³ I came to you^(A) in weakness^(B) with great fear and trembling.^(C)

⁷ or because of these surpassingly great revelations.^(A) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,^(B) a messenger of Satan,^(C) to torment me.

¹³ As you know, it was because of an illness^(A) that I first preached the gospel to you, ¹⁴ and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.^{(B) 15} Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?^(C)

¹⁷ Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.^{(D) 18} It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.^{(E) 19} My dear children,^(F) for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,^{(G) 20} how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

Hagar and Sarah

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under the law,^(H) are you not aware of what the law says? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman^(I) and the other by the free woman.^{(J) 23} His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh,^(K) but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.^(L)

²⁴ These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above^(M) is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written:

²⁸ Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.^{(O) 29} At that time the son born according to the flesh^(P) persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.^(Q) It is the same now. ³⁰ But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”^{[b](R) 31} Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman,^(S) but of the free woman.^(T)