Galatians 4 - 6
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.
Christ Set Us Free
51,aIt was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore, bstand firm and do not be subject again to a cyoke of slavery.
2Behold I, aPaul, say to you that if you receive bcircumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3And I atestify again to every man who receives bcircumcision, that he is under obligation to ckeep the whole Law. 4You have been 1severed from Christ, you who are being justified by law; you have afallen from grace! 5For we 1through the Spirit, 2by faith, are aeagerly waiting for the hope of righteousness. 6For in aChrist Jesus bneither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but cfaith working through love.
7You were arunning well; who hindered you from 1obeying the truth? 8This persuasion is not from aHim who calls you. 9aA little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10aI have confidence 1in you in the Lord that you bwill adopt no other view. But the one who is cdisturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still apersecuted? Then bthe stumbling block of the cross would have been abolished. 12I wish that athose who are upsetting you would even 1,bmutilate themselves.
13For you were called to afreedom, brothers; bonly do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love cserve one another. 14For athe whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “bYou shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15But if you abite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another.
Walk by the Spirit
16But I say, awalk by the Spirit and you will not carry out bthe desire of the flesh. 17For athe flesh 1sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, bso that you do not do the things that you want. 18But if you are aled by the Spirit, byou are not under the Law. 19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: asexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, asorcery, enmities, bstrife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, cselfish ambition, dissensions, 1,dfactions, 21envying, adrunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not binherit the kingdom of God. 22But athe fruit of the Spirit is blove, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, aself-control. Against such things bthere is no law. 24Now those who 1belong to aChrist Jesus bcrucified the flesh with its passions and cdesires.
25If we live by the Spirit, let us also 1walk in step with athe Spirit. 26Let us not become those with avain glory, challenging one another, envying one another.
Bear One Another’s Burdens
6aBrothers, even if 1anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are bspiritual, crestore such a one din a spirit of gentleness, each of you looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. 2aBear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill bthe law of Christ. 3For aif anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4But each one must aexamine his own work, and then he will have reason for bboasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. 5For aeach one will bear his own load.
6aAnd the one who is instructed in bthe word is to share in all good things with the one who instructs him. 7aDo not be deceived, bGod is not mocked, for cwhatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8aFor the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap bcorruption, but cthe one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9aAnd let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we bdo not grow weary. 10So then, 1,awhile we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the bhousehold of cthe faith.
11See with what large letters I 1am writing to you awith my own hand! 12As many as are wanting ato make a good showing in the flesh, these are trying to bcompel you to be circumcised, simply so that they cwill not be persecuted 1for the cross of Christ. 13For those who 1are circumcised do not even akeep 2the Law themselves, but they want to have you circumcised so that they may bboast in your flesh. 14But amay it never be that I would boast, bexcept in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, cthrough 1which the world has been crucified to me, and dI to the world. 15For aneither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a bnew 1creation. 16And those who will 1walk in step with this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the aIsrael of God.
17From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the amarks of Jesus.