Galatians 4
1 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;
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 guardians and stewards, until the time appointed 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 in bondage under the rudiments 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 the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born 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 to redeem those under the Law, that we might be adopted as sons.
that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And to show that ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father!
But because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father!
7 So then thou art no longer a bond-servant, but a son; and if a son, then 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 at that time, indeed, when ye knew not God, ye were in slavery to those who in their 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, 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?
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 Do ye observe days, and months, and times, and years?
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 I fear for you, lest I may have bestowed upon you labor in vain.
I am afraid for you, lest haply I have bestowed on you labour in vain.
12 Brethren, I beseech you, become as I am, for I also have become as ye are; ye injured me in nothing.
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 Nay, ye know that it was on account of an infirmity of the flesh that I preached the gospel to you the former time,
Ye know that with infirmity of flesh I preached to you the gospel at the first.
14 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.
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 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.
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 because I tell you the truth?
Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 They show a zeal for you, but not in honesty; yea, they wish to exclude you, that ye may be zealous for 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 be an object of zeal in what is good always, 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, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you, —
My little children of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you,
20 I could wish indeed to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am in perplexity about you.
I wish I could be with you now, and change my address; for I am in doubt about you.
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the Law, do ye not hear 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; the one by the bondwoman, the other by the freewoman.
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman, and the other by a free.
23 But the one by the bondwoman was born after the flesh; while the one by the freewoman was through the promise.
Now the son of the bond-maid was born after the flesh, but that by the free woman was by promise.
24 Which things are written allegorically; for these women are two covenants; the one from Mount Sinai, who beareth children into bondage, 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 the word Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; and she corresponds to the Jerusalem now existing, for she is in bondage 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 that is above is free, and she is our mother.
But the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 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.”
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 But ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of a promise.
So we, brethren, as Isaac, are the children of the promise.
29 But as at that time he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born through the Spirit, 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 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.”
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 then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the freewoman.
So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
