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 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 tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

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

3 E ven so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements 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 was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made 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 o 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 hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your 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 W herefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

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

8 H owbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which 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, 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, 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 times, and years.

Ye observe days and months and times and years.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

17 T hey zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect 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 affected always in a good thing, 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 travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

¶ My little children, of whom I travail in birth again 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.

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, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

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

23 B ut he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by 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 are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

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 F or this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and 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 Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

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 the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an 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 the 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, even so 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 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.

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

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