Galatians 4
1 What 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.
Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth in no respect from a bond-servant, though he is lord of all;
2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.
but is under guardians and stewards, until the time appointed by the father.
3 So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world.
So also we, when we were children, were in bondage under the rudiments of the world;
4 But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
but when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.
to redeem those under the Law, that we might be adopted as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
And to show that ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father!
7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.
So then thou art no longer a bond-servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
But at that time, indeed, when ye knew not God, ye were in slavery to those who in their nature are not gods;
9 But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
but now, after having known God, or rather having been known by God, how is it that ye are turning back to the weak and beggarly rudiments to which ye wish to be again in bondage?
10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
Do ye observe days, and months, and times, and years?
11 I fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain.
I fear for you, lest I may have bestowed upon you labor in vain.
12 I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.
Brethren, I beseech you, become as I am, for I also have become as ye are; ye injured me in nothing.
13 You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.
Nay, ye know that it was on account of an infirmity of the flesh that I preached the gospel to you the former time,
14 And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.
and my trial which was in my flesh ye did not despise nor spurn; but received me as an angel of God, yea, as Christ Jesus.
15 What then has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.
How great then was your boasting of happiness! for I bear you witness, that if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes, and have given them to me.
16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
So then, have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.
They show a zeal for you, but not in honesty; yea, they wish to exclude you, that ye may be zealous for them.
18 Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.
But it is good to be an object of zeal in what is good always, and not only when I am present with you.
19 My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
My children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you, —
20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.
I could wish indeed to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am in perplexity about you.
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the Law, do ye not hear the Law?
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; the one by the bondwoman, the other by the freewoman.
23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.
But the one by the bondwoman was born after the flesh; while the one by the freewoman was through the promise.
24 These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar.
Which things are written allegorically; for these women are two covenants; the one from Mount Sinai, who beareth children into bondage, which is Hagar;
25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
for the word Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; and she corresponds to the Jerusalem now existing, for she is in bondage with her children;
26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
but the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.
27 For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”
For it is written: “Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for many are the children of the desolate one, rather than of her who hath the husband.”
28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
But ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of a promise.
29 At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now.
But as at that time he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born through the Spirit, so it is now.
30 But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”
But what saith the scripture? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”
31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the freewoman.
