Galatians 4
Sonship in Christ
4Now I say, as long as the heir is a 1child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is 2owner of everything, 2but he is under guardians and stewards until the date set by the father. 3So also we, while we were children, were aenslaved under the 1,belemental things of the world. 4But when athe fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, bborn of a woman, born cunder 1the Law, 5so that He might redeem those who were under 1the Law, that we might receive the adoption as asons. 6And because you are sons, aGod sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “bAbba! Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and aif a son, then an heir 1through God.
8However at that time, awhen you did not know God, you were bslaves to cthose which by nature are no gods. 9But now, having known God, or rather having been aknown by God, bhow is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless 1,celemental things, to which you want to be enslaved all over again? 10You aobserve days and months and seasons and years. 11I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored 1over you for nothing.
12I beg of you, abrothers, bbecome as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong. 13But you know that it was because of a 1bodily illness that I proclaimed the gospel to you the 2first time; 14and that which was a 1trial to you in my 2bodily condition you did not despise or 3loathe, but ayou received me as an angel of God, as bChrist Jesus Himself. 15Where then is 1that sense of blessing you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16So have I become your enemy aby 1telling you the truth? 17They zealously seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will zealously seek them. 18But it is good always to be zealously sought in a commendable 1manner, and anot only when I am present with you. 19aMy children, with whom bI am again in labor until cChrist is formed in you— 20but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, because aI am perplexed about you.
An Allegory of Two Covenants
21Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not alisten to the Law? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, aone by the servant-woman and bone by the free woman. 23But athe son by the servant-woman had been born according to the flesh, while bthe son by the free woman through the promise. 241,aThis is 2spoken with allegory, for these women are two covenants: one from bMount Sinai bearing children into cslavery; 3she is Hagar. 25Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26But athe Jerusalem above is free; 1she is our mother. 27For it is written, “aRejoice, barren woman who does not give birth;Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;For more numerous are the children of the desolate oneThan of the one who has a husband.”
28And you brothers, ain accordance with Isaac, are bchildren of promise. 29But as at that time ahe who was born according to the flesh bwas persecuting him who was born according to the Spirit, cso it is now also. 30But what does the Scripture say? “aCast out the servant-woman and her son,For bthe son of the servant-woman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”
31So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant-woman, 1but of the free woman.