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, that the heir, so long as he is a child, differeth not from a servant, although he is lord of all;
2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.
but he is under supervisors and stewards, until the time established by his father.
3 So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world.
So also we, while we were children, were in subordination under the elements 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 consummation of the time arrived, God sent forth his Son; and he was from a woman, and was under the law;
5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.
that he might redeem them that were under the law; and that we might receive the adoption of sons.
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 your hearts, who crieth, Father, our 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.
Wherefore, ye are no longer servants, but sons; and if sons, then heirs of God; through Jesus the Messiah.
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
For then, when ye knew not God, ye served them 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, since ye have known God, or rather, have been known by God, ye turn yourselves again to the weak and beggarly elements, and wish again to be under them!
10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
Ye observe days and moons, and set times, and years!
11 I fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain.
I am afraid, lest I have labored among you in vain.
12 I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.
Be ye like me; because I have been like you.
13 You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.
My brethren, I beseech you. Ye have not injured me at all. For ye know, that under the infirmity of my flesh, I at first announced the gospel to you;
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 the trial in my flesh, ye did not despise nor nauseate: but ye received me as an angel of God, and as Jesus the Messiah.
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 your blessedness? For I testify of you, that if it had been 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?
Have I become an enemy to you, by preaching to 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 are zealous towards you, yet not for good; but they wish to shut you up, that ye may be zealous towards 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.
And it is a good thing to be zealous at all times in good things; and not merely 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,
Ye are my children, of whom I travail in birth again, till the Messiah be formed in you.
20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.
And I could wish to be now with you, and to change the tone of my voice; because I am astonished at you.
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?
Tell me, ye who 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, 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 by the bond maid, was born after the flesh; and he that was by the free woman, was by 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.
And these are allegorical of the two covenants; the one from mount Sinai, which bringeth forth for bondage, 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 Hagar is the mount Sinai in Arabia, and correspondeth with the present Jerusalem, and is serving in bondage, she and her children.
26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
But the Jerusalem above, is the free woman, who is the mother of us.
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 joyful, thou barren, who bearest not: exult and shout, thou who hast not travailed: for more numerous are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman.
28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
Now we, my brethren, like Isaac, are the children of the promise.
29 At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now.
And as then, he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him who was born of the Spirit; so also is it 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 bondmaid, and her son; because the son of the bondmaid shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.
31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
So then, my brethren, we are not sons of the bond-woman, but sons of the free woman.
