1 N ow I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,

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

2 b ut is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.

but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father.

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

So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:

4 B ut when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

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

5 t o redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

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

6 A nd because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

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

7 T herefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Fears for the Church

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

8 B ut then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.

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

9 B ut now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?

but 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?

10 Y ou observe days and months and seasons and years.

Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years.

11 I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.

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

12 B rethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all.

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

13 Y ou know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.

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

14 A nd my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

and 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.

15 W hat then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.

Where 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.

16 H ave I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth?

17 T hey zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them.

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

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

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

19 M y little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,

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

20 I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you. Two Covenants

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

21 T ell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

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

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

23 B ut he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,

Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise.

24 w hich things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—

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

25 f or this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children—

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

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

But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother.

27 F or it is written: “Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband.”

For 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.

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

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

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

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

30 N evertheless 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.”

Howbeit 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.

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

Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.