Galatians 4:21-5:13

English Standard Version

Example of Hagar and Sarah

²¹Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? ²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons, ^(A)one by a slave woman and ^(B)one by a free woman. ²³But ^(C)the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while ^(D)the son of the free woman was born through promise. ²⁴Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two ^(E)covenants. ^(F)One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. ²⁵Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia;^[a] she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶But ^(G)the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷For it is written,

^(H)“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than those of the one who has a husband.”

²⁸Now you,^[b] brothers, ^(I)like Isaac, ^(J)are children of promise. ²⁹But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh ^(K)persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, ^(L)so also it is now. ³⁰But what does the Scripture say? ^(M)“Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” ³¹So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but ^(N)of the free woman.

Christ Has Set Us Free

5 For ^(O)freedom Christ has ^(P)set us free; ^(Q)stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to ^(R)a yoke of ^(S)slavery.

²Look: I, Paul, say to you that ^(T)if you accept circumcision, ^(U)Christ will be of no advantage to you. ³I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that ^(V)he is obligated to keep the whole law. ⁴You are ^(W)severed from Christ, ^(X)you who would be justified^[c] by the law; ^(Y)you have fallen away from grace. ⁵For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly ^(Z)wait for the hope of righteousness. ⁶For in Christ Jesus ^(AA)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but ^(AB)only faith working through love.

⁷^(AC)You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying ^(AD)the truth? ⁸This persuasion is not from ^(AE)him who calls you. ⁹^(AF)A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ¹⁰^(AG)I have confidence in the Lord that you will ^(AH)take no other view, and ^(AI)the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. ¹¹But if I, brothers,^[d] still preach^[e] circumcision, ^(AJ)why am I still being persecuted? In that case ^(AK)the offense of the cross has been removed. ¹²I wish ^(AL)those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

¹³For you were called to freedom, brothers. ^(AM)Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love ^(AN)serve one another.