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,
I am saying that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is owner of the entire estate.
2 but is under tutors and stewards till the time appointed of the father,
But he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.
3 so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude,
So also, when we were children, we were enslaved to the elemental principles 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 time had come, God sent out 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;
He did this to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
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 the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls out, “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 you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then you are also an heir through God.
8 But then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature gods,
But at that time, when you did not know God, you were made to be slaves to those who are, by their natural powers, not gods at all.
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 that you have come to know God, or rather that you are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to the weak and worthless elemental principles? Do you want to be enslaved all over again?
10 days ye observe, and months, and times, and years!
You observe days and new moons and seasons and years!
11 I am afraid of you, lest in vain I did labour toward you.
I am afraid for you that somehow my work with you may have been for nothing.
12 Become as I [am] — because I also [am] as ye brethren, I beseech you; to me ye did no hurt,
I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I also have become like you. You did me no wrong.
13 and ye have known that through infirmity of the flesh I did proclaim good news to you at the first,
But you know that it was because of a physical illness that I proclaimed the gospel to you the first time.
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;
Though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. Instead you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were 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;
Where, then, is your blessing now? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your own eyes and given them to me.
16 so that your enemy have I become, being true to you?
So then, have I become your enemy because I am 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;
They are zealous to win you over, but for no good. They want to shut you out, so you may be zealous for 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 always good to be zealous for a good purpose, 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, again I am in the pains of childbirth for you until Christ is 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 wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.
21 Tell me, ye who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear?
Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to 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 the slave girl and one by 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;
One was born by the slave girl according to the flesh, but the other was born by the free woman through 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 may be interpreted as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants. One of them is from Mount Sinai and she gives birth to children who are slaves. This 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,
Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia; and she represents the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
26 and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all,
But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and 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.'
For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren one who does not give birth; cry out and shout for joy, you who are not suffering the pains of childbirth; because the children of the abandoned woman are more numerous than those of the woman who has a husband.”
28 And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise,
But you, brothers, 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;
At that time the one who was born according to the flesh persecuted the one born according to the Spirit. It is the same 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 does the scripture say? “Send away the slave girl and her son. For the son of the slave girl will not share in the inheritance with the son of the free woman.”
31 then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant's children, but the free-woman's.
Therefore, brothers, we are not children of a slave girl, but of the free woman.
