⁸ In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children,^(A) but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.^(B)

¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.^(A)

¹¹ And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.^(A) So then, he is the father^(B) of all who believe^(C) but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. ¹² And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

¹³ It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise^(D) that he would be heir of the world,^(E) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.^{(F) 14} For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,^{(G) 15} because the law brings wrath.^(H) And where there is no law there is no transgression.^(I)

¹⁶ Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace^(J) and may be guaranteed^(K) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.^(L)

²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God^(A) through faith, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ^(B) have clothed yourselves with Christ.^{(C) 28} There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,^(D) nor is there male and female,^(E) for you are all one in Christ Jesus.^{(F) 29} If you belong to Christ,^(G) then you are Abraham’s seed,^(H) and heirs^(I) according to the promise.^(J)

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God^(A) are the children of God.^(B)

²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman^(A) and the other by the free woman.^{(B) 23} His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh,^(C) but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.^(D)

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^(E) is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written:

²⁸ Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.^{(G) 29} At that time the son born according to the flesh^(H) persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.^(I) 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.”^{[b](J) 31} Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman,^(K) but of the free woman.^(L)

3 See what great love^(A) the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!^(B) And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.^{(C) 2} Dear friends,^(D) now we are children of God,^(E) and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,^[a](F) we shall be like him,^(G) for we shall see him as he is.^(H)