1 My|strong="G3956" point|strong="G1909" is|strong="G1510" this|strong="G3588" – as|strong="G3745" long|strong="G5550" as|strong="G3745" the|strong="G3956" heir|strong="G2818" is|strong="G1510" under|strong="G1909" age|strong="G5550", there|strong="G1161" is|strong="G1510" no|strong="G3762" difference|strong="G1308" between him|strong="G3588" and|strong="G1161" a|strong="G1510" slave|strong="G1401", though|strong="G1161" he|strong="G1161" is|strong="G1510" master|strong="G2962" of|strong="G2962" the|strong="G3956" whole|strong="G3956" estate.
2 He|strong="G2532" is|strong="G1510" subject to|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" control of|strong="G5259" guardians|strong="G2012" and|strong="G2532" stewards|strong="G3623", during the|strong="G2532" period|strong="G2532" for|strong="G2532" which|strong="G3588" his|strong="G2532" father|strong="G3962" has|strong="G3962" power|strong="G5259" to|strong="G2532" appoint them|strong="G3588".
3 It|strong="G2532" was|strong="G1510" the|strong="G2532" same|strong="G3779" way|strong="G3779" with|strong="G2532" us|strong="G2249". When|strong="G3753" we|strong="G2249" were|strong="G1510" under|strong="G5259" age|strong="G2889", as|strong="G2532" it|strong="G2532" were|strong="G1510", we|strong="G2249" were|strong="G1510" slaves|strong="G1398" to|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" puerile teaching of|strong="G5259" this|strong="G3588" world|strong="G2889";
4 but|strong="G1161", when|strong="G3753" the|strong="G1537" full|strong="G4138" time|strong="G5550" came|strong="G2064", God|strong="G2316" sent|strong="G1821" his|strong="G5259" Son|strong="G5207" – born|strong="G1096" a|strong="G1096" woman|strong="G1135"’s child|strong="G5207", born|strong="G1096" subject to|strong="G2064" Law|strong="G3551" –
5 to|strong="G2443" ransom those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" were|strong="G3588" subject to|strong="G2443" Law|strong="G3551", so|strong="G2443" that|strong="G2443" we|strong="G2443" might take|strong="G2443" our position as|strong="G5206" sons|strong="G5206".
6 And|strong="G1161" it|strong="G3754" is|strong="G1510" because|strong="G3754" you|strong="G3754" are|strong="G1510" sons|strong="G5207" that|strong="G3754" God|strong="G2316" sent|strong="G1821" into|strong="G1519" our|strong="G2316" hearts|strong="G2588" the|strong="G1519" Spirit|strong="G4151" of|strong="G5207" his|strong="G1519" Son|strong="G5207", with|strong="G2316" the|strong="G1519" cry|strong="G2896" – “Abba, our|strong="G2316" Father|strong="G3962".”
7 You|strong="G1487", therefore|strong="G1223", are|strong="G1510" no|strong="G3765" longer|strong="G3765" a|strong="G2532" slave|strong="G1401", but|strong="G1161" a|strong="G2532" son|strong="G5207"; and|strong="G2532", if|strong="G1487" a|strong="G2532" son|strong="G5207", then|strong="G2532" an|strong="G2532" heir|strong="G2818" also|strong="G2532", by|strong="G1223" God|strong="G2316"’s appointment.
8 Yet|strong="G3303" formerly|strong="G5119", in|strong="G2316" your|strong="G3588" ignorance of|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316", you|strong="G1510" became|strong="G3588" slaves|strong="G1398" to|strong="G3756" “gods|strong="G2316"” which|strong="G3588" were|strong="G1510" no|strong="G3756" gods|strong="G2316".
9 But|strong="G1161" now|strong="G1161" that|strong="G3739" you|strong="G3739" have|strong="G2309" found|strong="G1097" God|strong="G2316" – or|strong="G2532", rather|strong="G3123", have|strong="G2309" been|strong="G2532" found|strong="G1097" by|strong="G5259" him|strong="G3588" – how|strong="G4459" is|strong="G3588" it|strong="G2532" that|strong="G3739" you|strong="G3739" are|strong="G3588" turning|strong="G1994" back|strong="G3825" to|strong="G2532" that|strong="G3739" poor|strong="G4434" and|strong="G2532" feeble puerile teaching, to|strong="G2532" which|strong="G3739" yet|strong="G2532" once|strong="G3825" again|strong="G3825" you|strong="G3739" are|strong="G3588" wanting|strong="G2309" to|strong="G2532" become|strong="G1161" slaves|strong="G1398"?
