Galatians 4
Bible in Basic English (BBE)
1 Ref But I say that as long as the son is a child, he is in no way different from a servant, though he is lord of all;
2 But is under keepers and managers till the time fixed by the father.
3 Ref So we, when we were young, were kept under the first rules of the world;
4 Ref But when the time had come, God sent out his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 Ref That he might make them free who were under the law, and that we might be given the place of sons.
6 Ref And because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, saying, Abba, Father.
7 Ref So that you are no longer a servant, but a son; and if a son, then the heritage of God is yours.
8 Ref But at that time, having no knowledge of God, you were servants to those who by right are no gods:
9 Ref But now that you have come to have knowledge of God, or more truly, God has knowledge of you, how is it that you go back again to the poor and feeble first things, desiring to be servants to them again?
10 Ref You keep days, and months, and fixed times, and years.
11 Ref I am in fear of you, that I may have been working for you to no purpose.
12 Ref My desire for you, brothers, is that you may be as I am, because I am as you are. You have done me no wrong;
13 Ref But you have knowledge that with a feeble body I was preaching the good news to you the first time;
14 Ref And you did not have a poor opinion of me because of the trouble in my flesh, or put shame on it; but you took me to your hearts as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15 Ref Where then is that happy condition of yours? because I give you witness, that, if possible, you would have taken out your eyes and given them to me.
16 Ref So then am I no longer your friend, because I give you true words?
17 Ref Their interest in you is not good; but their desire is that you may be shut out, so that you may go after them.
18 Ref But it is good to have an interest in a good cause at all times, and not only when I am present with you.
19 Ref My children, of whom I am again in birth-pains till Christ is formed in you,
20 Ref Truly my desire is to be present with you now, using a changed voice; for I am troubled about you.
21 Ref Say, you whose desire it is to be under the law, do you not give ear to the law?
22 Ref Because it is in the Writings, that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant-woman, and one by the free woman.
23 Ref Now the son by the servant-woman has his birth after the flesh; but the son by the free woman has his birth through the undertaking of God.
24 Ref Which things have a secret sense; because these women are the two agreements; one from the mountain of Sinai, giving birth to servants, which is Hagar.
25 Ref Now this Hagar is the mountain Sinai in Arabia, and is the image of the Jerusalem which now is: which is a servant with her children.
26 Ref But the Jerusalem on high is free, which is our mother.
27 Ref For it is in the Writings, You who have never given birth, be glad; give cries of joy, you who have had no birth-pains; for the children of her who has been given up by her husband are more than those of the woman who has a husband.
28 Ref Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are the children of the undertaking of God.
29 Ref But as in those days he who had birth after the flesh was cruel to him who had birth after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Ref What then do the Writings say? Send away the servant-woman and her son; for the son of the servant-woman will not have a part in the heritage with the son of the free woman.
31 Ref So, brothers, we are not children of the servant-woman, but of the free woman.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
1 Ref And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant -- being lord of all,
2 but is under tutors and stewards till the time appointed of the father,
3 Ref so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude,
4 Ref and when the fulness of time did come, God sent forth His Son, come of a woman, come under law,
5 Ref that those under law he may redeem, that the adoption of sons we may receive;
6 Ref and because ye are sons, God did send forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, `Abba, Father!'
7 Ref so that thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.
8 Ref But then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature gods,
9 Ref and now, having known God -- and rather being known by God -- how turn ye again unto the weak and poor elements to which anew ye desire to be in servitude?
10 Ref days ye observe, and months, and times, and years!
11 Ref I am afraid of you, lest in vain I did labour toward you.
12 Ref Become as I `am' -- because I also `am' as ye brethren, I beseech you; to me ye did no hurt,
13 Ref and ye have known that through infirmity of the flesh I did proclaim good news to you at the first,
14 Ref and my trial that `is' in my flesh ye did not despise nor reject, but as a messenger of God ye did receive me -- as Christ Jesus;
15 Ref what then was your happiness? for I testify to you, that if possible, your eyes having plucked out, ye would have given to me;
16 Ref so that your enemy have I become, being true to you?
17 Ref they are zealous for you -- `yet' not well, but they wish to shut us out, that for them ye may be zealous;
18 Ref and `it is' good to be zealously regarded, in what is good, at all times, and not only in my being present with you;
19 Ref my little children, of whom again I travail in birth, till Christ may be formed in you,
20 Ref and I was wishing to be present with you now, and to change my voice, because I am in doubt about you.
21 Ref Tell me, ye who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear?
22 Ref for it hath been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the maid-servant, and one by the free-woman,
23 Ref but he who `is' of the maid-servant, according to flesh hath been, and he who `is' of the free-woman, through the promise;
24 Ref which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from mount Sinai, to servitude bringing forth, which is Hagar;
25 Ref for this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and doth correspond to the Jerusalem that now `is', and is in servitude with her children,
26 Ref and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all,
27 Ref for it hath been written, `Rejoice, O barren, who art not bearing; break forth and cry, thou who art not travailing, because many `are' the children of the desolate -- more than of her having the husband.'
28 Ref And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise,
29 Ref but as then he who was born according to the flesh did persecute him according to the spirit, so also now;
30 Ref but what saith the Writing? `Cast forth the maid-servant and her son, for the son of the maid-servant may not be heir with the son of the free-woman;'
31 Ref then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant's children, but the free-woman's.
American Standard-ASV1901 (ASV)
1 Ref 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 but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father.
3 Ref So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:
4 Ref but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 Ref that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 Ref And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 Ref So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
8 Ref Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods:
9 Ref 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 Ref Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years.
11 Ref I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.
12 Ref I beseech you, brethren, become as I `am', for I also `am become' as ye `are'. Ye did me no wrong:
13 Ref but ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time:
14 Ref 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 Ref 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 Ref So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth?
17 Ref They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.
18 Ref 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 Ref My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you--
20 Ref but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.
21 Ref Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
22 Ref For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman.
23 Ref Howbeit the `son' by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the `son' by the freewoman `is born' through promise.
24 Ref Which things contain an allegory: for these `women' are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.
25 Ref 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 Ref But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother.
27 Ref 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 Ref Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
29 Ref But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him `that was born' after the Spirit, so also it is now.
30 Ref 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 Ref Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.