1 N ow I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything,

2 b ut is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.

3 E ven so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.

4 b ut when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,

5 t o redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

6 A nd because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “ Abba! Father!”

7 W herefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

8 H owbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.

9 B ut now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?

10 Y e observe days, and months, and times, and years.

You observe days and months and seasons and years.

11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

12 B rethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.

I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong;

13 Y e know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time;

14 A nd my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

15 W here is then the blessedness ye spake 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.

Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

16 A m I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

17 T hey zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.

They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them.

18 B ut it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you.

19 M y little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—

20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. Bond and Free

21 T ell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?

22 F or it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.

23 B ut he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.

24 W hich things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.

25 F or this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.

26 B ut Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.

27 F or it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

For it is written, “ Rejoice, 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 N ow we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.

29 B ut as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.

30 N evertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

But what does the Scripture say? “ Cast out the bondwoman and her son, For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”

31 S o then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.