Galatians 4
1 Let me explain what I'm saying. An heir who is under-age is no different from a slave, even though the heir may be the owner of everything.
Now I say, As long as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a bondman, though he be lord of all;
2 An heir is subject to guardians and managers until the time set by the father.
but he is under guardians and stewards until the period fixed by the father.
3 It's just the same for us. When we were children, we were slaves subject to the basic rules of the law.
So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the principles of the world;
4 But at the appropriate time God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the rule of law,
but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, come of woman, come under law,
5 so that he could rescue those who were kept under the rule of law, so that we could receive the inheritance of adopted children.
that he might redeem those under law, that we might receive sonship.
6 To show you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son to convince us, causing us to call out, “Abba,” meaning “Father.”
But because ye are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Since you are now no longer a slave, but a child, and if you are his child, then God has made you his heir.
So thou art no longer bondman, but son; but if son, heir also through God.
8 At the time when you didn't know God, you were enslaved by the supposed “gods” of this world.
But then indeed, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods;
9 But now you've come to know God—or better, to be known by God. So how can you go back to those useless and worthless rules? Do you want to be slaves to those rules all over again?
but now, knowing God, but rather being known by God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye desire to be again anew in bondage?
10 You're observing special days and months, seasons and years.
Ye observe days and months and times and years.
11 I'm concerned that all I did for you has been wasted!
I am afraid of you, lest indeed I have laboured in vain as to you.
12 I'm pleading with you, my friends: be like me, because I became like you. You've never treated me badly.
Be as I [am], for I also [am] as ye, brethren, I beseech you: ye have not at all wronged me.
13 You remember that it was because I was sick that I shared with you the good news on my first visit.
But ye know that in weakness of the flesh I announced the glad tidings to you at the first;
14 Even though my illness was difficult for you, you didn't despise or reject me—in fact you treated me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus himself.
and my temptation, which [was] in my flesh, ye did not slight nor reject with contempt; but ye received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.
15 So what's happened to all your gratefulness? I tell you, back then if you could have pulled out your eyes and given them to me, you would have!
What then [was] your blessedness? for I bear you witness that, if possible, plucking out your own eyes ye would have given [them] to me.
16 So what has happened—have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
So I have become your enemy in speaking the truth to you?
17 These people are keen to gain your support, but not for any good reasons. On the contrary, they want to keep you away from us so that you will enthusiastically support them.
They are not rightly zealous after you, but desire to shut you out [from us], that ye may be zealous after them.
18 Of course it's good to want to do good. But this should be at all times, not just when I'm there with you!
But [it is] right to be zealous at all times in what is right, and not only when I am present with you —
19 My dear friends, I want to work with you until Christ's character is duplicated in you.
my children, of whom I again travail in birth until Christ shall have been formed in you:
20 I really wish I could be with you right now so I could change my tone of voice… I'm so worried about you.
and I should wish to be present with you now, and change my voice, for I am perplexed as to you.
21 Answer me this, you people who want to live under the law: Don't you hear what the law is saying?
Tell me, ye who are desirous of being under law, do ye not listen to the law?
22 As Scripture says, Abraham had two sons, one from the servant girl, and one from the free woman.
For it is written that Abraham had two sons; one of the maid servant, and one of the free woman.
23 However, the son from the servant girl was born following a human plan, while the son from the free woman was born as the result of the promise.
But he [that was] of the maid servant was born according to flesh, and he [that was] of the free woman through the promise.
24 This provides an analogy: these two women represent two agreements. One agreement is from Mount Sinai—Hagar—and she gives birth to slave children.
Which things have an allegorical sense; for these are two covenants: one from mount Sinai, gendering to bondage, which is Hagar.
25 Hagar symbolizes Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the current Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
For Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which [is] now, for she is in bondage with her children;
26 But the heavenly Jerusalem is free. She is our mother.
but the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother.
27 As Scripture says, “Rejoice you who are childless and who have never given birth! Shout aloud for joy, you who have never been in labor—for the abandoned woman has more children than the woman who has a husband!”
For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break out and cry, thou that travailest not; because the children of the desolate are more numerous than [those] of her that has a husband.
28 Now my friends, we are children of promise just like Isaac.
But ye, brethren, after the pattern of Isaac, are children of promise.
29 However, just as the one born according to a human plan persecuted the one born through the Spirit, so it is today.
But as then he that was born according to flesh persecuted him [that was born] according to Spirit, so also [it is] now.
30 But what does Scripture say? “Send away the servant girl and her son, for the son of the servant girl will not be an heir together with the son of the free woman.”
But what says the scripture? Cast out the maid servant and her son; for the son of the maid servant shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.
31 Therefore, my friends, we're not children of a servant girl, but of the free woman.
So then, brethren, we are not maid servant's children, but [children] of the free woman.
