Galatians 4:21-31
Legacy Standard Bible
An Allegory of Two Covenants
21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not (A)listen to the Law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, (B)one by the servant-woman and (C)one by the free woman. 23 But (D)the son by the servant-woman had been born according to the flesh, while (E)the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 [a](F)This is [b]spoken with allegory, for these women are two covenants: one from (G)Mount Sinai bearing children into (H)slavery; [c]she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But (I)the Jerusalem above is free; [d]she is our mother. 27 For it is written,
“(J)Rejoice, barren woman who does not give birth;
Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;
For more numerous are the children of the desolate one
Than of the one who has a husband.”
28 And you brothers, (K)in accordance with Isaac, are (L)children of promise. 29 But as at that time (M)he who was born according to the flesh (N)was persecuting him who was born according to the Spirit, (O)so it is now also. 30 But what does the Scripture say?
“(P)Cast out the servant-woman and her son,
For (Q)the son of the servant-woman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”
31 So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant-woman, [e]but of the free woman.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Galatians 4:24 Lit Which
- Galatians 4:24 Or written
- Galatians 4:24 Lit which
- Galatians 4:26 Lit which
- Galatians 4:31 Ch 5:1, note 1
Galatians 4:21-31
Christian Standard Bible
Sarah and Hagar: Two Covenants
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, don’t you hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham(A) had two sons, one by a slave(B) and the other by a free woman. 23 But the one by the slave was born as a result of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born through promise. 24 These things are being taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai(C) and bears children into slavery—this is Hagar.(D) 25 Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia(E) and corresponds to the present Jerusalem,(F) for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above(G) is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written,(H)
Rejoice, childless woman,(I)
unable to give birth.
Burst into song and shout,
you who are not in labor,
for the children of the desolate woman will be many,
more numerous than those
of the woman who has a husband.[a](J)
28 Now you too, brothers and sisters, like Isaac,(K) are children of promise.(L) 29 But just as then the child born as a result of the flesh persecuted the one born as a result of the Spirit,(M) so also now.(N) 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Drive out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a coheir with the son of the free woman.”[b](O) 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave but of the free woman.(P)
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