Galatians 4

Sonship in Christ

1Now 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 3managers until the 4date set by the father. 3So we too, when we were children, were held 5in bondage under the 67elementary principles of the world. 4But when 8the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, 9born of a woman, born 10under 11the Law, 5so that He might redeem those who were under 12the Law, that we might receive the adoption as 13sons and daughters. 6Because you are sons, 14God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “15Abba! 16Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and 17if a son, then an heir 18through God.

8However at that time, 19when you did not know God, you were 20slaves to 21those which by nature are not gods. 9But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be 22known by God, 23how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless 2425elementary principles, to which you want to be enslaved all over again? 10You 26meticulously observe days and months and seasons and years. 11I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored 27over you in vain.

12I beg of you, 28brothers and sisters, 29become 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 30bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the 31first time; 14and you did not despise that which was a trial to you in my 32bodily condition, nor express contempt, but 33you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. 15Where then is 34that 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. 16So have I become your enemy 35by 36telling you the truth? 17They eagerly seek you, not 37in a commendable way, but they want to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18But it is good always to be eagerly sought 38in a commendable way, and 39not only when I am present with you. 1940My children, with whom 41I am again in labor until 42Christ is formed in you-- 20but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone of voice, for 43I am at a loss about you!

Slave and Free

21Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not 44listen to the Law? 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, 45one by the slave woman and 46one by the free woman. 23But 47the son by the slave woman 48was born according to the flesh, and 49the son by the free woman through the promise. 245051This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from 52Mount Sinai giving birth to children 53who are to be 54slaves; 55she is Hagar. 25Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children. 26But 56the Jerusalem above is free; 57she is our mother. 27For it is written: “58Rejoice, 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.” 28And you, brothers and sisters, 59like Isaac, are 60children of promise. 29But as at that time 61the son who was born according to the flesh 62persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, 63so it is even now. 30But what does the Scripture say? “64Drive out the slave woman and her son, For 65the son of the slave woman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.” 31So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.