Galatians 4:21–5:12

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.

Chapter 5

Walk by the Spirit

1 1aIt was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore bkeep standing firm and do not be subject again to a cyoke of slavery.

2 Behold I, aPaul, say to you that if you receive bcircumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

3 And I atestify again to every man who receives bcircumcision, that he is under obligation to ckeep the whole Law.

4 You have been severed from Christ, you who 1are seeking to be justified by law; you have afallen from grace.

5 For we 1through the Spirit, 2by faith, are awaiting for the hope of righteousness.

6 For in aChrist Jesus bneither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but cfaith working through love.

7 You were arunning well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?

8 This persuasion did not come from aHim who calls you.

9 aA little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.

10 aI have confidence 1in you in the Lord that you bwill adopt no other view; but the one who is cdisturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

11 But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still apersecuted? Then bthe stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.

12 I wish that athose who are troubling you would even 1bmutilate themselves.