Galatians 4

No Longer Slaves But Sons and Heirs

4Now I say, for as long a time as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he^* is master of everything, ²but he is under guardians and managers until the time set by his father. ³So also we, when we were children, we were enslaved under the elemental spirits of the world. ⁴But when the fullness of time came, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵in order that he might redeem those under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption. ⁶And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba!^a (Father!),” ⁷so that you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir through God.

Do Not Be Enslaved Again

⁸But at that time when you^* did not know God, you were enslaved to the things which by nature are not gods. ⁹But now, because you have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to be enslaved to them^b all over again? ¹⁰You carefully observe days and months and seasons and years. ¹¹I am afraid for you, lest perhaps I have labored for you in vain! ¹²I ask you, brothers, become like me, because I also have become like you. You have done me no wrong!

Paul’s Personal Appeal

¹³But you know that because of an illness of the flesh I proclaimed the gospel to you the first time. ¹⁴And you did not despise or disdain what was a trial for you in my flesh, but you welcomed me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus. ¹⁵So where is your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me! ¹⁶So then, have I become your enemy by^* being truthful to you? ¹⁷They zealously seek you, not commendably, but they want to exclude you, in order that you may seek them zealously. ¹⁸But it is good to be sought zealously in good at all times, and not only when I am present with you. ¹⁹My children, for whom I am having birth pains again, until Christ is formed in you! ²⁰But I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone because I am perplexed about you.

Hagar and Sarah Represent Two Covenants

²¹Tell me, you who are wanting to be under the law, do you not understand^c the law? ²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the female slave and one by the free woman. ²³But the one by the female slave was born according to human descent, and the one by the free woman through the promise, ²⁴which things are spoken allegorically, for these women are two covenants, one from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery, who is Hagar. ²⁵Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is a slave with her children. ²⁶But the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother. ²⁷For it is written,

“Rejoice, O barren woman, who does not give birth to children;

burst out and shout, you who do not have birth pains,

because many are the children of the desolate woman,

even more than those of the one who has a husband.”^d

²⁸But you, brothers, are children of the promise, just as Isaac. ²⁹But just as at that time the child born according to human descent persecuted the child born according to the Spirit, so also now. ³⁰But what does the scripture say? “Drive out the female slave and her son, for the son of the female slave will never inherit with the son”^e of the free woman. ³¹Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the female slave but of the free woman.