^{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.