Sons and Heirs

¹ What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave,^* although he is the owner of everything. ² He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.

³ So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world. ⁴ But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons. ⁶ And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”^{* 7} So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

⁸ Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. ⁹ But now that you know^* God, or rather are known^* by God, how is it that you are turning^* back to those weak and worthless^* principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over^* again? ¹⁰ You are observing special days and months^* and seasons^* and years! ¹¹ I fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain. ¹² I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.

¹³ You know that it was because of an illness^* that I first preached the gospel to you. ¹⁴ And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself. ¹⁵ What then has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

¹⁷ Those people are zealous for you^*, but not in a good way.^* Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous^* for them. ¹⁸ Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose — at any time, and not only when I am with you.

¹⁹ My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ^* is formed in you, ²⁰ how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.

Hagar and Sarah

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under the law,^* do you not understand what the law says?^{* 22} For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.²³ His son by the slave woman was born^* according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.

²⁴ These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children^* into slavery: This is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery^* with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written:

“Rejoice, O barren woman,

who bears no children;

break forth and cry aloud,

you who have never travailed;

because more are the children of the desolate woman

than of her who has a husband.”

²⁸ Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹ At that time, however, the son born^* by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now.

³⁰ But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”³¹ Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.