Sons and Heirs Through Christ

Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, (A)were in bondage under the elements of the world. But (B)when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, (C)born[a] (D)of a woman, (E)born under the law, (F)to redeem those who were under the law, (G)that we might receive the adoption as sons.

And because you are sons, God has sent forth (H)the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, [b]“Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, (I)and if a son, then an heir [c]of God [d]through Christ.

Fears for the Church

But then, indeed, (J)when you did not know God, (K)you served those which by nature are not gods. But now (L)after you have known God, or rather are known by God, (M)how is it that you turn again to (N)the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? 10 (O)You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am afraid for you, (P)lest I have labored for you in vain.

12 Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. (Q)You have not injured me at all. 13 You know that (R)because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. 14 And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me (S)as an [e]angel of God, (T)even as Christ Jesus. 15 [f]What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

17 They (U)zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. 18 But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. 19 (V)My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, 20 I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.

Two Covenants(W)

21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: (X)the one by a bondwoman, (Y)the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman (Z)was born according to the flesh, (AA)and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are [g]the two covenants: the one from Mount (AB)Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— 26 but the (AC)Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written:

(AD)“Rejoice, O barren,
You who do not bear!
Break forth and shout,
You who are not in labor!
For the desolate has many more children
Than she who has a husband.”

28 Now (AE)we, brethren, as Isaac was, are (AF)children of promise. 29 But, as (AG)he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, (AH)even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what does (AI)the Scripture say? (AJ)“Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for (AK)the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:4 Or made
  2. Galatians 4:6 Lit., in Aram., Father
  3. Galatians 4:7 NU through God
  4. Galatians 4:7 NU omits through Christ
  5. Galatians 4:14 Or messenger
  6. Galatians 4:15 NU Where
  7. Galatians 4:24 NU, M omit the

λεγω δε εφ οσον χρονον ο κληρονομος νηπιος εστιν ουδεν διαφερει δουλου κυριος παντων ων

αλλα υπο επιτροπους εστιν και οικονομους αχρι της προθεσμιας του πατρος

ουτως και ημεις οτε ημεν νηπιοι υπο τα στοιχεια του κοσμου ημεν δεδουλωμενοι

οτε δε ηλθεν το πληρωμα του χρονου εξαπεστειλεν ο θεος τον υιον αυτου γενομενον εκ γυναικος γενομενον υπο νομον

ινα τους υπο νομον εξαγοραση ινα την υιοθεσιαν απολαβωμεν

οτι δε εστε υιοι εξαπεστειλεν ο θεος το πνευμα του υιου αυτου εις τας καρδιας υμων κραζον αββα ο πατηρ

ωστε ουκετι ει δουλος αλλ υιος ει δε υιος και κληρονομος θεου δια χριστου

αλλα τοτε μεν ουκ ειδοτες θεον εδουλευσατε τοις μη φυσει ουσιν θεοις

νυν δε γνοντες θεον μαλλον δε γνωσθεντες υπο θεου πως επιστρεφετε παλιν επι τα ασθενη και πτωχα στοιχεια οις παλιν ανωθεν δουλευειν θελετε

10 ημερας παρατηρεισθε και μηνας και καιρους και ενιαυτους

11 φοβουμαι υμας μηπως εικη κεκοπιακα εις υμας

12 γινεσθε ως εγω οτι καγω ως υμεις αδελφοι δεομαι υμων ουδεν με ηδικησατε

13 οιδατε δε οτι δι ασθενειαν της σαρκος ευηγγελισαμην υμιν το προτερον

14 και τον πειρασμον μου τον εν τη σαρκι μου ουκ εξουθενησατε ουδε εξεπτυσατε αλλ ως αγγελον θεου εδεξασθε με ως χριστον ιησουν

15 τις ουν ην ο μακαρισμος υμων μαρτυρω γαρ υμιν οτι ει δυνατον τους οφθαλμους υμων εξορυξαντες αν εδωκατε μοι

16 ωστε εχθρος υμων γεγονα αληθευων υμιν

17 ζηλουσιν υμας ου καλως αλλα εκκλεισαι υμας θελουσιν ινα αυτους ζηλουτε

18 καλον δε το ζηλουσθαι εν καλω παντοτε και μη μονον εν τω παρειναι με προς υμας

