There is an obvious connection between this verse and the preceding one (4.31); both are concerned with freedom. Accordingly, it is sometimes preferred to include 5.1 with the preceding section rather than with what follows, as is the case in the UBS Greek New Testament.

This close relation, coupled with the unusual construction of the first part of this verse, has given rise to serious textual problems, various solutions of which are reflected in modern translations. The decision we have to take regarding the textual variants centers primarily on whether one should take 5.1 with what immediately precedes or with what follows. If the former, the following rendering is possible: “We are children … of the free woman with the freedom for which Christ set us free” (Moffatt; compare Knox “we are sons of the free woman, not of the slave; such is the freedom Christ has won for us”). The evidence, however, strongly favors the latter alternative, and this is reflected in Good News Translation.

After deciding what text to follow, one has to determine what Paul means by the statements in this verse. The grammatical form of “freedom” is dative, and this can be either a dative of instrument or a dative of purpose or designation. If the dative of instrument is understood, the following rendering is possible: “by means of this freedom Christ set us free.” Most translators, however, understand here a dative of purpose, so that Paul is understood to be saying “Christ has set us free in order that we can live as free people” (Jerusalem Bible “when Christ freed us, he meant us to remain free”; New English Bible “Christ set us free, to be free men”).

Freedom here should be understood as freedom from the Law, and the pronoun us is inclusive, referring to both Paul and his readers.

Though the Good News Translation rendering Freedom is what we have—Christ has set us free! is rhetorically effective and indicates a close relation to the preceding verse, it may be difficult to reproduce this type of structure in another language, especially if the freedom which the Christian possesses is to be interpreted as the purpose for which Christ set believers free. Therefore one may translate “Christ has set us free so that we could truly be free.” In a number of languages, however, there is no appropriate term for “free” which would suggest freedom from arbitrary obligations or control, and therefore it may be necessary to speak of being free in terms of “not being slaves,” for example, “Christ has rescued us so that we need not be slaves at all,” or “… so that we need not live like slaves.”

The last part of the verse presents both exhortation and warning. Stand, then, as free people is intensive and is better translated “stand firm” or, in a figurative sense, “dig your heels in firmly.” While the Greek does not have as free people, yet it is clear that what Paul wants the Galatians to be firm about is their freedom in Christ. Stand, then, as free people may be rendered as “Determine to remain free,” or “Be sure that you remain as people who have been released.”

Do not allow yourselves to become slaves again is literally “do not be caught again by a yoke of slavery.” The verb Paul uses means “to be ensnared” and is in the passive form; the false teachers are the implied agents.

Paul refers to “a” yoke of slavery, not “the” yoke, thus addressing both Jews and Gentiles. Any legalistic system, whether Jewish or Gentile, is bound to make slaves of people. The yoke is an appropriate metaphor for bondage, since an animal under a yoke has to obey its master. The Jew spoke of “taking the yoke of the law” upon himself, and it could be that the false teachers have been using this kind of language with the Galatians.

It is interesting to note that Jesus also used the figure of the yoke, but to describe obedience and apostleship (Matt 11.29).

In translating this type of expression, there are three alternatives: (1) the figure can be retained, as long as the readers understand what it means; (2) another metaphor can be substituted (as in Phillips “shackles of slavery”); (3) the metaphor can be replaced by a nonmetaphor, as in Good News Translation.

The addition of again makes it clear that Paul is referring to their former state of subservience either to the Jewish or to the pagan system before they accepted the Christian message.

In rendering do not allow yourselves to become slaves again, it may be important to indicate some type of agent, for example, “do not let people cause you to become slaves again,” or “… to enslave you again.” It may be, however, that a reference to “becoming slaves” or “enslaving” would be understood only in a literal sense. One may therefore change the metaphor into a simile, for example, “to become like slaves again,” or “to live as though you were slaves again.”

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 .