:4b)…in order to redeem all his children from the authority of the law (4:5a).
It may be helpful in your language to begin a new sentence here and restate that God sent Jesus, so that it will be clear that this clause expresses God’s purpose in doing that. Some ways to translate this clause are:
?His Son came? to redeem those who were under ?the authority/control of? the law
-or-
God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
?He send his Son as a human being under the law? in order to redeem the people who followed/obeyed the law
to redeem: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as redeem means “release a prisoner or slave by paying the price (a ransom) necessary to free him.” The price that Christ had to pay to release us was to die on the cross for us. God’s Son freed us from slavery to the law.
Some other ways to translate this word are:
buy freedom (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
pay for the freedom (God’s Word)
-or-
to release/free ?by becoming a sacrifice?
This same word occurs in 3:13a. See also redeem in the Glossary.
those under the law: This clause refers to being under the authority or control of the law. This clause certainly refers to Jews who were required to obey the many commandments in the law of Moses. This clause may also refer to Gentiles, who also lived under certain religious laws. These laws were like their master. They were like slaves to the law.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
those who were controlled by these laws (God’s Word)
-or-
us who were slaves to the law (New Living Translation (2004))
4:5b
that we might receive our adoption as sons: This clause states the purpose for which Christ redeemed us. He redeemed us (4:5a) so that we might receive our adoption as sons of God (4:5b).
The phrase adoption as sons refers to the fact that God adopts us as his sons/children. We, as believers, receive all the benefits and rights of children of God. We are counted as heirs. We are no longer slaves.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
so that we would be adopted as his children (God’s Word)
-or-
so that he could adopt us as his very own children (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
?Christ redeemed us? so that we would become God’s children.
our adoption as sons: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as our adoption as sons means that God makes us his spiritual children. The word does not exclude women, so it is better to translate sons as “children.”
Some other ways to translate this word are:
we might become God’s children (Good News Translation)
-or-
made/considered God’s children
-or-
counted as God’s children
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