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.
But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant, though he is lord of all;
2 An heir is subject to guardians and managers until the time set by the father.
but is under guardians and stewards until the term appointed of 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 rudiments 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 came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the 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 them which were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
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.”
And because ye are sons, God sent forth 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 that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
8 At the time when you didn't know God, you were enslaved by the supposed “gods” of this world.
Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them which by nature are no 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 that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known of God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?
10 You're observing special days and months, seasons and years.
Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years.
11 I'm concerned that all I did for you has been wasted!
I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labour upon you in vain.
12 I'm pleading with you, my friends: be like me, because I became like you. You've never treated me badly.
I beseech you, brethren, be as I [am], for I [am] as ye [are]. Ye did me no wrong:
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 because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time:
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 that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but ye received me as an angel of God, [even] 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!
Where then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
16 So what has happened—have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
So then am I become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
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 zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek 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 good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, 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 little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be 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.
yea, I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I am perplexed about 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 that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear 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 by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman.
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.
Howbeit the [son] by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the [son] by the freewoman [is born] through 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 contain an allegory: for these [women] are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto 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.
Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children.
26 But the heavenly Jerusalem is free. She is our mother.
But the Jerusalem that is 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 forth and cry, thou that travailest not: For more are the children of the desolate than of her which hath the husband.
28 Now my friends, we are children of promise just like Isaac.
Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, 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 after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so 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.”
Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman.
31 Therefore, my friends, we're not children of a servant girl, but of the free woman.
Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.
