Galatians 4
4
Galatians 4
1¶ Now I say That the heir, as long as he is a child differs in nothing from a slave, though he be lord of all,
2but is under the hand of tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
3Even so we, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements of the world,
4but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5to redeem those that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6And because ye are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father;
7therefore, thou art no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8¶ However then, when ye did not know God, ye did service unto those who by nature are not gods.
9But now, having known God, or rather being known of God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, in which ye desire again to be in slavery?
10Ye observe days and months and times and years.
11I am afraid for you, lest I have bestowed labour upon you in vain.
12¶ Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are; ye have not injured me at all.
13Ye know how through weakness of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
14And my affliction which was in my flesh ye did not despise, nor reject but ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15Where is then the blessedness ye spoke of? for I bear you record that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes and have given them to me.
16Am I, therefore, become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17¶ They are zealous after you, but not for good; they would exclude you from us, that ye might be zealous after them.
18It is good to be always zealous to do good, and not only when I am present with you.
19¶ My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ is formed in you,
20I desire to be present with you now and to change my voice, for I stand in doubt of you.
21¶ Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, have ye not heard the law?
22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, but he of the freewoman was born through the promise.
24Which things are an allegory; for these women are the two covenants: the one from the Mount Sinai, which begat unto slavery, which is Hagar.
25For this Hagar or Sinai is a mount in Arabia, which corresponds to the one that is now Jerusalem, which together with her children is in slavery.
26But the Jerusalem of above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth into praise and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.
28So that we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
29But as then he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.
30Nevertheless what does the scripture say? Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International
Galatians 4
4
1Children who are under age are no better off than slaves, even though everything their parents own will some day be theirs. 2This is because children are placed in the care of guardians and teachers until the time their parents have set. 3That is how it was with us. We were like children ruled by the powers of this world.
4But when the time was right, God sent his Son, and a woman gave birth to him. His Son obeyed the Law, 5so he could set us free from the Law, and we could become God's children.#Ro 8.15-17. 6Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father. 7You are no longer slaves. You are God's children, and you will be given what he has promised.
Paul's concern for the Galatians
8Before you knew God, you were slaves of gods that are not real. 9But now you know God, or better still, God knows you. How can you turn back and become the slaves of those weak and pitiful powers?#4.9 powers: Spirits were thought to control human lives and were believed to be connected with the movements of the stars. 10You even celebrate certain days, months, seasons, and years. 11I am afraid I have wasted my time working with you.
12My friends, I beg you to be like me, just as I once tried to be like you. Did you ill-treat me 13when I first preached to you? No you didn't, even though you knew I had come there because I was sick. 14My illness must have caused you some trouble, but you didn't hate me or turn me away because of it. You welcomed me as though I were one of God's angels or even Christ Jesus himself. 15Where is that good feeling now? I am sure that if it had been possible, you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me. 16Am I now your enemy, just because I told you the truth?
17Those people may be paying you a lot of attention, but it isn't for your good. They only want to keep you away from me, so you will pay them a lot of attention. 18It is always good to give your attention to something worthwhile, even when I am not with you. 19My children, I am in terrible pain until Christ may be seen living in you. 20I wish I were with you now. Then I would not have to talk this way. You really have me puzzled.
Hagar and Sarah
21Some of you would like to be under the rule of the Law of Moses. But do you know what the Law says? 22In the Scriptures we learn that Abraham had two sons. The mother of one of them was a slave, while the mother of the other one had always been free.#Gn 16.15; Gn 21.2. 23The son of the slave woman was born in the usual way. But the son of the free woman was born because of God's promise.
24All this has another meaning as well. Each of the two women stands for one of the agreements God made with his people. Hagar, the slave woman, stands for the agreement that was made at Mount Sinai. Everyone born into her family is a slave. 25Hagar also stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia#4.25 Hagar also stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia: Some manuscripts have “Sinai is a mountain in Arabia”. This sentence would then be translated: “Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, and Hagar stands for the present city of Jerusalem.” and for the present city of Jerusalem. She#4.25 She: “Hagar” or “Jerusalem”. and her children are slaves.
26But our mother is the city of Jerusalem in heaven above, and she isn't a slave. 27The Scriptures say about her,#Is 54.1.
“You have never had children,
but now you can be glad.
You have never given birth,
but now you can shout.
Once you had no children,
but now you will have
more children than a woman
who has been married
for a long time.”
28My friends, you were born because of this promise, just as Isaac was. 29But the child who was born in the natural way made trouble for the child who was born because of the Spirit. The same thing is happening today.#Gn 21.9. 30The Scriptures say, “Get rid of the slave woman and her son! He won't be given anything. The son of the free woman will receive everything.”#Gn 21.10. 31My friends, we are children of the free woman and not of the slave.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012