Galatians 4
1 To proceed, as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, though he is owner of all,
Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth in no respect from a bond-servant, though he is lord of all;
2 but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.
but is under guardians and stewards, until the time appointed by the father.
3 Similarly, when we were children we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.
So also we, when we were children, were in bondage under the rudiments of the world;
4 But at just the right time God sent out His Son, born of a woman, born under law,
but when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
5 so that He might redeem those under law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
to redeem those under the Law, that we might be adopted as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, calling, “Abba, Father”.
And to show that ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father!
7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.
So then thou art no longer a bond-servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
8 But at one time indeed, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those that by nature are not gods.
But at that time, indeed, when ye knew not God, ye were in slavery to those who in their nature are not gods;
9 But now that you know God—better, are known by God—how can you turn back to those weak, yes decidedly inferior, basic principles, to which you wish to be enslaved all over again?
but now, after having known God, or rather having been known by God, how is it that ye are turning back to the weak and beggarly rudiments to which ye wish to be again in bondage?
10 You are observing days and months and seasons and years.
Do ye observe days, and months, and times, and years?
11 I fear for you, lest somehow I have labored over you in vain.
I fear for you, lest I may have bestowed upon you labor in vain.
12 Brothers, I plead with you, become as I am, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.
Brethren, I beseech you, become as I am, for I also have become as ye are; ye injured me in nothing.
13 Rather, you know that I preached the Gospel to you the first time in spite of a physical infirmity.
Nay, ye know that it was on account of an infirmity of the flesh that I preached the gospel to you the former time,
14 Also, you did not despise or recoil at my physical trial, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
and my trial which was in my flesh ye did not despise nor spurn; but received me as an angel of God, yea, as Christ Jesus.
15 So what about your blessedness? Because I can testify that if it were possible you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.
How great then was your boasting of happiness! for I bear you witness, that if 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?
So then, have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 They zealously court you—not for good but intending to isolate you, so that you may seek them.
They show a zeal for you, but not in honesty; yea, they wish to exclude you, that ye may be zealous for them.
18 Now it is good to be zealous in a good thing at any time, and not only when I am present with you.
But it is good to be an object of zeal in what is good always, and not only when I am present with you.
19 My little children, for whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you
My children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you, —
20 —I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone; because I am perplexed about you!
I could wish indeed to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am in perplexity about you.
21 Tell me, you who desire to be under law, do you not heed that 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 the slave woman and one by the free woman.
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; the one by the bondwoman, the other by the freewoman.
23 However, the one by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, while the one by the free woman was through the promise.
But the one by the bondwoman was born after the flesh; while the one by the freewoman was through the promise.
24 I will now allegorize them—these are two covenants: one is from Mount Sinai, bearing children into slavery, which is ‘Hagar’
Which things are written allegorically; for these women are two covenants; the one from Mount Sinai, who beareth children into bondage, which is Hagar;
25 (for this ‘Hagar’ is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present day Jerusalem, and is in slavery with her children);
for the word Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; and she corresponds to the Jerusalem now existing, for she is in bondage with her children;
26 while the ‘Jerusalem’ that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
but the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.
27 For it is written: “Rejoice, barren one, who does not give birth; break forth and shout, you who have no labor pains; because the abandoned woman has many more children than she who has the husband.”
For it is written: “Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for many are the children of the desolate one, rather than of her who hath the husband.”
28 Now we, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
But ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of a promise.
29 But, it is the same now as it was then: the one born according to flesh persecutes the one born according to Spirit.
But as at that time he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born through the Spirit, so it is now.
30 However, what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, because the son of the slave woman absolutely must not inherit with the son of the free woman!”
But what saith the scripture? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”
31 So then, brothers, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.
So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the freewoman.
