Translations
F.O.G.MPrimary
F.O.G MessageHere is what I mean — as long as an heir is a child, there is no practical difference between him and a slave, even though he is owner of everything.
F.O.GSecondary
The F.O.GNow this is what I mean — for as long as the heir is a minor, he is no different from a slave, though he is lord of everything.
KJV
King James VersionNow I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
BSB
Berean Standard BibleWhat I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything.
Footnotes
νήπιος (nēpios) can mean "infant" literally, but functions here as a legal term for a minor — a child not yet of age to control his inheritance. Paul invokes the Greco-Roman institution of guardianship (tutela), where a minor heir had no legal authority over his own estate regardless of what he technically owned. FOG "minor" captures the legal dimension; FOG Message "child" keeps the image immediately relatable while "owner of everything" preserves the ironic contrast.