¹⁶ The Spirit Himself ^(A)testifies with our spirit that we are ^(B)children of God,

Sonship in Christ

4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a ^[a]child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is ^[b]owner of everything, ² but he is under guardians and stewards until the date set by the father. ³ So also we, while we were children, were ^(A)enslaved under the ^[c](B)elemental things of the world. ⁴ But when ^(C)the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, ^(D)born of a woman, born ^(E)under ^[d]the Law, ⁵ so that He might redeem those who were under ^[e]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as ^(F)sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, ^(G)God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “^(H)Abba! Father!” ⁷ Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and ^(I)if a son, then an heir ^[f]through God.

⁸ However at that time, ^(J)when you did not know God, you were ^(K)slaves to ^(L)those which by nature are no gods. ⁹ But now, having known God, or rather having been ^(M)known by God, ^(N)how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless ^[g](O)elemental things, to which you want to be enslaved all over again? ¹⁰ You ^(P)observe days and months and seasons and years. ¹¹ I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored ^[h]over you for nothing.

¹² I beg of you, ^(Q)brothers, ^(R)become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong. ¹³ But you know that it was because of a ^[i]bodily illness that I proclaimed the gospel to you the ^[j]first time; ¹⁴ and that which was a ^[k]trial to you in my ^[l]bodily condition you did not despise or ^[m]loathe, but ^(S)you received me as an angel of God, as ^(T)Christ Jesus Himself. ¹⁵ Where then is ^[n]that sense of blessing you had? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ So have I become your enemy ^(U)by ^[o]telling you the truth? ¹⁷ They zealously seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will zealously seek them. ¹⁸ But it is good always to be zealously sought in a commendable ^[p]manner, and ^(V)not only when I am present with you. ^19 (W)My children, with whom ^(X)I am again in labor until ^(Y)Christ is formed in you— ²⁰ but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, because ^(Z)I am perplexed about you.

An Allegory of Two Covenants

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not ^(AA)listen to the Law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, ^(AB)one by the servant-woman and ^(AC)one by the free woman. ²³ But ^(AD)the son by the servant-woman had been born according to the flesh, while ^(AE)the son by the free woman through the promise. ^24 [q](AF)This is ^[r]spoken with allegory, for these women are two covenants: one from ^(AG)Mount Sinai bearing children into ^(AH)slavery; ^[s]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 ^(AI)the Jerusalem above is free; ^[t]she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written,

²⁸ And you brothers, ^(AK)in accordance with Isaac, are ^(AL)children of promise. ²⁹ But as at that time ^(AM)he who was born according to the flesh ^(AN)was persecuting him who was born according to the Spirit, ^(AO)so it is now also. ³⁰ But what does the Scripture say?

³¹ So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant-woman, ^[u]but of the free woman.

Christ Set Us Free

5 ^[v](AR)It was for freedom that Christ set us free. Therefore, ^(AS)stand firm and do not be subject again to a ^(AT)yoke of slavery.

² Behold I, ^(AU)Paul, say to you that if you receive ^(AV)circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. ³ And I ^(AW)testify again to every man who receives ^(AX)circumcision, that he is under obligation to ^(AY)keep the whole Law. ⁴ You have been ^[w]severed from Christ, you who are being justified by law; you have ^(AZ)fallen from grace! ⁵ For we ^[x]through the Spirit, ^[y]by faith, are ^(BA)eagerly waiting for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in ^(BB)Christ Jesus ^(BC)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but ^(BD)faith working through love.

⁷ You were ^(BE)running well; who hindered you from ^[z]obeying the truth? ⁸ This persuasion is not from ^(BF)Him who calls you. ^9 (BG)A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ^10 (BH)I have confidence ^[aa]in you in the Lord that you ^(BI)will adopt no other view. But the one who is ^(BJ)disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. ¹¹ But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still ^(BK)persecuted? Then ^(BL)the stumbling block of the cross would have been abolished. ¹² I wish that ^(BM)those who are upsetting you would even ^[ab](BN)mutilate themselves.

¹³ For you were called to ^(BO)freedom, brothers; ^(BP)only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love ^(BQ)serve one another. ¹⁴ For ^(BR)the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “^(BS)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you ^(BT)bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another.

Walk by the Spirit

¹⁶ But I say, ^(BU)walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out ^(BV)the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For ^(BW)the flesh ^[ac]sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, ^(BX)so that you do not do the things that you want. ¹⁸ But if you are ^(BY)led by the Spirit, ^(BZ)you are not under the Law. ¹⁹ Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: ^(CA)sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, ^(CB)sorcery, enmities, ^(CC)strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, ^(CD)selfish ambition, dissensions, ^[ad](CE)factions, ²¹ envying, ^(CF)drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not ^(CG)inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But ^(CH)the fruit of the Spirit is ^(CI)love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, ^(CJ)self-control. Against such things ^(CK)there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who ^[ae]belong to ^(CL)Christ Jesus ^(CM)crucified the flesh with its passions and ^(CN)desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also ^[af]walk in step with ^(CO)the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become those with ^(CP)vain glory, challenging one another, envying one another.

Bear One Another’s Burdens

6 ^(CQ)Brothers, even if ^[ag]anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are ^(CR)spiritual, ^(CS)restore such a one ^(CT)in a spirit of gentleness, each of you looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. ^2 (CU)Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill ^(CV)the law of Christ. ³ For ^(CW)if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But each one must ^(CX)examine his own work, and then he will have reason for ^(CY)boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. ⁵ For ^(CZ)each one will bear his own load.

^6 (DA)And the one who is instructed in ^(DB)the word is to share in all good things with the one who instructs him. ^7 (DC)Do not be deceived, ^(DD)God is not mocked, for ^(DE)whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. ^8 (DF)For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap ^(DG)corruption, but ^(DH)the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. ^9 (DI)And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we ^(DJ)do not grow weary. ¹⁰ So then, ^[ah](DK)while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the ^(DL)household of ^(DM)the faith.

¹¹ See with what large letters I ^[ai]am writing to you ^(DN)with my own hand! ¹² As many as are wanting ^(DO)to make a good showing in the flesh, these are trying to ^(DP)compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they ^(DQ)will not be persecuted ^[aj]for the cross of Christ. ¹³ For those who ^[ak]are circumcised do not even ^(DR)keep ^[al]the Law themselves, but they want to have you circumcised so that they may ^(DS)boast in your flesh. ¹⁴ But ^(DT)may it never be that I would boast, ^(DU)except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(DV)through ^[am]which the world has been crucified to me, and ^(DW)I to the world. ¹⁵ For ^(DX)neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a ^(DY)new ^[an]creation. ¹⁶ And those who will ^[ao]walk in step with this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the ^(DZ)Israel of God.

¹⁷ From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the ^(EA)marks of Jesus.

^18 (EB)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be ^(EC)with your spirit, ^(ED)brothers. Amen.

¹⁷ So the dragon was enraged with the woman and went off to ^(A)make war with the rest of her ^(B)seed, who ^(C)keep the commandments of God and ^(D)have the witness of Jesus.