New Testament · Letters

Galatians chapter 4

Here’s what I’m saying: as long as the is a child, he’s no different from a , even though he technically owns everything.Instead, he’s under and until the date his father set ahead of time.It was the same with us. When we were like children, we were under the that run this world.But when arrived, God sent his , , born under the law’s authority,to those who were under the law’s authority, so that we could receive our .And because you are sons and daughters, God sent into our hearts, crying out, “! Father!”So you’re no longer a slave — you’re a son or daughter. And if you’re a son or daughter, then God has made you an too.Before, when you didn’t know God, you were slaves to at all.But now that you know God — or rather, now that — why are you turning back to those ? Do you really want to be enslaved by them all over again?You’re observing !I’m afraid for you — that maybe all my for you was for nothing.I’m begging you, — , because I became like you. You haven’t wronged me at all.You remember that it was because of a that I first brought you the .And even though my condition was a real test for you, you didn’t look down on me or push me away. Instead, you welcomed me like I was a — like I was himself.So what happened to all that joy you had? I can honestly say that you would have and given them to me if you could have.Have I now become your enemy by ?Those people are , but not for your benefit. They want to so that you’ll be devoted to them instead.Now, it’s always good to be — and not just when I’m there with you.My — I’m going through for you all over again until .I wish I could be there with you right now and , because I honestly .Tell me something — you who want to be under ’s authority, do you actually hear what the law says?It says that had two sons — one by the and one by the .The slave woman’s son was born through , but the free woman’s son was born through .Now, this can be understood as an . These two women represent two . One comes from and produces children born into slavery — that’s Hagar.Now stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia, and she corresponds to the , because Jerusalem is in slavery along with her children.But is free — and she is .Because : “Celebrate, you woman who never had children! Break out in joyful shouting, you who never experienced labor pains! Because will end up with far more children than the woman who has a husband.”Now you, brothers and sisters, are , just like Isaac was.But just as back then the son born through ordinary human effort the son born through , the same thing is happening now.But what does say? “Send the slave woman and her son away, because the slave woman’s son will never share in the with the free woman’s son.”So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman — we are .