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,
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.
2 but is under tutors and stewards till the time appointed of the father,
An heir is subject to guardians and managers until the time set by the father.
3 so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude,
It's just the same for us. When we were children, we were slaves subject to the basic rules of the law.
4 and when the fulness of time did come, God sent forth His Son, come of a woman, come under law,
But at the appropriate time God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the rule of law,
5 that those under law he may redeem, that the adoption of sons we may receive;
so that he could rescue those who were kept under the rule of law, so that we could receive the inheritance of adopted children.
6 and because ye are sons, God did send forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father!'
To show you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son to convince us, causing us to call out, “Abba,” meaning “Father.”
7 so that thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.
Since you are now no longer a slave, but a child, and if you are his child, then God has made you his heir.
8 But then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature gods,
At the time when you didn't know God, you were enslaved by the supposed “gods” of this world.
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?
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?
10 days ye observe, and months, and times, and years!
You're observing special days and months, seasons and years.
11 I am afraid of you, lest in vain I did labour toward you.
I'm concerned that all I did for you has been wasted!
12 Become as I [am] — because I also [am] as ye brethren, I beseech you; to me ye did no hurt,
I'm pleading with you, my friends: be like me, because I became like you. You've never treated me badly.
13 and ye have known that through infirmity of the flesh I did proclaim good news to you at the first,
You remember that it was because I was sick that I shared with you the good news on my first visit.
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;
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.
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;
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!
16 so that your enemy have I become, being true to you?
So what has happened—have I become your enemy by telling 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;
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.
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;
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!
19 my little children, of whom again I travail in birth, till Christ may be formed in you,
My dear friends, I want to work with you until Christ's character is duplicated 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 really wish I could be with you right now so I could change my tone of voice… I'm so worried about you.
21 Tell me, ye who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear?
Answer me this, you people who want to live under the law: Don't you hear what the law is saying?
22 for it hath been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the maid-servant, and one by the free-woman,
As Scripture says, Abraham had two sons, one from the servant girl, and one from the 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;
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.
24 which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from mount Sinai, to servitude bringing forth, which is Hagar;
This provides an analogy: these two women represent two agreements. One agreement is from Mount Sinai—Hagar—and she gives birth to slave children.
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,
Hagar symbolizes Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the current Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
26 and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all,
But the heavenly Jerusalem is free. She is our mother.
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.'
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!”
28 And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise,
Now my friends, we are children of promise just like Isaac.
29 but as then he who was born according to the flesh did persecute him according to the spirit, so also now;
However, just as the one born according to a human plan persecuted the one born through the Spirit, so it is today.
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 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.”
31 then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant's children, but the free-woman's.
Therefore, my friends, we're not children of a servant girl, but of the free woman.
