New Testament in a Year
4 1 Being delivered from the bondage of the Law, 4 by Christ’s coming, who is the end thereof, 9 it is very absurd to slide back to beggarly ceremonies: 13 He calleth them again therefore to the purity of the doctrine of the Gospel, 21 confirming his discourse with a fine allegory.
1 Then [a]I say, that the heir as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be Lord of all,
2 But is under tutors and governors, [b]until the time appointed of the Father.
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the [c]rudiments of the world.
4 [d]But when the [e]fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a [f]woman, and made under the Law,
5 That he might redeem them which were under the Law, that we (A)might receive the [g]adoption of the sons.
6 [h]And because ye are sons, God hath [i]sent forth the [j]Spirit of his Son into your hearts, which crieth, Abba, Father.
7 Wherefore, thou art no more a [k]servant, but a son: now if thou be a son, thou art also the [l]heir of God through Christ.
8 [m]But even then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them, which by nature are not gods:
9 But now seeing ye know God, yea, rather are known of God, how turn ye again unto impotent and [n]beggarly rudiments, whereunto as from the beginning ye will be in bondage [o]again?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
11 I am in fear of you, lest I have bestowed on you labor in vain.
12 [p]Be ye as I (for I am even as you) brethren, I beseech you: ye have not hurt me at all.
13 And ye know, how through [q]infirmity of the flesh, I preached the Gospel unto you at the first.
14 And the [r]trial of me which was in my flesh, ye despised not, neither abhorred: but ye received me as an Angel of God, yea, as [s]Christ Jesus.
15 [t]What was then your felicity? for I bear you record, that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them unto me.
16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
17 They are jealous over you [u]amiss: yea, they would exclude you, [v]that ye should altogether love them.
18 But it is a good thing to love [w]earnestly always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you,
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you.
20 And I would I were with you now, that I might [x]change my voice: for I am in doubt of you.
21 [y]Tell me, ye that [z]will be under the Law, do ye not hear the Law?
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, (B)one by a servant, and (C)one by a free woman.
23 But he which was of the servant, was born after the [aa]flesh: and he which was of the free woman, was born by [ab]promise.
24 By the which things another thing is meant: for [ac]these mothers are the [ad]two Testaments, the one which is Hagar of mount [ae]Sinai, which gendereth unto bondage.
25 (For Hagar or Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, and it [af]answered to Jerusalem which now is) and [ag]she is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem, which is [ah]above, is free: which is the mother of us all.
27 [ai]For it is written, (D)Rejoice thou barren that bearest no children: break forth, and cry, thou that travailest not: for the [aj]desolate hath many more children, than she which hath an husband.
28 (E)Therefore, brethren, we are after the [ak]manner of Isaac, children of the [al]promise.
29 But as then he that was born after the [am]flesh, persecuted him that was born after the [an]Spirit, even so it is now.
30 But what saith the Scripture? (F)Put out the servant and her son: for the son of the servant shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.
31 [ao]Then brethren, we are not children of the servant, but of the free woman.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.