1 B ut I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;

¶ 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,

2 b ut is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father.

but is under the hand of tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

3 S o we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:

Even so we, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements of the world,

4 b ut when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

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

to redeem those that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

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

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

7 S o that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

therefore, thou art no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

8 H owbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods:

¶ However then, when ye did not know God, ye did service unto those who by nature are not gods.

9 b ut now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?

But 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?

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

Ye observe days and months and times and years.

11 I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.

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

12 I beseech you, brethren, become as I am, for I also am become as ye are. Ye did me no wrong:

¶ Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are; ye have not injured me at all.

13 b ut ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time:

Ye know how through weakness of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

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

And 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.

15 W here then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

Where 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.

16 S o then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth?

Am I, therefore, become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

17 T hey zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.

¶ They are zealous after you, but not for good; they would exclude you from us, that ye might be zealous after them.

18 B ut it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.

It is good to be always zealous to do good, and not only when I am present with you.

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

¶ My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ is formed in you,

20 b ut I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.

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

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

¶ Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, have ye not heard the law?

22 F or it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman.

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

23 H owbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise.

But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, but he of the freewoman was born through the promise.

24 W hich things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.

Which things are an allegory; for these women are the two covenants: the one from the Mount Sinai, which begat unto slavery, which is Hagar.

25 N ow this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children.

For 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.

26 B ut the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother.

But the Jerusalem of above is free, which is the mother of us all.

27 F or it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband.

For 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.

28 N ow we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

So that we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

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

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

30 H owbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman.

Nevertheless 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.

31 W herefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.

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