Galatians 4:21-31
New American Standard Bible
Slave and Free
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 slave woman and (C)one by the free woman. 23 But (D)the son by the slave woman [a]was born according to the flesh, and (E)the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 [b](F)This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from (G)Mount Sinai giving birth to children [c]who are to be (H)slaves; [d]she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children. 26 But (I)the Jerusalem above is free; [e]she is our mother. 27 For it is written:
“(J)Rejoice, infertile one, you who do not give birth;
Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;
For the children of the desolate one are more numerous
Than those of the one who has a husband.”
28 And you, brothers and sisters, (K)like Isaac, are (L)children of promise. 29 But as at that time (M)the son who was born according to the flesh (N)persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, (O)so it is even now. 30 But what does the Scripture say?
“(P)Drive out the slave woman and her son,
For (Q)the son of the slave woman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”
31 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Galatians 4:23 Lit has been born
- Galatians 4:24 Lit Which
- Galatians 4:24 Lit into slavery
- Galatians 4:24 Lit which
- Galatians 4:26 Lit which
Galatians 4:21-31
American Standard Version
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, [a]that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman. 23 [b]Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise. 24 Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar. 25 [c]Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother. 27 For it is written,
[d]Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not;
Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not:
For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband.
28 Now [e]we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 Howbeit what saith the scripture? [f]Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. 31 Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Galatians 4:22 Gen. 16:15.
- Galatians 4:23 Gen. 21:2.
- Galatians 4:25 Many ancient authorities read For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia.
- Galatians 4:27 Isa. 54:1.
- Galatians 4:28 Many ancient authorities read ye.
- Galatians 4:30 Gen. 21:10, 12.
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