^{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.

^{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.

^{1 Ref} 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;

² but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father.

^{3 Ref} So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elements of the world.

^{4 Ref} But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,

^{5 Ref} that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.

^{6 Ref} And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba,{Abba is a Greek spelling for the Chaldee word for "Father" or "Daddy" used in a familiar, respectful, and loving way.} Father!"

^{7 Ref} So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

^{8 Ref} However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods.

^{9 Ref} 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 elements, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?

^{10 Ref} You observe days, months, seasons, and years.

^{11 Ref} I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you.

^{12 Ref} I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,

^{13 Ref} but you know that because of weakness of the flesh I preached the Gospel to you the first time.

^{14 Ref} 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.

^{15 Ref} 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.

^{16 Ref} So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

^{17 Ref} They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them.

^{18 Ref} But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you.

^{19 Ref} My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is 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, you that desire to be under the law, don't you listen to the law?

^{22 Ref} For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the free woman.

^{23 Ref} However, the son by the handmaid was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.

^{24 Ref} These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.

^{25 Ref} For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children.

^{26 Ref} But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

^{27 Ref} For it is written, "Rejoice, you barren who don't bear. Break forth and shout, you that don't travail. For more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband."

^{28 Ref} Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

^{29 Ref} 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.

^{30 Ref} However what does the Scripture say? "Throw out the handmaid and her son, for the son of the handmaid will not inherit with the son of the free woman."

^{31 Ref} So then, brothers, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the free woman.