The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 4 -

And I say, now as much time as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a servant, [though] being lord of all,

but is under tutors and stewards until the time appointed of the father,

so we also, when we were children, were in servitude under the elements of the world,

and when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, come of a woman, come under law,

that He may redeem those under law, that we may receive the adoption as sons;

and because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

So that you are no longer a servant, but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

But then, indeed, having not known God, you were in servitude to those [that are] not by nature gods,

and now, having known God—and rather being known by God—how [do] you turn again to the weak and poor elements to which you desire anew to be in servitude?

You observe days, and months, and times, and years!

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

I implore you, brothers, become as I [am]—because I also [am] as you; you did not hurt me;

and you have known that through weakness of the flesh I proclaimed good news to you at the first,

and you did not despise nor reject my trial that [is] in my flesh, but you received me as a messenger of God—as Christ Jesus;

what then was your blessedness? For I testify to you, that if possible, having plucked out your eyes, you would have given [them] to me;

so have I become your enemy, being true to you?

They are zealous for you—[yet] not well, but they wish to shut us out, that you may be zealous for them;

and [it is] good to be zealously regarded, in what is good, at all times, and not only in my being present with you;

my little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ may be formed in you,

indeed I was wishing to be present with you now, and to change my voice, because I am in doubt about you.

Hagar and Sarah

(Genesis 21:9–21)

Tell me, you who are willing to be under law, do you not hear the Law?

For it has been written that Abraham had two sons, one by the maidservant and one by the free [woman],

but he who [is] of the maidservant has been according to flesh, but he who [is] of the free [woman], through the promise,

which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from Mount Sinai, bringing forth to servitude, which is Hagar;

for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the Jerusalem that now [is], and is in servitude with her children,

and the Jerusalem above is the free [woman], which is mother of us all,

for it has been written: “Rejoice, O barren, who is not bearing; break forth and cry, you who are not travailing, because many [are] the children of the desolate—more than of her having the husband.”

And we, brothers, as Isaac, are children of promise,

but as he then who was born according to the flesh persecuted him [born] according to the Spirit, so also now;

but what does the Writing say? “Cast forth the maidservant and her son, for the son of the maidservant may not be heir with the son of the free [woman]”;

then, brothers, we are not a maidservant’s children, but the free [woman’s].

But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all,

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

So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.

But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,

that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as children.

And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba,(a) Father!”

So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods.

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?

You observe days, months, seasons, and years.

I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you.

I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,

but you know that because of weakness in the flesh I preached the Good News to you the first time.

That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn’t despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

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

They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them.

But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you.

My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you—

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

Hagar and Sarah

(Genesis 21:9–21)

Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don’t you listen to the law?

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

However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.

These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.

For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children.

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

For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear. Break out and shout, you who don’t travail. For the desolate women have more children than her who has a husband.” (b)

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

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

However, what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not inherit with the son of the free woman.”(c)

So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman.

Footnotes

(a)4:6 Abba is a Greek spelling for the Aramaic word for “Father” or “Daddy” used in a familiar, respectful, and loving way.

(b)4:27 ℘ Isaiah 54:1