698 B
698 B
General Information:
The word "we" here refers to all Christians, including Paul's readers.
when we were children
Here "children" represents people who are spiritually immature. Alternate translation: "when we were like children"
we were enslaved to the elemental principles of the world
Here being "enslaved" represents being unable to stop one's self from doing something. Alternate translation: "we were like slaves to the elemental principles of the world" or "we obeyed the elemental principles of the world as if we were slaves"
the elemental principles of the world
These words could refer to 1) the laws or moral principles of the world, or 2) spirits who rule the world.