²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God^(A) through faith, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ^(B) have clothed yourselves with Christ.^{(C) 28} There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,^(D) nor is there male and female,^(E) for you are all one in Christ Jesus.^{(F) 29} If you belong to Christ,^(G) then you are Abraham’s seed,^(H) and heirs^(I) according to the promise.^(J)

4 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. ² The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. ³ So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery^(K) under the elemental spiritual forces^[a] of the world.^{(L) 4} But when the set time had fully come,^(M) God sent his Son,^(N) born of a woman,^(O) born under the law,^{(P) 5} to redeem^(Q) those under the law, that we might receive adoption^(R) to sonship.^{[b](S) 6} Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son^(T) into our hearts,^(U) the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,^[c] Father.”^{(V) 7} So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.^(W)

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

⁸ Formerly, when you did not know God,^(X) you were slaves^(Y) to those who by nature are not gods.^{(Z) 9} But now that you know God—or rather are known by God^(AA)—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces^[d]? Do you wish to be enslaved^(AB) by them all over again?^{(AC) 10} You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!^{(AD) 11} I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.^(AE)

¹² I plead with you, brothers and sisters,^(AF) become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. ¹³ As you know, it was because of an illness^(AG) that I first preached the gospel to you, ¹⁴ and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.^{(AH) 15} Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?^(AI)

¹⁷ Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.^{(AJ) 18} It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.^{(AK) 19} My dear children,^(AL) for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,^{(AM) 20} how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

Hagar and Sarah

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under the law,^(AN) are you not aware of what the law says? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman^(AO) and the other by the free woman.^{(AP) 23} His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh,^(AQ) but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.^(AR)

²⁴ These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above^(AS) is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written:

²⁸ Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.^{(AU) 29} At that time the son born according to the flesh^(AV) persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.^(AW) It is the same now. ³⁰ But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”^{[f](AX) 31} Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman,^(AY) but of the free woman.^(AZ)

Freedom in Christ

5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.^(BA) Stand firm,^(BB) then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.^(BC)

² Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised,^(BD) Christ will be of no value to you at all.

¹⁵ So Hagar^(A) bore Abram a son,^(B) and Abram gave the name Ishmael^(C) to the son she had borne. ¹⁶ Abram was eighty-six years old^(D) when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

The Covenant of Circumcision

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old,^(E) the Lord appeared to him^(F) and said, “I am God Almighty^[a];^(G) walk before me faithfully and be blameless.^{(H) 2} Then I will make my covenant between me and you^(I) and will greatly increase your numbers.”^(J)

³ Abram fell facedown,^(K) and God said to him, ⁴ “As for me, this is my covenant with you:^(L) You will be the father of many nations.^{(M) 5} No longer will you be called Abram^[b]; your name will be Abraham,^[c](N) for I have made you a father of many nations.^{(O) 6} I will make you very fruitful;^(P) I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.^(Q)

¹⁵ God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai^(A) your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.^{(B) 16} I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her.^(C) I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations;^(D) kings of peoples will come from her.”

¹⁷ Abraham fell facedown;^(E) he laughed^(F) and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?^(G) Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”^{(H) 18} And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael^(I) might live under your blessing!”^(J)

¹⁹ Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son,^(K) and you will call him Isaac.^[a](L) I will establish my covenant with him^(M) as an everlasting covenant^(N) for his descendants after him. ²⁰ And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers.^(O) He will be the father of twelve rulers,^(P) and I will make him into a great nation.^{(Q) 21} But my covenant^(R) I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you^(S) by this time next year.”^{(T) 22} When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.^(U)

⁹ “Where is your wife Sarah?”^(A) they asked him.

“There, in the tent,^(B)” he said.

¹⁰ Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year,^(C) and Sarah your wife will have a son.”^(D)

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. ¹¹ Abraham and Sarah were already very old,^(E) and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.^{(F) 12} So Sarah laughed^(G) to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord^(H) is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

¹³ Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’^{(I) 14} Is anything too hard for the Lord?^(J) I will return to you at the appointed time next year,^(K) and Sarah will have a son.”^(L)

¹⁵ Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”