WeBible

1 - And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant--being lord of all,

2 - but is under tutors and stewards till the time appointed of the father,

3 - so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude,

4 - and when the fulness of time did come, God sent forth His Son, come of a woman, come under law,

5 - that those under law he may redeem, that the adoption of sons we may receive;

6 - and because ye are sons, God did send forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, `Abba, Father!'

7 - so that thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, also an heir of God through Christ.

8 - But then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature gods,

9 - and now, having known God--and rather being known by God--how turn ye again unto the weak and poor elements to which anew ye desire to be in servitude?

10 - days ye observe, and months, and times, and years!

11 - I am afraid of you, lest in vain I did labour toward you.

12 - Become as I <FI>am<Fi> --because I also <FI>am<Fi> as ye brethren, I beseech you; to me ye did no hurt,

13 - and ye have known that through infirmity of the flesh I did proclaim good news to you at the first,

14 - and my trial that <FI>is<Fi> in my flesh ye did not despise nor reject, but as a messenger of God ye did receive me--as Christ Jesus;

15 - what then was your happiness? for I testify to you, that if possible, your eyes having plucked out, ye would have given to me;

16 - so that your enemy have I become, being true to you?

17 - they are zealous for you--<FI> yet<Fi> not well, but they wish to shut us out, that for them ye may be zealous;

18 - and <FI>it is<Fi> good to be zealously regarded, in what is good, at all times, and not only in my being present with you;

19 - my little children, of whom again I travail in birth, till Christ may be formed in you,

20 - and I was wishing to be present with you now, and to change my voice, because I am in doubt about you.

21 - Tell me, ye who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear?

22 - for it hath been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the maid-servant, and one by the free-woman,

23 - but he who <FI>is<Fi> of the maid-servant, according to flesh hath been, and he who <FI>is<Fi> of the free-woman, through the promise;

24 - which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from mount Sinai, to servitude bringing forth, which is Hagar;

25 - for this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and doth correspond to the Jerusalem that now <FI>is<Fi> , and is in servitude with her children,

26 - and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all,

27 - for it hath been written, `Rejoice, O barren, who art not bearing; break forth and cry, thou who art not travailing, because many <FI>are<Fi> the children of the desolate--more than of her having the husband.'

28 - And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise,

29 - but as then he who was born according to the flesh did persecute him according to the spirit, so also now;

30 - but what saith the Writing? `Cast forth the maid-servant and her son, for the son of the maid-servant may not be heir with the son of the free-woman;'

31 - then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant's children, but the free-woman's.