1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a 1Or minorchild, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is 2Lit lordowner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and 1Or stewardsmanagers until the date set by the father. 3 So also we, while we were children, were held AGal 2:4; 4:8f, 24fin bondage under the 1Or rudimentary teachings or principlesBGal 4:9; Col 2:8, 20; Heb 5:12elemental things of the world. 4 But when AMark 1:15the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, BJohn 1:14; Rom 1:3; 8:3; Phil 2:7born of a woman, born CLuke 2:21f, 27under 1Or lawthe Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under 1Or lawthe Law, that we might receive the adoption as ARom 8:14; Gal 3:26sons. 6 Because you are sons, AActs 16:7; Rom 5:5; 8:9, 16; 2 Cor 3:17God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “BMark 14:36; Rom 8:15Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and ARom 8:17if a son, then an heir 1I.e. through the gracious act ofthrough God.

8 However at that time, A1 Cor 1:21; Eph 2:12; 1 Thess 4:5; 2 Thess 1:8when you did not know God, you were BGal 4:3slaves to C2 Chr 13:9; Is 37:19; Jer 2:11; 1 Cor 8:4f; 10:20those which by nature are no gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be A1 Cor 8:3known by God, BCol 2:20how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless 1Or rudimentary teachings or principlesCGal 4:3elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? 10 You ARom 14:5; Col 2:16observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored 1Or forover you in vain.

12 I beg of you, AGal 6:18brethren, B2 Cor 6:11, 13become 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 1Lit weakness of the fleshbodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the 2Or formerfirst time; 14 and that which was a 1Or temptationtrial to you in my 2Lit fleshbodily condition you did not despise or 3Lit spit out atloathe, but AMatt 10:40; 1 Thess 2:13you received me as an angel of God, as BGal 3:26Christ Jesus Himself. 15 Where then is 1Lit the congratulation of yourselvesthat sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So have I become your enemy AAmos 5:10by 1Or dealing truthfully with youtelling you the truth? 17 They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable 1Or thingmanner, and AGal 4:13fnot only when I am present with you. 19 A1 John 2:1My children, with whom B1 Cor 4:15I am again in labor until CEph 4:13Christ is formed in you— 20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for A2 Cor 4:8I am perplexed about you.

21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not ALuke 16:29listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, AGen 16:15one by the bondwoman and BGen 21:2one by the free woman. 23 But ARom 9:7; Gal 4:29the son by the bondwoman 1Lit has been bornwas born according to the flesh, and BGen 17:16ff; 18:10ff; 21:1; Gal 4:28; Heb 11:11the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 1Lit WhichA1 Cor 10:11This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from BDeut 33:2Mount Sinai bearing children 2Lit into slaverywho are to be CGal 4:3slaves; 3Lit whichshe 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 AHeb 12:22; Rev 3:12; 21:2, 10the Jerusalem above is free; 1Lit whichshe is our mother. 27 For it is written,