Galatians 4

Legacy Standard Bible

Sonship in Christ

4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a ^[a]child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is ^[b]owner of everything, ² but he is under guardians and stewards until the date set by the father. ³ So also we, while we were children, were ^(A)enslaved under the ^[c](B)elemental things of the world. ⁴ But when ^(C)the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, ^(D)born of a woman, born ^(E)under ^[d]the Law, ⁵ so that He might redeem those who were under ^[e]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as ^(F)sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, ^(G)God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “^(H)Abba! Father!” ⁷ Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and ^(I)if a son, then an heir ^[f]through God.

⁸ However at that time, ^(J)when you did not know God, you were ^(K)slaves to ^(L)those which by nature are no gods. ⁹ But now, having known God, or rather having been ^(M)known by God, ^(N)how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless ^[g](O)elemental things, to which you want to be enslaved all over again? ¹⁰ You ^(P)observe days and months and seasons and years. ¹¹ I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored ^[h]over you for nothing.

¹² I beg of you, ^(Q)brothers, ^(R)become 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 ^[i]bodily illness that I proclaimed the gospel to you the ^[j]first time; ¹⁴ and that which was a ^[k]trial to you in my ^[l]bodily condition you did not despise or ^[m]loathe, but ^(S)you received me as an angel of God, as ^(T)Christ Jesus Himself. ¹⁵ Where then is ^[n]that sense of blessing you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ So have I become your enemy ^(U)by ^[o]telling you the truth? ¹⁷ They zealously seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will zealously seek them. ¹⁸ But it is good always to be zealously sought in a commendable ^[p]manner, and ^(V)not only when I am present with you. ^19 (W)My children, with whom ^(X)I am again in labor until ^(Y)Christ is formed in you— ²⁰ but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, because ^(Z)I am perplexed about you.

An Allegory of Two Covenants

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not ^(AA)listen to the Law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, ^(AB)one by the servant-woman and ^(AC)one by the free woman. ²³ But ^(AD)the son by the servant-woman had been born according to the flesh, while ^(AE)the son by the free woman through the promise. ^24 [q](AF)This is ^[r]spoken with allegory, for these women are two covenants: one from ^(AG)Mount Sinai bearing children into ^(AH)slavery; ^[s]she 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 ^(AI)the Jerusalem above is free; ^[t]she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written,

²⁸ And you brothers, ^(AK)in accordance with Isaac, are ^(AL)children of promise. ²⁹ But as at that time ^(AM)he who was born according to the flesh ^(AN)was persecuting him who was born according to the Spirit, ^(AO)so it is now also. ³⁰ But what does the Scripture say?

³¹ So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant-woman, ^[u]but of the free woman.