4:1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a ①child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is ②owner of everything,
▷ ①Or minor ②Lit lord
4:2 but he is under guardians and ①managers until the ②date set by the father.
▷ ①Or stewards ②I.e., when the child is no longer a minor
4:3 So we too, when we were children, were held in bondage under the ①elementary principles of the world.
▷ ①Or rudimentary teachings
4:4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under ①the Law,
▷ ①Or law
4:5 so that He might redeem those who were under ①the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters.
▷ ①Or law
4:6 Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! ①Father!”
▷ ①I.e., Paul’s translation of the Aramaic Abba
4:7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir ①through God.
▷ ①I.e., through the gracious act of
4:8 However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are not gods.
4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless ①elementary principles, to which you want to be enslaved all over again?
▷ ①Or rudimentary teachings
4:10 You meticulously observe days and months and seasons and years.
4:11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored ①over you in vain.
▷ ①Or for
4:12 I beg of you, brothers and sisters, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong;
4:13 but you know that it was because of a ①bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the ②first time;
▷ ①Lit weakness of the flesh ②Or former
4:14 and you did not despise that which was a trial to you in my ①bodily condition, nor express contempt, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.
▷ ①Lit flesh
4:15 Where then is ①that sense of blessing you had? For I testify about you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.
▷ ①I.e., considering yourselves fortunate
4:16 So have I become your enemy by ①telling you the truth?
▷ ①Or dealing truthfully with you
4:17 They eagerly seek you, not ①in a commendable way, but they want to shut you out so that you will seek them.
▷ ①Or with good intentions
4:18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought ①in a commendable way, and not only when I am present with you.
▷ ①Or with good intentions
4:19 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—
4:20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone of voice, for I am at a loss about you!
4:21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the Law?
4:22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman.
4:23 But the son by the slave woman ①was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.
▷ ①Lit has been born
4:24 ①This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from Mount Sinai giving birth to children ②who are to be slaves; ③she is Hagar.
▷ ①Lit Which ②Lit into slavery ③Lit which
4:25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children.
4:26 But the Jerusalem above is free; ①she is our mother.
▷ ①Lit which
4:27 For it is written:
“REJOICE, INFERTILE ONE, YOU WHO DO NOT GIVE BIRTH;
BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR;
FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE ONE are more numerous
THAN those of the one who has a husband.”
4:28 And you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.
4:29 But as at that time the son who was born according to the flesh persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, so it is even now.
4:30 But what does the Scripture say?
“DRIVE OUT THE SLAVE WOMAN AND HER SON,
FOR THE SON OF THE SLAVE WOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.”
4:31 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.