Galatians 4
1 But I say that as long as the son is a child, he is in no way different from a servant, though he is lord of all;
NOW I affirm, that as long as the heir is an infant, he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be master of all;
2 But is under keepers and managers till the time fixed by the father.
but is under tutors and trustees until the time fixed by his father.
3 So we, when we were young, were kept under the first rules of the world;
So we also, when we were infants, were in bondage under the first elementary principles of the world:
4 But when the time had come, God sent out his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
but when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son born of a woman, born under the law,
5 That he might make them free who were under the law, and that we might be given the place of sons.
that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, saying, Abba, Father.
But because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father!
7 So that you are no longer a servant, but a son; and if a son, then the heritage of God is yours.
Therefore thou art no more a slave, but a son, and if a son, an heir also of God through Christ.
8 But at that time, having no knowledge of God, you were servants to those who by right are no gods:
But at that time when ye knew not God, ye served those who by nature are not gods.
9 But now that you have come to have knowledge of God, or more truly, God has knowledge of you, how is it that you go back again to the poor and feeble first things, desiring to be servants to them again?
But now after having known God, or rather being known of God, how turn ye back again to those weak and beggarly elements, to which again a second time ye desire to be in bondage?
10 You keep days, and months, and fixed times, and years.
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 I am in fear of you, that I may have been working for you to no purpose.
I am afraid for you, lest haply I have bestowed on you labour in vain.
12 My desire for you, brothers, is that you may be as I am, because I am as you are. You have done me no wrong;
Be as I am, for I also am as ye are, brethren―this is my request to you: ye have not injured me in the least.
13 But you have knowledge that with a feeble body I was preaching the good news to you the first time;
Ye know that with infirmity of flesh I preached to you the gospel at the first.
14 And you did not have a poor opinion of me because of the trouble in my flesh, or put shame on it; but you took me to your hearts as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
And my temptation, which was in my flesh, ye despised not, nor rejected with disgust; but as an angel of God ye received me, even as Christ Jesus himself.
15 Where then is that happy condition of yours? because I give you witness, that, if possible, you would have taken out your eyes and given them to me.
What then was your blessedness, for I bear witness to you that, if it were possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes, and given them to me.
16 So then am I no longer your friend, because I give you true words?
Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 Their interest in you is not good; but their desire is that you may be shut out, so that you may go after them.
They affect zeal for you, not honourably; but they wish to exclude us, that you may be zealously attached to them.
18 But it is good to have an interest in a good cause at all times, and not only when I am present with you.
It is good indeed to be zealously affected in a good cause always, and not only when I am present with you.
19 My children, of whom I am again in birth-pains till Christ is formed in you,
My little children of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you,
20 Truly my desire is to be present with you now, using a changed voice; for I am troubled about you.
I wish I could be with you now, and change my address; for I am in doubt about you.
21 Say, you whose desire it is to be under the law, do you not give ear to the law?
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
22 Because it is in the Writings, that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant-woman, and one by the free woman.
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman, and the other by a free.
23 Now the son by the servant-woman has his birth after the flesh; but the son by the free woman has his birth through the undertaking of God.
Now the son of the bond-maid was born after the flesh, but that by the free woman was by promise.
24 Which things have a secret sense; because these women are the two agreements; one from the mountain of Sinai, giving birth to servants, which is Hagar.
Which things are allegorical; for these are the two covenants, the one from mount Sinai, gendering unto bondage, which is represented by Agar.
25 Now this Hagar is the mountain Sinai in Arabia, and is the image of the Jerusalem which now is: which is a servant with her children.
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds with Jerusalem that now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But the Jerusalem on high is free, which is our mother.
But the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is in the Writings, You who have never given birth, be glad; give cries of joy, you who have had no birth-pains; for the children of her who has been given up by her husband are more than those of the woman who has a husband.
For it is written, “Rejoice, thou barren who bearest not, cry out and shout for joy, thou that travailest not, for more are the children of her that was desolate, than of her which had an husband.”
28 Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are the children of the undertaking of God.
So we, brethren, as Isaac, are the children of the promise.
29 But as in those days he who had birth after the flesh was cruel to him who had birth after the Spirit, even so it is now.
But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so is it now.
30 What then do the Writings say? Send away the servant-woman and her son; for the son of the servant-woman will not have a part in the heritage with the son of the free woman.
But what saith the scripture? “Cast out the bond-woman and her son for the son of the bond-maid shall in no wise inherit with the son of the free woman.”
31 So, brothers, we are not children of the servant-woman, but of the free woman.
So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
