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.
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 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his 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 also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles 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 time had fully come, God sent 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 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.
To ransom those who were subject to Law, so that we might take our position as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “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 you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also 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 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
Yet formerly, in your ignorance of God, you became slaves to ‘gods’ which were no 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 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 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
You are scrupulous in keeping Days and Months and Seasons and Years!
11 I fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain.
You make me fear that the labour which I have spent on you may have been wasted.
12 I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.
I entreat you, Brothers, to become like me, as I became like you. You have never done me any wrong.
13 You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.
You remember that it was owing to bodily infirmity that on the first occasion I told you the Good News.
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 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 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.
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 Have I now 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 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.
Certain people are seeking your favour, but with no honourable object. No, indeed, they want to isolate you, so that you will have to seek their favour.
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.
It is always honourable to have your favour sought in an honourable cause, and not only when I am with you, my dear children —
19 My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
You for whom I am again enduring a mother’s pains, till a likeness to Christ shall have been formed in you.
20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because 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, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?
Tell me, you who want to be still subject to Law — Why do not you listen to the Law?
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one the child of the slave-woman and the other the child of 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 the child of the slave-woman was born in the course of nature, while the child of the free woman was born in fulfilment 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.
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 Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
(The word Hagar meaning in Arabia Mount Sinai) and it ranks with the Jerusalem of to-day, for she and her children are in slavery.
26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she it is who 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 Scripture says — ‘Rejoice, thou barren one, who dost never bear, Break into shouts, thou who art never in labour, For many are the children of her who is desolate — aye, more than of her who has a husband.’
28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
As for ourselves, brothers, we, like Isaac, are children born in fulfilment 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.
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 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 does the passage of Scripture say? ‘Send away the slave-woman and her son; for the slave’s son shall not be co-heir with the son of the free woman.’
31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
And so, Brothers, we are not children of a slave, but of her who is free.
