Galatians 4
1 But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;
My point is this – as long as the heir is under age, there is no difference between him and a slave, though he is master of the whole estate.
2 but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father.
He is subject to the control of guardians and stewards, during the period for which his father has power to appoint them.
3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:
And so is it with us; when we were under age, as it were, we were slaves to the puerile teaching of this world;
4 but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
but, when the full time came, God sent his Son – born a woman’s child, born subject to Law –
5 that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
to ransom those who were subject to Law, so that we might take our position as sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
And it is because you are sons that God sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, with the cry – ‘Abba, our Father.’
7 So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
You, therefore, are no longer a slave, but a son; and, if a son, then an heir also, by God’s appointment.
8 Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods:
Yet formerly, in your ignorance of God, you became slaves to ‘gods’ which were no gods.
9 but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?
But now that you have found God – or, rather, have been found by him – how is it that you are turning back to that poor and feeble puerile teaching, to which yet once again you are wanting to become slaves?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years.
You are scrupulous in keeping days and months and seasons and years!
11 I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.
You make me fear that the labor which I have spent on you may have been wasted.
12 I beseech you, brethren, become as I [am], for I also [am become] as ye [are]. Ye did me no wrong:
I entreat you, friends, to become like me, as I became like you. You have never done me any wrong.
13 but ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time:
You remember that it was owing to bodily infirmity that on the first occasion I told you the good news.
14 and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but ye received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.
And as for what must have tried you in my condition, it did not inspire you with scorn or disgust, but you welcomed me as if I had been an angel of God – or Christ Jesus himself!
15 Where then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
What has become then, of your blessings? For I can bear witness that, had it been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me!
16 So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth?
Am I to think, then, that I have become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.
Certain people are seeking your favor, but with no honorable object. No, indeed, they want to isolate you, so that you will have to seek their favor.
18 But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.
It is always honorable to have your favor sought in an honorable cause, and not only when I am with you, my dear children –
19 My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you—
you for whom I am again enduring a mother’s pains, until a likeness to Christ will have been formed in you.
20 but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.
But I could wish to be with you now and speak in a different tone, for I am perplexed about you.
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Tell me, you who want to be still subject to Law – Why don’t you listen to the Law?
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman.
Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one the child of the slave-woman and the other the child of the free woman.
23 Howbeit the [son] by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the [son] by the freewoman [is born] through promise.
But the child of the slave-woman was born in the course of nature, while the child of the free woman was born in fulfillment of a promise.
24 Which things contain an allegory: for these [women] are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.
This story may be taken as an allegory. The women stand for two covenants. One covenant, given from Mount Sinai, produces a race of slaves and is represented by Hagar.
25 Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children.
Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia, and represents the Jerusalem of today, for she and her children are in slavery.
26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother.
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she it is who is our mother.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband.
For scripture says – ‘Rejoice, you barren one, who have never given birth, break into shouts, you who are never in labor, for many are the children of her who is desolate – yes, more than of her who has a husband.’
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
As for ourselves, friends, we, like Isaac, are children born in fulfillment of a promise.
29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, so also it is now.
Yet at that time the child born in the course of nature persecuted the child born by the power of the Spirit; and it is the same now.
30 Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman.
But what does the passage of scripture say? ‘Send away the slave-woman and her son; for the slave’s son will not be coheir with the son of the free woman.’
31 Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.
And so, friends, we are not children of a slave, but of her who is free.
