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.
But I say: —for as long a time as, the heir, is an infant, he differeth, nothing, from a servant, though, 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 [day] fore-appointed of 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 infants, under the elementary principles of the world, were held in servitude;
4 But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
But, when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, who came to be of a woman, who came to be under law, —
5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.
That, them who were under law, he might redeem, that, the sonship, we might duly receive; —
6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
And, because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, exclaiming, Abba! Oh 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 that, no longer, art thou a servant, but a son; and, if a son, an heir also, 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—not knowing God, ye were in servitude unto them who, by 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?
Whereas, now, having acknowledged God, —or rather, having been acknowledged by God, how turn ye back again unto the weak and beggarly elementary principles, unto which, over again, ye are wishing, to come into servitude?
10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
Days, ye do narrowly observer, and months, and seasons, and years: —
11 I fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain.
I am afraid of you—lest by any means, in vain, I should have toiled for you!
12 I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.
Become ye as, I, because, I also, [was] as, ye, —brethren, I entreat you. Not at all, have ye wronged me.
13 You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.
Howbeit ye know that, by reason of a weakness of the flesh, I myself announced the glad-message unto you, formerly;
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, your trial, in my flesh, ye despised not, neither spat ye [in disgust], but, as a messenger of God, ye welcomed me—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.
Where, then, is the happiness ye accounted yours? For I bear you witness—that, if possible, your eyes, ye would have dug out, and given unto me.
16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
So then, your enemy, have I become, by dealing truthfully with you?
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 shew a zeal for you, not honourably, but wish, to shut you out, in order 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.
Howbeit it is, honourable, to show zeal in what is honourable at all times, 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 dear children! for whom I, again, am in birth-pains, until Christ be formed within you; —
20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.
I could wish, however, to be present with you, even now, and to change my voice, —because I am perplexed regarding you.
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?
Tell me! ye who, under law, are wishing to be: The law, do ye not hear?
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—one by the bondmaid, and one by the free woman;
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, he that was of the bondmaid, after the flesh, had been born, whereas, he that was of the free woman, through means of a 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, indeed, may bear another meaning; for, the same, are two covenants, —one, indeed, from Mount Sinai, into bondage, bringing forth, the 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.
And, the Hagar, is Mount Sinai, in Arabia, —she answereth, however, unto the present Jerusalem, for she is in bondage with her children;
26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
But, the Jerusalem above, is free, —the which 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—Be gladdened, O barren one! that wast not giving birth, break forth and shout, thou that wast not in birth-pains, —because, more, are the children of the deserted one, than of her that had the husband.
28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
And, we, brethren, after the manner of Isaac, 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, just as, then, he that after the manner of the flesh had been born, did persecute him who [had been born] after the manner of the Spirit, thus, also 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 serving woman and her son; for in nowise shall the son of the serving woman inherit with the son of the free.
31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a serving woman, but of the free: —
