Galatians 4

1 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything.

2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.

3 So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world.

4 But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.

6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir of God through Christ.

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

9 But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?

10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!

11 I fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain.

12 I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.

13 You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.

14 And although my illness was a trial to me, 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 has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

17 Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.

18 Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.

19 My little children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.

21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?

22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.

23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.

24 These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar.

25 For Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, and she is in slavery with her children.

26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is the mother of us all.

27 For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”

28 Now we, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

29 At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now.

30 But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”

31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

1 ¶ Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

8 ¶ Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

12 ¶ Brethren, I beseech you, be as I [am]; for I [am] as ye [are]: ye have not injured me at all.

13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, [even] as Christ Jesus.

15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if [it had been] possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

17 ¶ They zealously affect you, [but] not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.

18 But [it is] good to be zealously affected always in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you.

19 ¶ My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

21 ¶ 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 a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

23 But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by promise.

24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

26 But Jerusalem which is 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 the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.

30 Nevertheless 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.

31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

1 But I say, As long as the heir is a child, there is no difference between him and a servant, though he be lord of all goods,

2 but he is under the guardians and custodians until the appointed time of the father.

3 So also we, being children, were captives under the outward statutes.

4 And when the time was fulfilled, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, and put under the law,

5 That he might redeem them which were under the law, that we might receive the adoption.

6 because ye are children, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, dear Father!

7 So then here is no more a servant, but only children. But if they be children, they are also heirs of God through Christ].

8 But in the days when ye knew not God, ye served those who by nature are not gods.

9 But now that ye have known God, ye are rather known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and meager statutes, which ye serve anew?

10 Ye keep days, and moons, and feasts, and seasons.

11 I fear for you, lest perhaps I have wrought in you in vain.

12 Be ye like me, for I am like you. Dear brothers, I beg you, you have done me no harm.

13 For ye know that in weakness according to the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time.

14 And my temptations which I suffer according to the flesh ye have not despised, neither spurned: but as an angel of God ye receive me, even as Christ JESUS.

15 How blessed ye were in those days! I am your witness, that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes, and have given them unto me.

16 Am I then become your enemy, that I'm holding the truth up to you?

17 They are not jealous for you: but they would have you to be jealous for them.

18 Zeal is good, if it be always for good, and not only when I am present with you.

19 Little children, whom again I bring forth with fears, until Christ be formed in you.

20 But I would that I were now with you, and that my voice might walk with you: for I am astray against you.

21 Tell me, ye that would be under the law: Have ye not heard the law?

22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by the maid, and the other by the free woman.

23 But he that was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh: but he that was of the free woman was born through the promise.

24 The words signify something. For these are the two testaments, one from mount Sinai, which is born to bondage, which is Hagar.

25 For Hagar's name is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and it reacheth unto Jerusalem, which is at this time, and is servant with her children.

26 But the Jerusalem which is above is the free, the mother of us all.

27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not, and break forth and call, thou that conceivest not. For the lonely woman hath many more children than she that hath a husband.

28 But we, brethren, are Isaac's children according to the promise.

29 But as in those days he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so it is now also.

30 But what saith the scripture? Cast out the maid with her son. For the son of the maid shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.

31 So then, brethren, we are not the children of the handmaid, but of the free].