²⁴ “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.^{(A) 25} It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul,^(B) how much more the members of his household!

²⁶ “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.^{(C) 27} What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. ²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One^(D) who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.^{[a] 30} And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.^{(E) 31} So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.^(F)

³² “Whoever acknowledges me before others,^(G) I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. ³³ But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.^(H)

³⁴ “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to turn

³⁷ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.^{(K) 38} Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.^{(L) 39} Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.^(M)

⁴⁰ “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,^(N) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^{(O) 41} Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”^(P)

The Charge Against Israel

4 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. ² The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. ³ So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery^(A) under the elemental spiritual forces^[a] of the world.^{(B) 4} But when the set time had fully come,^(C) God sent his Son,^(D) born of a woman,^(E) born under the law,^{(F) 5} to redeem^(G) those under the law, that we might receive adoption^(H) to sonship.^{[b](I) 6} Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son^(J) into our hearts,^(K) the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,^[c] Father.”^{(L) 7} So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.^(M)

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

⁸ Formerly, when you did not know God,^(N) you were slaves^(O) to those who by nature are not gods.^{(P) 9} But now that you know God—or rather are known by God^(Q)—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces^[d]? Do you wish to be enslaved^(R) by them all over again?^{(S) 10} You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!^{(T) 11} I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.^(U)

¹² I plead with you, brothers and sisters,^(V) become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. ¹³ As you know, it was because of an illness^(W) that I first preached the gospel to you, ¹⁴ and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.^{(X) 15} Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?^(Y)

¹⁷ Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.^{(Z) 18} It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.^{(AA) 19} My dear children,^(AB) for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,^{(AC) 20} how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

Hagar and Sarah

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under the law,^(AD) are you not aware of what the law says? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman^(AE) and the other by the free woman.^{(AF) 23} His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh,^(AG) but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.^(AH)

²⁴ These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above^(AI) is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written:

²⁸ Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.^{(AK) 29} At that time the son born according to the flesh^(AL) persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.^(AM) It is the same now. ³⁰ But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”^{[f](AN) 31} Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman,^(AO) but of the free woman.^(AP)

Freedom in Christ

5 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.^(AQ) Stand firm,^(AR) then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.^(AS)