Galatians 4:16-26

English Standard Version

¹⁶ Have I then become your enemy by ^(A)telling you the truth?^{[a] 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 ^(B)not only when I am present with you, ^19 (C)my little children, ^(D)for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ ^(E)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, ^(F)one by a slave woman and ^(G)one by a free woman. ²³ But ^(H)the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while ^(I)the son of the free woman was born through promise. ²⁴ Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two ^(J)covenants. ^(K)One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia;^[b] she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But ^(L)the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.