10 You|strong="G2532" are|strong="G2532" scrupulous in|strong="G2532" keeping days|strong="G2250" and|strong="G2532" months|strong="G3376" and|strong="G2532" seasons|strong="G2540" and|strong="G2532" years|strong="G1763"!
11 You|strong="G5210" make|strong="G1519" me fear|strong="G5399" that|strong="G1519" the|strong="G1519" labour|strong="G2872" which|strong="G5210" I|strong="G2872" have|strong="G5210" spent on|strong="G1519" you|strong="G5210" may|strong="G5210" have|strong="G5210" been|strong="G3361" wasted.
12 I|strong="G1473" entreat you|strong="G5210", friends, to|strong="G1096" become|strong="G1096" like|strong="G5613" me|strong="G1473", as|strong="G5613" I|strong="G1473" became|strong="G1096" like|strong="G5613" you|strong="G5210". You|strong="G5210" have|strong="G1473" never|strong="G3762" done|strong="G1096" me|strong="G1473" any|strong="G3762" wrong.
13 You|strong="G5210" remember|strong="G1492" that|strong="G3754" it|strong="G3754" was|strong="G3588" owing to|strong="G1161" bodily|strong="G4561" infirmity that|strong="G3754" on|strong="G1161" the|strong="G1161" first|strong="G4386" occasion|strong="G1223" I|strong="G1161" told you|strong="G5210" the|strong="G1161" good|strong="G2097" news|strong="G2097".
14 And|strong="G2532" as|strong="G5613" for|strong="G1722" what|strong="G3588" must|strong="G5547" have|strong="G2532" tried you|strong="G5210" in|strong="G1722" my|strong="G1722" condition|strong="G4561", it|strong="G2532" did|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3756" inspire you|strong="G5210" with|strong="G1722" scorn or|strong="G2532" disgust, but|strong="G2532" you|strong="G5210" welcomed|strong="G1209" me|strong="G1473" as|strong="G5613" if|strong="G5613" I|strong="G1473" had|strong="G2424" been|strong="G2532" an|strong="G2532" angel of|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316" – or|strong="G2532" Christ|strong="G5547" Jesus|strong="G2424" himself!
15 What|strong="G3588" has|strong="G3748" become then|strong="G3767", of|strong="G3588" your|strong="G1487" blessings? For|strong="G1063" I|strong="G1473" can|strong="G1325" bear|strong="G3140" witness|strong="G3140" that|strong="G3754", had|strong="G3588" it|strong="G3754" been|strong="G1325" possible|strong="G1415", you|strong="G5210" would|strong="G1325" have|strong="G1473" torn out|strong="G1063" your|strong="G1487" eyes|strong="G3788" and|strong="G3767" given|strong="G1325" them|strong="G3588" to|strong="G1325" me|strong="G1325"!
16 Am|strong="G1096" I|strong="G1096" to|strong="G1096" think, then|strong="G5620", that|strong="G5620" I|strong="G1096" have|strong="G5210" become|strong="G1096" your|strong="G5210" enemy|strong="G2190" by|strong="G1096" telling you|strong="G5210" the|strong="G1096" truth?
17 Certain people are|strong="G2309" seeking your|strong="G1438" favour, but|strong="G1438" with|strong="G1438" no|strong="G3756" honourable object. No|strong="G3756", indeed, they|strong="G2443" want|strong="G2309" to|strong="G2443" isolate you|strong="G5210", so|strong="G2443" that|strong="G2443" you|strong="G5210" will|strong="G2309" have|strong="G2309" to|strong="G2443" seek|strong="G2206" their|strong="G1438" favour.
18 It|strong="G2532" is|strong="G3588" always|strong="G3842" honourable to|strong="G4314" have|strong="G2532" your|strong="G2532" favour sought|strong="G2206" in|strong="G1722" an|strong="G2532" honourable cause|strong="G3588", and|strong="G2532" not|strong="G3361" only|strong="G3440" when|strong="G1161" I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1473" with|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210", my|strong="G1722" dear children –
19 you|strong="G5210" for|strong="G1722" whom|strong="G3739" I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1473" again|strong="G3825" enduring a|strong="G1722" mother’s pains, until|strong="G3360" a|strong="G1722" likeness to|strong="G1722" Christ|strong="G5547" will|strong="G3739" have|strong="G1473" been|strong="G5547" formed|strong="G3445" in|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210".
