Galatians 4
Complete Jewish Bible
4 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a minor he is no different from a slave, even though he is the legal owner of the estate; 2 rather, he is subject to guardians and caretakers until the time previously set by his father. 3 So it is with us — when we were “children” we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe; 4 but when the appointed time arrived, God sent forth his Son. He was born from a woman, born into a culture in which legalistic perversion of the Torah was the norm, 5 so that he might redeem those in subjection to this legalism and thus enable us to be made God’s sons. 6 Now because you are sons, God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out, “Abba!” (that is, “Dear Father!”). 7 So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son you are also an heir.
8 In the past, when you did not know God, you served as slaves beings which in reality are non-gods. 9 But now you do know God, and, more than that, you are known by God. So how is it that you turn back again to those weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to enslave yourselves to them once more? 10 You observe special days, months, seasons and years! 11 I fear for you that my work among you has been wasted!
12 Brothers, I beg of you: put yourselves in my place — after all, I put myself in your place. It isn’t that you have done me any wrong — 13 you know that it was because I was ill that I proclaimed the Good News to you at first; 14 and even though my physical condition must have tempted you to treat me with scorn, you did not display any sign of disdain or disgust. No, you welcomed me as if I had been an angel of God, as if I had been the Messiah Yeshua himself! 15 So what has become of the joy you felt? For I bear you witness that had it been possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy because I tell you the truth? 17 True, these teachers are zealous for you, but their motives are not good. They want to separate you from us so that you will become zealous for them. 18 To be zealous is good, provided always that the cause is good. Indeed, whether I am present with you or not, 19 my dear children, I am suffering the pains of giving birth to you all over again — and this will go on until the Messiah takes shape in you. 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone of voice. I don’t know what to do with you.
21 Tell me, you who want to be in subjection to the system that results from perverting the Torah into legalism, don’t you hear what the Torah itself says? 22 It says that Avraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. 23 The one by the slave woman was born according to the limited capabilities of human beings, but the one by the free woman was born through the miracle-working power of God fulfilling his promise. 24 Now, to make a midrash on these things: the two women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children for slavery — this is Hagar. 25 Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Yerushalayim, for she serves as a slave along with her children. 26 But the Yerushalayim above is free, and she is our mother; 27 for the Tanakh says,
“Rejoice, you barren woman who does not bear children!
Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor!
For the deserted wife will have more children
than the one whose husband is with her!”[a]
28 You, brothers, like Yitz’chak, are children referred to in a promise of God. 29 But just as then the one born according to limited human capability persecuted the one born through the Spirit’s supernatural power, so it is now. 30 Nevertheless, what does the Tanakh say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for by no means will the son of the slave woman inherit along with the son of the free woman!”[b] 31 So, brothers, we are children not of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
Footnotes
- Galatians 4:27 Isaiah 54:1
- Galatians 4:30 Genesis 2l:10
Galatians 4
Expanded Bible
4 ·I want to tell you this [or This is what I mean; L I am saying]: While those who will inherit their fathers’ property are still children, they are no different from slaves. It does not matter that the children ·own everything [or are masters/lords over the whole estate]. 2 They must obey ·those chosen to care for them [L their guardians and administrators/trustees] until the time set by their father. 3 It is the same for us. We were once like children, slaves to the ·useless rules [or spiritual forces; or elementary principles/powers] of this world. 4 But when the ·right [appropriate; or appointed; L fullness of] time came, God sent his Son who was born of a woman and ·lived [L born] under the law. 5 God did this so he could ·buy freedom for [redeem] those who were under the law and so we could ·become his children [or receive adoption as heirs; C a Roman legal term for adopting an heir to carry on one’s name].
6 Since you are God’s ·children [or sons], God sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, and the Spirit cries out, “Abba [C Aramaic for “Father,” a term of intimacy], Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave; you are God’s ·child [or son], and ·because you are his child, God will give you the blessing he promised [L if a son/child, then also an heir through God].
