Galatians 4
1 But I say that, during the time an heir is a child, he is no different from a servant, even though he is the owner of everything.
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 For he is under tutors and caretakers, until the time which was predetermined by the father.
but is under tutors and trustees until the time fixed by his father.
3 So also we, when we were children, were subservient to the influences 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 fullness of time arrived, God sent his Son, formed from a woman, formed 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 so that he might redeem those who were under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption of sons.
that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 Therefore, because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying out: “Abba, Father.”
But because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father!
7 And so now he is not a servant, but a son. But if he is a son, then he is also an heir, through God.
Therefore thou art no more a slave, but a son, and if a son, an heir also of God through Christ.
8 But then, certainly, while ignorant of God, you served those who, by nature, are not gods.
But at that time when ye knew not God, ye served those who by nature are not gods.
9 But now, since you have known God, or rather, since you have been known by God: how can you turn away again, to weak and destitute influences, which you desire to serve anew?
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 serve the days, and months, and times, and years.
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 I am afraid for you, lest perhaps I may have labored in vain among you.
I am afraid for you, lest haply I have bestowed on you labour in vain.
12 Brothers, I beg you. Be as I am. For I, too, am like you. You have not injured me at all.
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 know that, in the weakness of the flesh, I have preached the Gospel to you for a long time, and that your trials are in my flesh.
Ye know that with infirmity of flesh I preached to you the gospel at the first.
14 You did not despise or reject me. But instead, you accepted me like an Angel of God, even like 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 Therefore, where is your happiness? For I offer to you testimony that, if it could be done, you would have plucked out your own eyes and would have 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, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 They are not imitating you well. And they are willing to exclude you, so that you might imitate them.
They affect zeal for you, not honourably; but they wish to exclude us, that you may be zealously attached to them.
18 But be imitators of what is good, always in a good way, 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 little sons, I am giving birth to you again, until Christ is formed in you.
My little children of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you,
20 And I would willingly be present with you, even now. But I would alter my voice: for I am ashamed of you.
I wish I could be with you now, and change my address; for I am in doubt about you.
21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, have you not read the law?
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 a servant woman, and one by a free woman.
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman, and the other by a free.
23 And he who was of the servant was born according to the flesh. But he who was of the free woman was born by the promise.
Now the son of the bond-maid was born after the flesh, but that by the free woman was by promise.
24 These things are said through an allegory. For these represent the two testaments. Certainly the one, on Mount Sinai, gives birth unto servitude, 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 For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, which is related to the Jerusalem of the present time, and it serves with her sons.
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds with Jerusalem that now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But that Jerusalem which is above is free; the same is our mother.
But the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it was written: “Rejoice, O barren one, though you do not conceive. Burst forth and cry out, though you do not give birth. For many are the children of the desolate, even more than of her 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, like Isaac, are sons of the promise.
So we, brethren, as Isaac, are the children of the promise.
29 But just as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also 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 And what does Scripture say? “Cast out the woman servant and her son. For the son of a servant women shall not be an heir with the son of a 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 And so, brothers, we are not the sons of the servant woman, but rather of the free woman. And this is the freedom with which Christ has set us free.
So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
