Galatians

Sons and Heirs

1What 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

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

9But 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?

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

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

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

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

14And although my illness was a trial to you, 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.

15What 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.

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

17Those 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.

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

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

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

Hagar and Sarah

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

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

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

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

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

26But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

27For 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 womanthan of her who has a husband.”

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

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

30But 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.”

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

1But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;

2but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father.

3So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:

4but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

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

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

7So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

8Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods:

9but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?

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

11I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.

12I beseech you, brethren, become as I am, for I also am become as ye are. Ye did me no wrong:

13but ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time:

14and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

15Where then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

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

17They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.

18But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.

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

20but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.

21Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman.

23Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise.

24Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.

25Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children.

26But the Jerusalem that 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 more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband.

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

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

30Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman.

31Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.