Galatians 4
The heir to an estate, though owning everything, is no different from a servant while still a child, under the care of tutors and caretakers until the time predetermined by the father. Similarly, believers were once under the influences of the world, but with the coming of Christ, they have been redeemed and adopted as sons of God. However, some are turning back to weak and destitute influences, serving days, months, times, and years, which is a cause for concern. The apostle urges believers to be like him, imitators of what is good, and not to be swayed by those who would exclude them. He uses the allegory of Abraham's two sons, one born of a servant woman and the other of a free woman, to illustrate the difference between the old and new covenants, and reminds believers that they are sons of the promise, born of the free woman, and therefore heirs of the freedom that Christ has given them.
1But I say that, during the time an heir is a child, he is no different from a servant, even though he is the owner of everything2For he is under tutors and caretakers, until the time which was predetermined by the father3So also we, when we were children, were subservient to the influences of the world4But when the fullness of time arrived, God sent his Son, formed from a woman, formed under the law5so that he might redeem those who were under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption of sons6Therefore, because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying out: "Abba, Father.7And so now he is not a servant, but a son. But if he is a son, then he is also an heir, through God8But then, certainly, while ignorant of God, you served those who, by nature, are not gods9But now, since you have known God, or rather, since you have been known by God: how can you turn away again, to weak and destitute influences, which you desire to serve anew10You serve the days, and months, and times, and years11I am afraid for you, lest perhaps I may have labored in vain among you12Brothers, I beg you. Be as I am. For I, too, am like you. You have not injured me at all13But you know that, in the weakness of the flesh, I have preached the Gospel to you for a long time, and that your trials are in my flesh14You did not despise or reject me. But instead, you accepted me like an Angel of God, even like Christ Jesus15Therefore, where is your happiness? For I offer to you testimony that, if it could be done, you would have plucked out your own eyes and would have given them to me16So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth17They are not imitating you well. And they are willing to exclude you, so that you might imitate them18But be imitators of what is good, always in a good way, and not only when I am present with you19My little sons, I am giving birth to you again, until Christ is formed in you20And I would willingly be present with you, even now. But I would alter my voice: for I am ashamed of you21Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, have you not read the law22For it is written that Abraham had two sons: one by a servant woman, and one by a free woman23And he who was of the servant was born according to the flesh. But he who was of the free woman was born by the promise24These things are said through an allegory. For these represent the two testaments. Certainly the one, on Mount Sinai, gives birth unto servitude, which is Hagar25For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, which is related to the Jerusalem of the present time, and it serves with her sons26But that Jerusalem which is above is free; the same is our mother27For it was written: "Rejoice, O barren one, though you do not conceive. Burst forth and cry out, though you do not give birth. For many are the children of the desolate, even more than of her who has a husband.28Now we, brothers, like Isaac, are sons of the promise29But just as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now30And what does Scripture say? "Cast out the woman servant and her son. For the son of a servant women shall not be an heir with the son of a free woman.31And so, brothers, we are not the sons of the servant woman, but rather of the free woman. And this is the freedom with which Christ has set us free
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