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
,
but he is under guardians
and 1managers
until
the date
set
by the father
.
So also
we, while
we were children
, were held
ain bondage
under
the 1 belemental
things
of the world
.
But when athe fullness
of the time
came
, God
sent
forth
His Son
, bborn
of a woman
, born
cunder
1the Law
,
so that He might redeem
those
who were under
1the Law
, that we might receive
the adoption
as asons
.
Because you are sons
, aGod
has sent
forth
the Spirit
of His Son
into our hearts
, crying
, " bAbba
! Father
!"
Therefore you are no
longer
a slave
, but a son
; and aif
a son
, then
an heir
1through
God
.
However at that time
, awhen you did not know
God
, you were bslaves
to cthose
which by nature
are no
gods
.
But now that you have come to know
God
, or
rather
to be aknown
by God
, bhow
is it that you turn
back
again
to the weak
and worthless
1 celemental
things
, to which
you desire
to be enslaved
all
over
again
?
You aobserve days
and months
and seasons
and years
.
I fear for you, that perhaps
I have labored
1over
you in vain
.
I beg of you, abrethren
, bbecome
as I am, for I also
have become as you are. You have done
me no
wrong
;
but you know that it was because
of a 1bodily
illness
that I preached
the gospel
to you the 2first
time
;
and that which was a 1trial
to you in my 2bodily
condition
you did not despise
or
3loathe
, but ayou received
me as an angel
of God
, as bChrist
Jesus
Himself.
Where then
is 1that 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.
So have I become
your enemy
aby 1telling
you the truth
?
They eagerly seek
you, not commendably
, but they wish
to shut
you out so
that you will seek
them.
But it is good always
to be eagerly
sought
in a commendable
1manner
, and anot only
when
I am
present
with you.
aMy children, with whom
bI am
again
in labor
until
cChrist
is formed
in you--
but I could wish to be present
with you now
and to change
my tone
, for aI am
perplexed
about
you.
Tell me, you who want
to be under
law
, do you not alisten
to the law
?
For it is written that Abraham
had
two
sons
, aone
by the bondwoman
and bone
by the free
woman
.
But athe son by the bondwoman 1was born
according
to the flesh
, and bthe son by the free
woman
through
the promise
.
1 aThis is allegorically
speaking
, for these
women are two
covenants
: one
proceeding from bMount
Sinai
bearing
children
2who are to be cslaves
; 3she is Hagar
.
Now this
Hagar
is Mount
Sinai
in Arabia
and corresponds
to the present
Jerusalem
, for she is in slavery
with her children
.
But athe Jerusalem above
is free
; 1she is our mother
.
For it is written, " aREJOICE
, BARREN
WOMAN
WHO DOES NOT BEAR
; BREAK
FORTH
AND SHOUT
, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR
; FOR MORE
NUMEROUS
ARE THE CHILDREN
OF THE DESOLATE
THAN
OF THE ONE WHO HAS
A HUSBAND
."
And you brethren, alike
Isaac
, are bchildren
of promise
.
But as at that time ahe who was born
according
to the flesh
bpersecuted
him who was born according
to the Spirit
, cso
it is now
also
.
But what does the Scripture
say
? " aCAST
OUT THE BONDWOMAN
AND HER SON
, FOR bTHE SON
OF THE BONDWOMAN
SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR
WITH THE SON
OF THE FREE
WOMAN
."
So then
, brethren
, we are not children
of a bondwoman
, 1but of the free
woman
.