Galatians 4:22-31

English Standard Version

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.

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Footnotes

Galatians 4:25 Some manuscripts For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia
Galatians 4:28 Some manuscripts we

Galatians 4:22-31

New International Version

²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman^(A) and the other by the free woman.^(B) ²³His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh,^(C) but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.^(D)

²⁴These 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. ²⁵Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶But the Jerusalem that is above^(E) is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷For it is written:

“Be glad, barren woman,
    you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
    you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
    than of her who has a husband.”^[a]^(F)

²⁸Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.^(G) ²⁹At that time the son born according to the flesh^(H) persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.^(I) It is the same now. ³⁰But 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.”^[b]^(J) ³¹Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman,^(K) but of the free woman.^(L)