加拉太书 4
1 我说那承受产业的，虽然是全业的主人，但为孩童的时候却与奴仆毫无分别，
Let me explain what I'm saying. An heir who is under-age is no different from a slave, even though the heir may be the owner of everything.
2 乃在师傅和管家的手下，直等他父亲预定的时候来到。
An heir is subject to guardians and managers until the time set by the father.
3 我们为孩童的时候，受管于世俗小学之下，也是如此。
It's just the same for us. When we were children, we were slaves subject to the basic rules of the law.
4 及至时候满足， 神就差遣他的儿子，为女子所生，且生在律法以下，
But at the appropriate time God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the rule of law,
5 要把律法以下的人赎出来，叫我们得着儿子的名分。
so that he could rescue those who were kept under the rule of law, so that we could receive the inheritance of adopted children.
6 你们既为儿子， 神就差他儿子的灵进入你们的心，呼叫：“阿爸！父！”
To show you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son to convince us, causing us to call out, “Abba,” meaning “Father.”
7 可见，从此以后，你不是奴仆，乃是儿子了；既是儿子，就靠着 神为后嗣。
Since you are now no longer a slave, but a child, and if you are his child, then God has made you his heir.
8 但从前你们不认识 神的时候，是给那些本来不是神的作奴仆；
At the time when you didn't know God, you were enslaved by the supposed “gods” of this world.
9 现在你们既然认识 神，更可说是被 神所认识的，怎么还要归回那懦弱无用的小学，情愿再给他作奴仆呢？
But now you've come to know God—or better, to be known by God. So how can you go back to those useless and worthless rules? Do you want to be slaves to those rules all over again?
10 你们谨守日子、月份、节期、年份，
You're observing special days and months, seasons and years.
11 我为你们害怕，惟恐我在你们身上是枉费了工夫。
I'm concerned that all I did for you has been wasted!
12 弟兄们，我劝你们要像我一样，因为我也像你们一样。你们一点没有亏负我。
I'm pleading with you, my friends: be like me, because I became like you. You've never treated me badly.
13 你们知道我头一次传福音给你们，是因为身体有疾病。
You remember that it was because I was sick that I shared with you the good news on my first visit.
14 你们为我身体的缘故受试炼，没有轻看我，也没有厌弃我，反倒接待我，如同 神的使者，如同基督耶稣。
Even though my illness was difficult for you, you didn't despise or reject me—in fact you treated me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus himself.
15 你们当日所夸的福气在哪里呢？那时你们若能行，就是把自己的眼睛剜出来给我，也都情愿。这是我可以给你们作见证的。
So what's happened to all your gratefulness? I tell you, back then if you could have pulled out your eyes and given them to me, you would have!
16 如今我将真理告诉你们，就成了你们的仇敌吗？
So what has happened—have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 那些人热心待你们，却不是好意，是要离间你们，叫你们热心待他们。
These people are keen to gain your support, but not for any good reasons. On the contrary, they want to keep you away from us so that you will enthusiastically support them.
18 在善事上，常用热心待人原是好的，却不单我与你们同在的时候才这样。
Of course it's good to want to do good. But this should be at all times, not just when I'm there with you!
19 我小子啊，我为你们再受生产之苦，直等到基督成形在你们心里。
My dear friends, I want to work with you until Christ's character is duplicated in you.
20 我巴不得现今在你们那里，改换口气，因我为你们心里作难。
I really wish I could be with you right now so I could change my tone of voice… I'm so worried about you.
21 你们这愿意在律法以下的人，请告诉我，你们岂没有听见律法吗？
Answer me this, you people who want to live under the law: Don't you hear what the law is saying?
22 因为律法上记着，亚伯拉罕有两个儿子，一个是使女生的，一个是自主之妇人生的。
As Scripture says, Abraham had two sons, one from the servant girl, and one from the free woman.
23 然而，那使女所生的是按着血气生的；那自主之妇人所生的是凭着应许生的。
However, the son from the servant girl was born following a human plan, while the son from the free woman was born as the result of the promise.
24 这都是比方：那两个妇人就是两约。一约是出于西奈山，生子为奴，乃是夏甲。
This provides an analogy: these two women represent two agreements. One agreement is from Mount Sinai—Hagar—and she gives birth to slave children.
25 这夏甲二字是指着阿拉伯的西奈山，与现在的耶路撒冷同类，因耶路撒冷和她的儿女都是为奴的。
Hagar symbolizes Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the current Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
26 但那在上的耶路撒冷是自主的，她是我们的母。
But the heavenly Jerusalem is free. She is our mother.
27 因为经上记着： 不怀孕、不生养的，你要欢乐； 未曾经过产难的，你要高声欢呼； 因为没有丈夫的，比有丈夫的儿女更多。
As Scripture says, “Rejoice you who are childless and who have never given birth! Shout aloud for joy, you who have never been in labor—for the abandoned woman has more children than the woman who has a husband!”
28 弟兄们，我们是凭着应许作儿女，如同以撒一样。
Now my friends, we are children of promise just like Isaac.
29 当时，那按着血气生的逼迫了那按着圣灵生的，现在也是这样。
However, just as the one born according to a human plan persecuted the one born through the Spirit, so it is today.
30 然而经上是怎么说的呢？是说：“把使女和她儿子赶出去！因为使女的儿子不可与自主妇人的儿子一同承受产业。”
But what does Scripture say? “Send away the servant girl and her son, for the son of the servant girl will not be an heir together with the son of the free woman.”
31 弟兄们，这样看来，我们不是使女的儿女，乃是自主妇人的儿女了。
Therefore, my friends, we're not children of a servant girl, but of the free woman.
