Galatians 4

Sons and Heirs

Galatians 4:1–7

1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a slave, though he be lord of all;

2 But is under guardians and administrators until the time appointed of the father.

3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

7 Wherefore thou art no more a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Paulʼs Concern for the Galatians

Galatians 4:8–20

8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye served them which by nature are no gods.

9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

11 I am afraid for you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.

13 Ye know how through physical illness I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

14 And the trial in my body ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

15 Where is then the blessedness ye spoke of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

17 They eagerly seek you, but not for good; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might eagerly seek them.

18 But it is good to be eagerly sought always for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you.

19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.

Hagar and Sarah

Galatians 4:21–31

21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a slave woman, the other by a freewoman.

23 But he who was of the slave woman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which bears children for slavery, which is Agar.

25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

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

27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath a husband.

28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the slave woman and her son: for the son of the slave woman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free.