4 I will say it like this. Think about a son who will one day receive what belongs to his father. While he is still a child, he is like a slave in the family. That is true, even though all his father's things really belong to him. 2 He has to wait until the time that his father has decided. Until then, the son has to obey his teachers and the guides who take care of him. 3 In the same way, we were children like that in God's family. We were slaves to the bad spirits that rule this world. 4 But when the time that God had decided arrived, he sent his Son into the world. A human mother gave birth to him. He was born a Jew, under the authority of God's Law. 5 In that way, he made us free from the authority of the Law. Before that, we were like slaves under the Law. But God's Son paid our debt, so that God would accept us as his true children. 6 Because we are his children, God has sent his Son's Spirit to live inside us. His Spirit causes us to call God, ‘Father, my Father’. 7 So you are not slaves any more, but you are God's children. And because of that, you will receive all the good things that God has promised.
8 Before, when you did not know God, you served false gods. They were not gods at all, but you were their slaves. 9 But now you do know God. Or really, I should say that God knows you. So you must not turn back to serve those weak spirits that rule this world. Why do you want to obey their useless rules and become their slaves again? 10 You say that certain days, or months, or seasons, or years are special. That is how you want to please God. 11 I am afraid about you. I worked very much to help you. I do not want my work to have no results.
12 My Christian friends, please become like me! I ask you to do this, because when I was with you, I became like you. You did not then do anything wrong to me. 13 You must remember that I first came to you because I was ill. That was when I first told God's good news to you. 14 I caused trouble for you because I was ill. But you did not insult me. You did not tell me to go away. But you were kind to me. You took care of me as if I were an angel from God, or even Christ Jesus himself. 15 But now you do not seem to be happy with me any more. I can say that you would have pulled out your own eyes to help me. You would have given them to me, if that had been possible. 16 But now I seem to have become your enemy! Is that because I am telling you God's true message?
17 Those false teachers try very much to please you. But they do not really want what is good for you. They want to make you turn away from me. Then you will only want to listen to them. 18 It is good for someone to try to please other people if they really want to help them. That is true all the time, not only when I am there with you. 19 My children, I feel like a mother who is giving birth to you again. I will continue to feel that kind of pain until you become more completely like Christ. 20 I want very much to be there with you now. Then I would know better how to speak to you. As it is, I do not know what to think about you.
21 I say this to you people who want God's Law to have authority over you. Think carefully about what that Law really says. 22 The Bible says that Abraham had two sons. The mother of one of them was a slave. The mother of the other son was a free woman. 23 Hagar was a slave. Her son was born as a result of what Abraham himself decided. But Abraham's wife, Sarah, gave birth to the other son. That son was born as a result of what God had promised to Abraham. [ a ]
24 These two women are like pictures of two agreements that God made with his people. Hagar is like the agreement that God made on Sinai mountain. [ b ] That agreement causes people to become slaves. 25 Hagar is like a picture of Sinai mountain in Arabia. [ c ] Also, she is like the city of Jerusalem here on earth now, because that city and its people are slaves under the authority of God's Law.
26 But Abraham's wife, Sarah, is a picture of the new Jerusalem that is above. Sarah was a free person, not a slave, and she is like our mother. 27 It says in the Bible:
‘Be happy, you woman who could not have any children!
You have never known the pain of a child's birth.
But now shout loudly because you are so happy!
Yes, be happy, because the lonely woman now has more children
than the woman who has a husband.’ [ d ]
28 You, my Christian friends, are like Sarah's son, Isaac. Like him, you became God's children as a result of God's promise. 29 Isaac was born because of God's Spirit. The son who was born in the human way gave much trouble to Isaac at that time. You who are believers receive the same kind of trouble now. 30 But this is what it says in the Bible: ‘Send away the woman who is a slave and her son. That woman's son will never receive anything from his father. The son of the free woman will receive all those good things.’ [ e ] 31 So then, my Christian friends, we are not children of the woman who is a slave. No, we are children of the free woman.
4 This is what I am saying: When young children inherit all that their father owned, they are still no different from his slaves. It doesn’t matter that they own everything. 2 While they are children, they must obey those who are chosen to care for them. But when they reach the age the father set, they are free. 3 It is the same for us. We were once like children, slaves to the useless rules [ a ] of this world. 4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, who was born from a woman and lived under the law. 5 God did this so that he could buy the freedom of those who were under the law. God’s purpose was to make us his children.
6 Since you are now God’s children, he has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts. The Spirit cries out, “ Abba , [ b ] Father.” 7 Now you are not slaves like before. You are God’s children, and you will receive everything he promised his children.
8 In the past you did not know God. You were slaves to gods that were not real. 9 But now you know the true God. Really, though, it is God who knows you. So why do you turn back to the same kind of weak and useless rules you followed before? Do you want to be slaves to those things again? 10-11 It worries me that you follow teachings about special days, months, seasons, and years. I fear that my work for you has been wasted.
12 Brothers and sisters, I became like you. So please become like me. You were very good to me before. 13 You know that I came to you the first time because I was sick. That was when I told the Good News to you. 14 My sickness was a burden to you, but you did not stop showing me respect or make me leave. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel from God. You accepted me as if I were Jesus Christ himself! 15 You were very happy then. Where is that joy now? I can say without a doubt that you would have done anything to help me. If it had been possible, you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me. 16 Am I now your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 Those people [ c ] are working hard to persuade you, but this is not good for you. They want to persuade you to turn against us and work hard for them. 18 It is good for you to work hard, of course, if it is for something good. That’s something you should do whether I am there or not. 19 My little children, I am in pain again over you, like a mother giving birth. I will feel this pain until people can look at you and see Christ. 20 I wish I could be with you now. Then maybe I could change the way I am talking to you. Now I don’t know what to do about you.
