Galatians 4 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Here's what I'm saying: as long as the heir is a child, he's no different from a slave, even though he technically owns everything.

Instead, he's under guardians and managers until the date his father set ahead of time.

It was the same with us. When we were like children, we were enslaved under the basic principles that run this world.

But when the perfect moment arrived, God sent his Son, born from a woman, born under the law's authority,

to buy back those who were under the law's authority, so that we could receive our full status as sons and daughters.

And because you are sons and daughters, God sent the Breath of his Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba! 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 heir too.

Before, when you didn't know God, you were slaves to things that aren't really gods at all.

But now that you know God — or rather, now that God knows you — why are you turning back to those weak and worthless basic principles? Do you really want to be enslaved by them all over again?

You're observing special days, months, seasons, and years!

I'm afraid for you — that maybe all my hard work for you was for nothing.

I'm begging you, brothers and sisters — become like me, because I became like you. You haven't wronged me at all.

You remember that it was because of a physical illness that I first brought you the good news.

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 messenger from God — like I was the One Jesus himself.

So what happened to all that joy you had? I can honestly say that you would have torn out your own eyes and given them to me if you could have.

Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Those people are working hard to win you over, but not for your benefit. They want to isolate you so that you'll be devoted to them instead.

Now, it's always good to be pursued with good intentions — and not just when I'm there with you.

My children — I'm going through labor pains for you all over again until the One takes shape inside you.

I wish I could be there with you right now and change my tone, because I honestly don't know what to do with you.

Tell me something — you who want to be under the law's authority, do you actually hear what the law says?

It says that Abraham had two sons — one by the slave woman and one by the free woman.

The slave woman's son was born through ordinary human effort, but the free woman's son was born through God's promise.

Now, this can be understood as an allegory. These two women represent two agreements. One comes from Mount Sinai and produces children born into slavery — that's Hagar.

Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia, and she corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because Jerusalem is in slavery along with her children.

But the Jerusalem that is above is free — and she is our mother.

Because it's written: "Celebrate, you woman who never had children! Break out in joyful shouting, you who never experienced labor pains! Because the abandoned woman will end up with far more children than the woman who has a husband."

Now you, brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac was.

But just as back then the son born through ordinary human effort persecuted the son born through the Breath, the same thing is happening now.

But what does Scripture say? "Send the slave woman and her son away, because the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son."

So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman — we are children of the free woman.