¹ But I say, that the heir, as long as he is a minor, differs in no respect from a servant, though he is owner of all;

² but is under guardians and managers till the time appointed by the father.

³ So, also, we, when we were minors, were in bondage under the rudiments of the world.

⁴ But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

⁵ that he might buy off those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption.

⁶ And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

⁷ So, then, you are no longer a servant, but a son; and if a son, an heir also of God, through Christ.

⁸ But, then, because you knew not God, you were enslaved to those who, by nature, are not gods:

⁹ now, however, after having known God, rather indeed having been known by God, how is it that you are turning back to the weak and beggarly rudiments, to which you desire again to be in bondage, as at first?

¹⁰ You observe days and months and times and years.

¹¹ fear for you, lest I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.

¹² Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; because I was as you are. You have injured me in nothing.

¹³ You know that through weakness of the flesh I preached the gospel to you at the first:

¹⁴ and my trial, which was in my flesh, you did not despise or loathe; but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ How great, then, was your blessedness! For I testify for you, that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes, and have given them to me.

¹⁶ Have I then become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

¹⁷ They are ardently attached to you, but not honorably; indeed, they desire to exclude us, that you may be ardently attached to them.

¹⁸ It is honorable to be ardently attached always, in what is honorable, and not only when I am present with you.

¹⁹ My little children, for whom I again suffer the pains of gestation, till Christ be formed in you,

²⁰ I desire to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am in doubt concerning you.

²¹ Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do you not understand the law?

²² For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; one by a bondmaid, and one by a free woman.

²³ But the one by the bondmaid was born according to the flesh; the other, by the free woman, was by promise.

²⁴ These things are allegorized: for these women are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai that brings forth for bondage, which is Hagar.

²⁵ For Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in bondage with her children.

²⁶ But Jerusalem which is above is free; and she is the mother of us all.

²⁷ For it is written: Rejoice you barren, that do not bear: break forth and cry aloud, you that travail not: for many more are the children of the deserted, than of her that had the husband of the deserted.

²⁸ We, indeed, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.

²⁹ But as then, he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born according to the Spirit, so even now.

³⁰ But what says the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman.

³¹ Therefore, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free-woman.