21 Some of you people want to be under the law. Tell me, do you know what the law says? 22 The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons. The mother of one son was a slave woman, and the mother of the other son was a free woman. 23 Abraham’s son from the slave woman was born in the normal human way. But the son from the free woman was born because of the promise God made to Abraham.
24 This true story makes a picture for us. The two women are like the two agreements between God and his people. One agreement is the law that God made on Mount Sinai. The people who are under this agreement are like slaves. The mother named Hagar is like that agreement. 25 So Hagar is like Mount Sinai in Arabia. She is a picture of the earthly Jewish city of Jerusalem. This city is a slave, and all its people are slaves to the law. 26 But the heavenly Jerusalem that is above is like the free woman, who is our mother. 27 The Scriptures say,
“Be happy, woman—you who cannot have children.
Be glad you never gave birth.
Shout and cry with joy!
You never felt those labor pains.
The woman who is alone [ d ] will have more children
than the woman who has a husband.” ( A )
28 My brothers and sisters, you are children who were born because of God’s promise, just as Isaac was. 29 But the other son of Abraham, who was born in the normal way, caused trouble for the one who was born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same today. 30 But what do the Scriptures say? “Throw out the slave woman and her son! The son of the free woman will receive everything his father has, but the son of the slave woman will receive nothing.” [ e ] 31 So, my brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman. We are children of the free woman.
4 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.
4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a [ a ] child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is [ b ] owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and [ c ] managers until the [ d ] date set by the father. 3 So we too, when we were children, were held ( A ) in bondage under the [ e ] ( B ) elementary principles of the world. 4 But when ( C ) the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, ( D ) born of a woman, born ( E ) under [ f ] the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under [ g ] the Law, that we might receive the adoption as ( F ) sons and daughters . 6 Because you are sons, ( G ) God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “ ( H ) Abba! [ h ] Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and ( I ) if a son, then an heir [ i ] through God.
8 However at that time, ( J ) when you did not know God, you were ( K ) slaves to ( L ) those which by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be ( M ) known by God, ( N ) how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless [ j ] ( O ) elementary principles, to which you want to be enslaved all over again? 10 You ( P ) meticulously observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored [ k ] over you in vain.
12 I beg of you, ( Q ) brothers and sisters , ( R ) become as I am , for I also have become as you are . You have done me no wrong; 13 but you know that it was because of a [ l ] bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the [ m ] first time; 14 and you did not despise that which was a trial to you in my [ n ] bodily condition, nor express contempt, but ( S ) you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself . 15 Where then is [ o ] that sense of blessing you had? For I testify about you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So have I become your enemy ( T ) by [ p ] telling you the truth? 17 They eagerly seek you, not [ q ] in a commendable way, but they want to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought [ r ] in a commendable way, and ( U ) not only when I am present with you. 19 ( V ) My children, with whom ( W ) I am again in labor until ( X ) Christ is formed in you— 20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone of voice, for ( Y ) I am at a loss about you!
21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not ( Z ) listen to the Law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, ( AA ) one by the slave woman and ( AB ) one by the free woman. 23 But ( AC ) the son by the slave woman [ s ] was born according to the flesh, and ( AD ) the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 [ t ] ( AE ) This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from ( AF ) Mount Sinai giving birth to children [ u ] who are to be ( AG ) slaves; [ v ] she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children. 26 But ( AH ) the Jerusalem above is free; [ w ] she is our mother. 27 For it is written:
“ ( AI ) Rejoice, infertile one, you who do not give birth ;
Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor ;
For the children of the desolate one are more numerous
Than those of the one who has a husband .”
28 And you, brothers and sisters , ( AJ ) like Isaac, are ( AK ) children of promise. 29 But as at that time ( AL ) the son who was born according to the flesh ( AM ) persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, ( AN ) so it is even now. 30 But what does the Scripture say?
“ ( AO ) Drive out the slave woman and her son ,
For ( AP ) the son of the slave woman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman .”
31 So then, brothers and sisters , we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.
4 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery ( A ) under the elemental spiritual forces [ a ] of the world. ( B ) 4 But when the set time had fully come, ( C ) God sent his Son, ( D ) born of a woman, ( E ) born under the law, ( F ) 5 to redeem ( G ) those under the law, that we might receive adoption ( H ) to sonship. [ b ] ( I ) 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son ( J ) into our hearts, ( K ) the Spirit who calls out, “Abba , [ c ] Father.” ( L ) 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. ( M )
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, ( N ) you were slaves ( O ) to those who by nature are not gods. ( P ) 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God ( Q ) —how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces [ d ] ? Do you wish to be enslaved ( R ) by them all over again? ( S ) 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! ( T ) 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you. ( U )
12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, ( V ) become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. 13 As you know, it was because of an illness ( W ) that I first preached the gospel to you, 14 and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. ( X ) 15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? ( Y )
17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. ( Z ) 18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. ( AA ) 19 My dear children, ( AB ) for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, ( AC ) 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, ( AD ) are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman ( AE ) and the other by the free woman. ( AF ) 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, ( AG ) but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise. ( AH )
24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above ( AI ) is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:
“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.” [ e ] ( AJ )
28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. ( AK ) 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh ( AL ) persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. ( AM ) It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” [ f ] ( AN ) 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, ( AO ) but of the free woman. ( AP )