Paul’s Love for the Christians
8 In the past you did not know God. You were slaves to gods that were not real. 9 But now you know the true God. Really, it is God who knows you. So ·why do [L how can] you turn back to those weak and ·useless [bankrupt; L poor] ·rules [or spiritual forces; or elementary principles/powers; v. 3] you followed before? Do you want to be slaves to those things again? 10 You still ·follow teachings about [are observing/keeping] special days, months, seasons, and years [C probably Jewish Sabbaths and festivals, which Paul’s opponents claimed must be observed to be saved]. 11 I am afraid for you, that my work for you has been wasted.
12 Brothers and sisters, I became like you [C living like a Gentile to win them to Christ; 1 Cor. 9:21], so I beg you to become like me [C depending on God’s grace, not the Jewish law, for salvation]. You ·were very good to me before [L did me no wrong]. 13 You remember that it was because of an illness that I came to you the first time, preaching the ·Good News [Gospel]. 14 Though my sickness was a ·trouble for you [trial for you; or test of your concern], you did not ·hate [despise] me or ·make me leave [reject me]. Instead, you welcomed me as an angel from God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself! 15 But where is that ·joy [happiness; blessedness] you had then? I am ready to testify that you would have taken out your eyes and given them to me if that were possible. 16 Now am I your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 Those people [C the false teachers; 1:7] ·are working hard to persuade you [or show great interest in you; or are eager to win your favor; L are zealous for you], but ·this is not good for you [for no good purpose; or their intentions are not good]. They want to persuade you to ·turn against [reject; exclude] us and ·follow only [care only for; L be zealous for] them. 18 It is good ·for people to show interest in you [or to be passionate/enthusiastic; L to be zealous/the object of zeal], but only if their ·purpose [intention] is good. This is always true, not just when I am with you. 19 My little children, again I feel the pain of childbirth for you until ·you truly become like Christ [L Christ is formed in you]. 20 I wish I could be with you now and could change ·the way I am talking to you [or my tone of voice; L my voice], because I ·do not know what to think about [or don’t know how to help; or am perplexed/at wit’s end about] you.
The Example of Hagar and Sarah
21 Some of you still want to be under the law. Tell me, do you know what the law says? 22 [L For] The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons. The mother of one son was a slave woman, and the mother of the other son was a free woman. 23 Abraham’s son from the slave woman was born ·in the normal human way [or through human effort/plan; L according to the flesh; C Ishmael; Gen. 16]. But the son from the free woman was born ·because of the promise God made to Abraham [L through the promise; C Isaac; Gen. 17; 21].
24 This story ·teaches something else [or may be read allegorically/figuratively/as an illustration]: The two women are ·like the two agreements between God and his people [L two covenants]. One is ·the law that God made on Mount Sinai [L from Mount Sinai; C the mountain in Arabia where God delivered his law to Israel through Moses; Ex. 19—31], ·and the people who are under this agreement are like slaves [L …bearing children for slavery]. ·The mother named Hagar is like that agreement [L This is Hagar]. 25 She is like Mount Sinai in Arabia and ·is a picture of [corresponds to; represents] the ·earthly city of [L present] Jerusalem. This city and ·its people [L her children] are ·slaves to the law [L slaves]. 26 But the ·heavenly Jerusalem, which is above [L Jerusalem above], is like the free woman. She is our mother. 27 [L For] It is written in the Scriptures:
“·Be happy [Rejoice], barren one [C Jerusalem].
You are like a woman who never gave birth to children.
·Start singing [Burst out] and ·shout for joy [cry out].
You never ·felt the pain of giving birth [or went into labor],
but you who are ·childless [L desolate; or deserted] will have more children
than the woman who has a husband [Is. 54:1].”
28 My brothers and sisters, you are ·God’s children because of his promise [L children of the promise], as Isaac was then. 29 [L For just as] The son who was born ·in the normal way [or through human effort/plan; L according to the flesh] treated the other son badly. It is the same today [C a reference to Jewish persecution of Christians]. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the slave woman and her son. The son of the slave woman will not share in the inheritance with the son of the free woman [Gen. 21:10].” 31 So, my brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.