Chapter 4

¹Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; ²But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father: ³So we also, when we were children, were serving under the elements of the world. ⁴But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law: ⁵That he might redeem them who were under the law: that we might receive the adoption of sons. ⁶And because you are sons, God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying: Abba, Father. ⁷Therefore now he is not a servant, but a son. And if a son, an heir also through God. ⁸But then indeed, not knowing God, you served them, who, by nature, are not gods. ⁹But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known by God: how turn you again to the weak and needy elements, which you desire to serve again? ¹⁰You observe days, and months, and times, and years. ¹¹I am afraid of you, lest perhaps I have laboured in vain among you. ¹²Be ye as I, because I also am as you: brethren, I beseech you: you have not injured me at all. ¹³And you know, how through infirmity of the flesh, I preached the gospel to you heretofore: and your temptation in my flesh, ¹⁴You despised not, nor rejected: but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Where is then your blessedness? For I bear you witness, that, if it could be done, you would have plucked out your own eyes, and would have given them to me. ¹⁶Am I then become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? ¹⁷They are zealous in your regard not well: but they would exclude you, that you might be zealous for them. ¹⁸But be zealous for that which is good in a good thing always: and not only when I am present with you. ¹⁹My little children, of whom I am in labour again, until Christ be formed in you. ²⁰And I would willingly be present with you now, and change my voice: because I am ashamed for you. ²¹Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, have you not read the law? ²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, and the other by a free woman. ²³But he who was of the bondwoman, was born according to the flesh: but he of the free woman, was by promise. ²⁴Which things are said by an allegory. For these are the two testaments. The one from mount Sina, engendering unto bondage; which is Agar: ²⁵For Sina is a mountain in Arabia, which hath affinity to that Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. ²⁶But that Jerusalem, which is above, is free: which is our mother. ²⁷For it is written: Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not: break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband. ²⁸Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. ²⁹But as then he, that was born according to the flesh, persecuted him that was after the spirit; so also it is now. ³⁰But what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son; for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. ³¹So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman, but of the free: by the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free.