19 τεκνια μου ους παλιν ωδινω αχρις ου μορφωθη χριστος εν υμιν

20 ηθελον δε παρειναι προς υμας αρτι και αλλαξαι την φωνην μου οτι απορουμαι εν υμιν

21 λεγετε μοι οι υπο νομον θελοντες ειναι τον νομον ουκ ακουετε

22 γεγραπται γαρ οτι αβρααμ δυο υιους εσχεν ενα εκ της παιδισκης και ενα εκ της ελευθερας

23 αλλ ο μεν εκ της παιδισκης κατα σαρκα γεγεννηται ο δε εκ της ελευθερας δια της επαγγελιας

24 ατινα εστιν αλληγορουμενα αυται γαρ εισιν αι δυο διαθηκαι μια μεν απο ορους σινα εις δουλειαν γεννωσα ητις εστιν αγαρ

25 το γαρ αγαρ σινα ορος εστιν εν τη αραβια συστοιχει δε τη νυν ιερουσαλημ δουλευει δε μετα των τεκνων αυτης

26 η δε ανω ιερουσαλημ ελευθερα εστιν ητις εστιν μητηρ παντων ημων

27 γεγραπται γαρ ευφρανθητι στειρα η ου τικτουσα ρηξον και βοησον η ουκ ωδινουσα οτι πολλα τα τεκνα της ερημου μαλλον η της εχουσης τον ανδρα

28 ημεις δε αδελφοι κατα ισαακ επαγγελιας τεκνα εσμεν

29 αλλ ωσπερ τοτε ο κατα σαρκα γεννηθεις εδιωκεν τον κατα πνευμα ουτως και νυν

30 αλλα τι λεγει η γραφη εκβαλε την παιδισκην και τον υιον αυτης ου γαρ μη κληρονομηση ο υιος της παιδισκης μετα του υιου της ελευθερας

31 αρα αδελφοι ουκ εσμεν παιδισκης τεκνα αλλα της ελευθερας

And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant -- being lord of all,

but is under tutors and stewards till the time appointed of the father,

so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude,

and when the fulness of time did come, God sent forth His Son, come of a woman, come under law,

that those under law he may redeem, that the adoption of sons we may receive;

and because ye are sons, God did send forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, `Abba, Father!'

so that thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.

But then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature gods,

and now, having known God -- and rather being known by God -- how turn ye again unto the weak and poor elements to which anew ye desire to be in servitude?

10 days ye observe, and months, and times, and years!

11 I am afraid of you, lest in vain I did labour toward you.

12 Become as I [am] -- because I also [am] as ye brethren, I beseech you; to me ye did no hurt,

13 and ye have known that through infirmity of the flesh I did proclaim good news to you at the first,

14 and my trial that [is] in my flesh ye did not despise nor reject, but as a messenger of God ye did receive me -- as Christ Jesus;

15 what then was your happiness? for I testify to you, that if possible, your eyes having plucked out, ye would have given to me;

16 so that your enemy have I become, being true to you?

17 they are zealous for you -- [yet] not well, but they wish to shut us out, that for them ye may be zealous;

18 and [it is] good to be zealously regarded, in what is good, at all times, and not only in my being present with you;

19 my little children, of whom again I travail in birth, till Christ may be formed in you,

20 and I was wishing to be present with you now, and to change my voice, because I am in doubt about you.

21 Tell me, ye who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear?

22 for it hath been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the maid-servant, and one by the free-woman,

23 but he who [is] of the maid-servant, according to flesh hath been, and he who [is] of the free-woman, through the promise;

24 which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from mount Sinai, to servitude bringing forth, which is Hagar;

25 for this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and doth correspond to the Jerusalem that now [is], and is in servitude with her children,

26 and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all,

27 for it hath been written, `Rejoice, O barren, who art not bearing; break forth and cry, thou who art not travailing, because many [are] the children of the desolate -- more than of her having the husband.'

28 And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise,

29 but as then he who was born according to the flesh did persecute him according to the spirit, so also now;

30 but what saith the Writing? `Cast forth the maid-servant and her son, for the son of the maid-servant may not be heir with the son of the free-woman;'

31 then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant's children, but the free-woman's.