20 But|strong="G1161" I|strong="G1473" could|strong="G3588" wish|strong="G2309" to|strong="G4314" be|strong="G2532" with|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210" now|strong="G1161" and|strong="G2532" speak|strong="G1161" in|strong="G1722" a|strong="G2532" different tone|strong="G5456", for|strong="G3754" I|strong="G1473" am|strong="G1473" perplexed about|strong="G1722" you|strong="G5210".
21 Tell|strong="G3004" me|strong="G1473", you|strong="G3004" who|strong="G3588" want|strong="G2309" to|strong="G3004" be|strong="G1510" still subject to|strong="G3004" Law|strong="G3551" – Why don’t|strong="G3588" you|strong="G3004" listen to|strong="G3004" the|strong="G3588" Law|strong="G3551"?
22 Scripture|strong="G1125" says that|strong="G3754" Abraham had|strong="G2192" two|strong="G1417" sons|strong="G5207", one|strong="G1520" the|strong="G2532" child|strong="G5207" of|strong="G1537" the|strong="G2532" slave-woman and|strong="G2532" the|strong="G2532" other|strong="G1520" the|strong="G2532" child|strong="G5207" of|strong="G1537" the|strong="G2532" free|strong="G1658" woman|strong="G1658".
23 But|strong="G1161" the|strong="G1537" child|strong="G1080" of|strong="G1537" the|strong="G1537" slave-woman was|strong="G3588" born|strong="G1080" in|strong="G2596" the|strong="G1537" course of|strong="G1537" nature, while|strong="G1161" the|strong="G1537" child|strong="G1080" of|strong="G1537" the|strong="G1537" free|strong="G1658" woman|strong="G1658" was|strong="G3588" born|strong="G1080" in|strong="G2596" fulfilment of|strong="G1537" a|strong="G1161" promise|strong="G1860".
24 This|strong="G3778" story may|strong="G3778" be|strong="G1510" taken as|strong="G1519" an|strong="G1519" allegory. The|strong="G1519" women|strong="G1417" stand|strong="G3778" for|strong="G1063" two|strong="G1417" covenants|strong="G1242". One|strong="G1520" covenant|strong="G1242", given from|strong="G1519" Mount|strong="G3735" Sinai|strong="G4614", produces a|strong="G1519" race of|strong="G1080" slaves|strong="G1397" and|strong="G1520" is|strong="G1510" represented by|strong="G1519" Hagar.
25 Hagar stands for|strong="G1063" Mount|strong="G3735" Sinai|strong="G4614" in|strong="G1722" Arabia, and|strong="G1161" represents|strong="G1510" the|strong="G1722" Jerusalem|strong="G2419" of|strong="G1722" today, for|strong="G1063" she|strong="G1161" and|strong="G1161" her|strong="G3588" children|strong="G5043" are|strong="G1510" in|strong="G1722" slavery|strong="G1398".
26 But|strong="G1161" the|strong="G1161" Jerusalem|strong="G2419" above is|strong="G1510" free|strong="G1658", and|strong="G1161" she|strong="G1161" it|strong="G1161" is|strong="G1510" who|strong="G3588" is|strong="G1510" our|strong="G1510" mother|strong="G3384".
27 For|strong="G1063" scripture|strong="G1125" says –
28 As|strong="G1161" for|strong="G1161" ourselves, friends, we|strong="G1161", like|strong="G2596" Isaac|strong="G2464", are|strong="G1510" children|strong="G5043" born in|strong="G2596" fulfilment of|strong="G5043" a|strong="G1510" promise|strong="G1860".
29 Yet|strong="G2532" at|strong="G2596" that|strong="G3588" time|strong="G5119" the|strong="G2532" child|strong="G1080" born|strong="G1080" in|strong="G2596" the|strong="G2532" course of|strong="G4151" nature persecuted|strong="G1377" the|strong="G2532" child|strong="G1080" born|strong="G1080" by|strong="G2596" the|strong="G2532" power of|strong="G4151" the|strong="G2532" Spirit|strong="G4151"; and|strong="G2532" it|strong="G2532" is|strong="G3588" the|strong="G2532" same|strong="G3779" now|strong="G3568".
30 But|strong="G2532" what|strong="G5101" does|strong="G5101" the|strong="G2532" passage of|strong="G5207" scripture|strong="G1124" say|strong="G3004"?
31 And|strong="G3588" so|strong="G1352", friends, we|strong="G1352" are|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3756" children|strong="G5043" of|strong="G5043" a|strong="G1510" slave, but|strong="G3588" of|strong="G5043" her|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" is|strong="G1510" free|strong="G1658".