¹ Now I say, As long as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a bondman, though he be lord of all;

² but he is under guardians and stewards until the period fixed by the father.

³ So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the principles of the world;

⁴ but when the fulness of the time was come,¹God sent forth his Son, come of woman, come under law,

1. 4.4 Elohim

⁵ that he might redeem those under law, that we might receive sonship.

⁶ But because ye are sons,¹God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

1. 4.6 Elohim

⁷ So thou art no longer bondman, but son; but if son, heir also through¹ God.

1. 4.7 Elohim

⁸ But then indeed, not knowing¹ God, ye were in bondage to those who by nature are not² gods;

1. 4.8 Elohim
2. 4.8 Elohim

⁹ but now, knowing¹ God, but rather being known by² God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye desire to be again anew in bondage?

1. 4.9 Elohim
2. 4.9 Elohim

¹⁰ Ye observe days and months and times and years.

¹¹ I am afraid of you, lest indeed I have laboured in vain as to you.

¹² Be as I [am], for I also [am] as ye, brethren, I beseech you: ye have not at all wronged me.

¹³ But ye know that in weakness of the flesh I announced the glad tidings to you at the first;

¹⁴ and my temptation, which [was] in my flesh, ye did not slight nor reject with contempt; but ye received me as an angel of¹ God, as Christ Jesus.

1. 4.14 Elohim

¹⁵ What then [was] your blessedness? for I bear you witness that, if possible, plucking out your own eyes ye would have given [them] to me.

¹⁶ So I have become your enemy in speaking the truth to you?

¹⁷ They are not rightly zealous after you, but desire to shut you out [from us], that ye may be zealous after them.

¹⁸ But [it is] right to be zealous at all times in what is right, and not only when I am present with you —

¹⁹ my children, of whom I again travail in birth until Christ shall have been formed in you:

²⁰ and I should wish to be present with you now, and change my voice, for I am perplexed as to you.

²¹ Tell me, ye who are desirous of being under law, do ye not listen to the law?

²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons; one of the maid servant, and one of the free woman.

²³ But he [that was] of the maid servant was born according to flesh, and he [that was] of the free woman through the promise.

²⁴ Which things have an allegorical sense; for these are two covenants: one from mount Sinai, gendering to bondage, which is Hagar.

²⁵ For Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which [is] now, for she is in bondage with her children;

²⁶ but the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother.

²⁷ For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break out and cry, thou that travailest not; because the children of the desolate are more numerous than [those] of her that has a husband.

²⁸ But ye, brethren, after the pattern of Isaac, are children of promise.

²⁹ But as then he that was born according to flesh persecuted him [that was born] according to Spirit, so also [it is] now.

³⁰ But what says the scripture? Cast out the maid servant and her son; for the son of the maid servant shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.

³¹ So then, brethren, we are not maid servant's children, but [children] of the free woman.