Galatians 4
1 And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant — being lord of all,
But I say, that the heir, as long as he is a minor, differs in no respect from a servant, though he is owner of all;
2 but is under tutors and stewards till the time appointed of the father,
but is under guardians and managers till the time appointed by the father.
3 so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude,
So, also, we, when we were minors, were in bondage under the rudiments of the world.
4 and when the fulness of time did come, God sent forth His Son, come of a woman, come under law,
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 that those under law he may redeem, that the adoption of sons we may receive;
that he might buy off those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption.
6 and because ye are sons, God did send forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father!'
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 so that thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.
So, then, you are no longer a servant, but a son; and if a son, an heir also of God, through Christ.
8 But then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature gods,
But, then, because you knew not God, you were enslaved to those who, by nature, are not gods:
9 and now, having known God — and rather being known by God — how turn ye again unto the weak and poor elements to which anew ye desire to be in servitude?
now, however, after having known God, rather indeed having been known by God, how is it that you are turning back to the weak and beggarly rudiments, to which you desire again to be in bondage, as at first?
10 days ye observe, and months, and times, and years!
You observe days and months and times and years.
11 I am afraid of you, lest in vain I did labour toward you.
fear for you, lest I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.
12 Become as I [am] — because I also [am] as ye brethren, I beseech you; to me ye did no hurt,
Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; because I was as you are. You have injured me in nothing.
13 and ye have known that through infirmity of the flesh I did proclaim good news to you at the first,
You know that through weakness of the flesh I preached the gospel to you at the first:
14 and my trial that [is] in my flesh ye did not despise nor reject, but as a messenger of God ye did receive me — as Christ Jesus;
and my trial, which was in my flesh, you did not despise or loathe; but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.
15 what then was your happiness? for I testify to you, that if possible, your eyes having plucked out, ye would have given to me;
How great, then, was your blessedness! For I testify for you, that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes, and have given them to me.
16 so that your enemy have I become, being true to you?
Have I then become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
17 they are zealous for you — [yet] not well, but they wish to shut us out, that for them ye may be zealous;
They are ardently attached to you, but not honorably; indeed, they desire to exclude us, that you may be ardently attached to them.
18 and [it is] good to be zealously regarded, in what is good, at all times, and not only in my being present with you;
It is honorable to be ardently attached always, in what is honorable, and not only when I am present with you.
19 my little children, of whom again I travail in birth, till Christ may be formed in you,
My little children, for whom I again suffer the pains of gestation, till Christ be formed in you,
20 and I was wishing to be present with you now, and to change my voice, because I am in doubt about you.
I desire to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am in doubt concerning you.
21 Tell me, ye who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear?
Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do you not understand the law?
22 for it hath been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the maid-servant, and one by the free-woman,
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; one by a bondmaid, and one by a free woman.
23 but he who [is] of the maid-servant, according to flesh hath been, and he who [is] of the free-woman, through the promise;
But the one by the bondmaid was born according to the flesh; the other, by the free woman, was by promise.
24 which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from mount Sinai, to servitude bringing forth, which is Hagar;
These things are allegorized: for these women are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai that brings forth for bondage, which is Hagar.
25 for this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and doth correspond to the Jerusalem that now [is], and is in servitude with her children,
For Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in bondage with her children.
26 and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all,
But Jerusalem which is above is free; and she is the mother of us all.
27 for it hath been written, 'Rejoice, O barren, who art not bearing; break forth and cry, thou who art not travailing, because many [are] the children of the desolate — more than of her having the husband.'
For it is written: Rejoice you barren, that do not bear: break forth and cry aloud, you that travail not: for many more are the children of the deserted, than of her that had the husband of the deserted.
28 And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise,
We, indeed, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.
29 but as then he who was born according to the flesh did persecute him according to the spirit, so also now;
But as then, he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born according to the Spirit, so even now.
30 but what saith the Writing? 'Cast forth the maid-servant and her son, for the son of the maid-servant may not be heir with the son of the free-woman;'
But what says the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman.
31 then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant's children, but the free-woman's.
Therefore, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free-woman.
