Galatians 4–5

Chapter 4

¹Now I say, As long as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a bondman, though he be lord of all; ²but he is under guardians and stewards until the period fixed by the father. ³So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the principles of the world; ⁴but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, come of woman, come under law, ⁵that he might redeem those under law, that we might receive sonship. ⁶But because ye are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. ⁷So thou art no longer bondman, but son; but if son, heir also through God.

⁸But then indeed, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods; ⁹but now, knowing God, but rather being known by God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye desire to be again anew in bondage? ¹⁰Ye observe days and months and times and years. ¹¹I am afraid of you, lest indeed I have laboured in vain as to you.

¹²Be as I am, for I also am as ye, brethren, I beseech you: ye have not at all wronged me. ¹³But ye know that in weakness of the flesh I announced the glad tidings to you at the first; ¹⁴and my temptation, which was in my flesh, ye did not slight nor reject with contempt; but ye received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵What then was your blessedness? for I bear you witness that, if possible, plucking out your own eyes ye would have given them to me. ¹⁶So I have become your enemy in speaking the truth to you?

¹⁷They are not rightly zealous after you, but desire to shut you out from us, that ye may be zealous after them. ¹⁸But it is right to be zealous at all times in what is right, and not only when I am present with you—

¹⁹my children, of whom I again travail in birth until Christ shall have been formed in you: ²⁰and I should wish to be present with you now, and change my voice, for I am perplexed as to you.

²¹Tell me, ye who are desirous of being under law, do ye not listen to the law? ²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons; one of the maid servant, and one of the free woman. ²³But he that was of the maid servant was born according to flesh, and he that was of the free woman through the promise. ²⁴Which things have an allegorical sense; for these are two covenants: one from mount Sinai, gendering to bondage, which is Hagar. ²⁵For Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which is now, for she is in bondage with her children; ²⁶but the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother. ²⁷For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break out and cry, thou that travailest not; because the children of the desolate are more numerous than those of her that has a husband. ²⁸But ye, brethren, after the pattern of Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹But as then he that was born according to flesh persecuted him that was born according to Spirit, so also it is now. ³⁰But what says the scripture? Cast out the maid servant and her son; for the son of the maid servant shall not inherit with the son of the free woman. ³¹So then, brethren, we are not maid servant’s children, but children of the free woman.

Chapter 5

¹Christ has set us free in freedom; stand fast therefore, and be not held again in a yoke of bondage. ²Behold, I, Paul, say to you, that if ye are circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. ³And I witness again to every man who is circumcised, that he is debtor to do the whole law. ⁴Ye are deprived of all profit from the Christ as separated from him, as many as are justified by law; ye have fallen from grace. ⁵For we, by the Spirit, on the principle of faith, await the hope of righteousness. ⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision has any force, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love. ⁷Ye ran well; who has stopped you that ye should not obey the truth? ⁸The persuasibleness is not of him that calls you. ⁹A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ¹⁰I have confidence as to you in the Lord, that ye will have no other mind; and he that is troubling you shall bear the guilt of it, whosoever he may be. ¹¹But I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why am I yet persecuted? Then the scandal of the cross has been done away. ¹²I would that they would even cut themselves off who throw you into confusion.

¹³For ye have been called to liberty, brethren; only do not turn liberty into an opportunity to the flesh, but by love serve one another. ¹⁴For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; ¹⁵but if ye bite and devour one another, see that ye are not consumed one of another. ¹⁶But I say, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall no way fulfil flesh’s lust. ¹⁷For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these things are opposed one to the other, that ye should not do those things which ye desire; ¹⁸but if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under law. ¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strifes, jealousies, angers, contentions, disputes, schools of opinion, ²¹envyings, murders, drunkennesses, revels, and things like these; as to which I tell you beforehand, even as I also have said before, that they who do such things shall not inherit God’s kingdom. ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, fidelity, ²³meekness, self-control: against such things there is no law. ²⁴But they that are of the Christ have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts. ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us walk also by the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become vain-glorious, provoking one another, envying one another.