Galatians 4:8-31

English Standard Version

Paul's Concern for the Galatians

⁸ Formerly, when you ^(A)did not know God, you ^(B)were enslaved to those that by nature ^(C)are not gods. ⁹ But now that you have come to know God, or rather ^(D)to be known by God, ^(E)how can you turn back again to ^(F)the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? ^10 (G)You observe days and months and seasons and years! ¹¹ I am afraid ^(H)I may have labored over you in vain.

¹² Brothers,^{[a] (I)}I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. ^(J)You did me no wrong. ¹³ You know it was ^(K)because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you ^(L)at first, ¹⁴ and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me ^(M)as an angel of God, ^(N)as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I then become your enemy by ^(O)telling you the truth?^{[b] 17} They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. ¹⁸ It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and ^(P)not only when I am present with you, ^19 (Q)my little children, ^(R)for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ ^(S)is formed in you! ²⁰ I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Example of Hagar and Sarah

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

²⁸ Now you,^[d] brothers, ^(AB)like Isaac, ^(AC)are children of promise. ²⁹ But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh ^(AD)persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, ^(AE)so also it is now. ³⁰ But what does the Scripture say? ^(AF)“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.” ³¹ So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but ^(AG)of the free woman.