Galatians 4

¹ Now I am saying, for as much time as the enjoyer of an allotment is a minor, in nothing is he of more consequence than a slave, being master of all, ² but is under guardians and administrators until the time purposed by the father. ³ Thus we also, when we were minors, were enslaved under the elements of the world. ⁴ Now when the full time came, God delegates His Son, come of a woman, come under law, ⁵ that He should be reclaiming those under law, that we may be getting the place of a son. ⁶ Now, seeing that you are sons, God delegates the spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying "Abba! Father!" ⁷ So that you are no longer a slave, but a son. Now if a son, an enjoyer also of an allotment from God, through Christ. ⁸ But then, indeed, having no perception of God, you were slaves of those who, by nature, are not gods. ⁹ Yet now, knowing God, yet rather being known by God, how are you turning back again to the infirm and poor elements for which you want to slave again anew? ¹⁰ Days are you scrutinizing, and months and seasons and years. ¹¹ I fear for you, lest somehow I have toiled for you feignedly. ¹² Become as I, for I am even as you, brethren, I beseech you. In nothing do you injure me. ¹³ Now you are aware that during an infirmity of the flesh I bring the evangel to you formerly. ¹⁴ And your trial, in my flesh, you do not scorn, neither do you loathe it, but as a messenger of God you receive me, as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Where, then, is your happiness? For I am testifying to you, that, if possible, gouging out your eyes, you would give them to me. ¹⁶ So that I have become your enemy by being true to you! ¹⁷ They are jealous over you, not ideally, but they want to debar you that you may be jealous over them. ¹⁸ Now it is ideal for you to be jealous in the ideal always, and not only in my presence with you. ¹⁹ Little children mine, with whom I am travailing again until Christ may be formed in you! ²⁰ Yet I wanted to be present with you just now, and to change my voice, for I am perplexed about you. ²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under law, are you not hearing the law? ²² For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one out of the maid and one out of the free womam. ²³ But the one, indeed, out of the maid is begotten according to flesh, yet the one out of the free woman through the promise: ²⁴ which is allegorizing, for these women are two covenants; one, indeed, from mount Sinai, generating into slavery, which is Hagar. ²⁵ Yet Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia; it is in line with the Jerusalem which now is, for she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ Yet the Jerusalem above is free, who is mother of us all. ²⁷ For it is written, "Be glad, barren one, who art not bringing forth! Burst forth and implore, thou who art not travailing! For many are the children of the desolate, Rather than of her who has the husband. ²⁸ Now you, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹ But even as then, the one generated according to flesh persecuted the one according to spirit, thus also it is now. ³⁰ But what is the scripture saying? Cast out this maid and her son, for by no means shall the son of the maid be enjoying the allotment with the son of the free woman. ³¹ Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of the maid, but of the free woman.