Chapter 4

Sonship in Christ

1 Now 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,

2 but he is under guardians and 1managers until the date set by the father.

3 So also we, while we were children, were held ain bondage under the 1belemental things of the world.

4 But when athe fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, bborn of a woman, born cunder 1the Law,

5 so that He might redeem those who were under 1the Law, that we might receive the adoption as asons.

6 Because you are sons, aGod has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “bAbba! Father!”

7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and aif a son, then an heir 1through God.

8 However at that time, awhen you did not know God, you were bslaves to cthose which by nature are no gods.

9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be aknown by God, bhow is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless 1celemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?

10 You aobserve days and months and seasons and years.

11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored 1over you in vain.

12 I beg of you, abrethren, bbecome 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 1bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the 2first time;

14 and that which was a 1trial to you in my 2bodily condition you did not despise or 3loathe, but ayou received me as an angel of God, as bChrist Jesus Himself.

15 Where then is 1that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

16 So have I become your enemy aby 1telling you the truth?

17 They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them.

18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable 1manner, and anot only when I am present with you.

19 aMy children, with whom bI am again in labor until cChrist is formed in you—

20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for aI am perplexed about you.

Bond and Free

21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not alisten to the law?

22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, aone by the bondwoman and bone by the free woman.

23 But athe son by the bondwoman 1was born according to the flesh, and bthe son by the free woman through the promise.

24 1aThis is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from bMount Sinai bearing children 2who are to be cslaves; 3she is Hagar.

25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.

26 But athe Jerusalem above is free; 1she is our mother.

27 For it is written,

“aRejoice, barren woman who does not bear;

Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;

For more numerous are the children of the desolate

Than of the one who has a husband.”

28 And you brethren, alike Isaac, are bchildren of promise.

29 But as at that time ahe who was born according to the flesh bpersecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, cso it is now also.

30 But what does the Scripture say?

“aCast out the bondwoman and her son,

For bthe son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”

31 So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, 1but of the free woman.