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,

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

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

but he is under guardians and stewards until the period fixed by 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 principles 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 was come, God sent forth his Son, come of woman, come under law,

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

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

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

But because ye are sons, God has sent out 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 thou art no longer bondman, but son; but if son, heir also through God.

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

But then indeed, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to those who by nature are not 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, knowing God, but rather being known by God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye desire to be again anew in bondage?

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

Ye observe days and months and times and years.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 my temptation, which in my flesh, ye did not slight nor reject with contempt; but ye received me as an angel of God, 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.

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

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

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

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

They are not rightly zealous after you, but desire to shut you out, that ye may be zealous after 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 right to be zealous at all times in what is right, 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 children, of whom I again travail in birth until Christ shall have been 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

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

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

Tell me, ye who are desirous of being under law, do ye not listen to 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 of the maid servant, and one of the free woman.

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

But he of the maid servant was born according to flesh, and he of the free woman through the 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 have an allegorical sense; for these are two covenants: one from mount Sinai, gendering to 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—

For Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now, 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 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 out and cry, thou that travailest not; because the children of the desolate are more numerous than of her that has a husband.

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

But ye, brethren, after the pattern of Isaac, 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 according to flesh persecuted him according to Spirit, so also 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.”

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

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