Galatians 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 under the
elemental spiritual forces of the world.
4 But when the set time had fully come, GOD sent HIS SON, born of
a woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive
adoption to sonship.
6 Because you are his sons, GOD sent
THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON into our hearts, THE SPIRIT who calls
out, ‘Abba, FATHER.’
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.
8 Formerly, when you did not know GOD, you were
slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
9 But now that you know GOD—or rather are
known by GOD—how
is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish
to be enslaved by them all over again?
10 You are observing special days and
months and seasons and years!
11 I fear for you, that somehow I
have wasted my efforts on you.
12 I plead with you, brothers and
sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.
13 As you know, it was because of an
illness 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.
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?
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.
18 It is fine to be zealous, provided
the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.
19 My dear children, for whom I
am again in the pains of childbirth until CHRIST is formed in you, 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, are you not aware of what the law says?
22 For it is written that Abraham had
two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
23 His son by the slave woman was
born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the
result of a divine promise.
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 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.’
28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of
promise.
29 At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted
the son born by the power of THE SPIRIT. 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.’
31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave
woman, but of the free woman.”
