Galatians 4

¹But I say that, during the time an heir is a child, he is no different from a servant, even though he is the owner of everything.

²For he is under tutors and caretakers, until the time which was predetermined by the father.

³So also we, when we were children, were subservient to the influences of the world.

⁴But when the fullness of time arrived, God sent his Son, formed from a woman, formed under the law,

⁵so that he might redeem those who were under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption of sons.

⁶Therefore, because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying out: “Abba, Father.”

⁷And so now he is not a servant, but a son. But if he is a son, then he is also an heir, through God.

⁸But then, certainly, while ignorant of God, you served those who, by nature, are not gods.

⁹But now, since you have known God, or rather, since you have been known by God: how can you turn away again, to weak and destitute influences, which you desire to serve anew?

¹⁰You serve the days, and months, and times, and years.

¹¹I am afraid for you, lest perhaps I may have labored in vain among you.

¹²Brothers, I beg you. Be as I am. For I, too, am like you. You have not injured me at all.

¹³But you know that, in the weakness of the flesh, I have preached the Gospel to you for a long time, and that your trials are in my flesh.

¹⁴You did not despise or reject me. But instead, you accepted me like an Angel of God, even like Christ Jesus.

¹⁵Therefore, where is your happiness? For I offer to you testimony that, if it could be done, you would have plucked out your own eyes and would have given them to me.

¹⁶So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

¹⁷They are not imitating you well. And they are willing to exclude you, so that you might imitate them.

¹⁸But be imitators of what is good, always in a good way, and not only when I am present with you.

¹⁹My little sons, I am giving birth to you again, until Christ is formed in you.

²⁰And I would willingly be present with you, even now. But I would alter my voice: for I am ashamed of you.

²¹Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, have you not read the law?

²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons: one by a servant woman, and one by a free woman.

²³And he who was of the servant was born according to the flesh. But he who was of the free woman was born by the promise.

²⁴These things are said through an allegory. For these represent the two testaments. Certainly the one, on Mount Sinai, gives birth unto servitude, which is Hagar.

²⁵For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, which is related to the Jerusalem of the present time, and it serves with her sons.

²⁶But that Jerusalem which is above is free; the same is our mother.

²⁷For it was written: “Rejoice, O barren one, though you do not conceive. Burst forth and cry out, though you do not give birth. For many are the children of the desolate, even more than of her who has a husband.”

²⁸Now we, brothers, like Isaac, are sons of the promise.

²⁹But just as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.

³⁰And what does Scripture say? “Cast out the woman servant and her son. For the son of a servant women shall not be an heir with the son of a free woman.”

³¹And so, brothers, we are not the sons of the servant woman, but rather of the free woman. And this is the freedom with which Christ has set us free.

Galatians 4

¹As long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all,

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

³So we also, when we were children, were serving under the elements of the world.

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

⁵That he might redeem them who were under the law: that we might receive the adoption of sons.

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

⁷Therefore, now he is not a servant, but a son. And if a son, an heir also through God.

⁸But then indeed, not knowing God, you served them who, by nature, are not gods.

⁹But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known by God: how turn you again to the weak and needy elements which you desire to serve again?

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

¹¹I am afraid of you, lest perhaps I have laboured in vain among you.

¹²Be ye as I, because I also am as you brethren, I beseech you. You have not injured me at all.

¹³And you know how, through infirmity of the flesh, I preached the gospel to you heretofore: and your temptation in my flesh

¹⁴You despised not, nor rejected: but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

¹⁵Where is then your blessedness? For I bear you witness that, if it could be done, you would have plucked out your own eyes and would have given them to me.

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

¹⁷They are zealous in your regard not well: but they would exclude you, that you might be zealous for them.

¹⁸But be zealous for that which is good in a good thing always: and not only when I am present with you.

¹⁹My little children, of whom I am in labour again, until Christ be formed in you.

²⁰And I would willingly be present with you now and change my voice: because I am ashamed for you.

²¹Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, have you not read the law?

²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman and the other by a free woman.

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

²⁴Which things are said by an allegory. For these are the two testaments. The one from Mount Sina, engendering unto bondage, which is Agar.

²⁵For Sina is a mountain in Arabia, which hath affinity to that Jerusalem which now is: and is in bondage with her children.

²⁶But that Jerusalem which is above is free: which is our mother.

²⁷For 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, more than of her that hath a husband.

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

²⁹But as then he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was after the spirit: so also it is now.

³⁰But 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 free woman.

³¹So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman but of the free: by the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free.