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God Sent His Son To Redeem Us So We All Could Be Adopted As Sons And Heirs

Now I say— for as much time as the heir is a child[a], he is no different from a slave. Being the [future] owner of all, nevertheless[b] he is under guardians and stewards[c] until the pre-appointed day of the father. In this manner also we, when we were children, were[d] enslaved under the elemental[e] things of the world. But when the fullness of time came, God sent-forth His Son— having come[f] from a woman, having come under the Law in order that He might redeem the ones under the Law, in order that we [all] might receive the adoption. And because[g] you are sons, God sent-forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying-out, “Abba! Father!” So then you are no longer a slave, but a son— and if a son, also an heir through God!

Why Turn Back To Being Slaves Again? I Fear For You

But at that time not knowing God, you were-slaves to the ones by nature not being gods. But now having known God, yet rather having been known by God, how is it you are turning-back again to the weak and poor elemental things to which again you are wanting to be-slaves anew? 10 You are observing days and months and seasons and years. 11 I am fearing for you, that I somehow have labored in-vain for you.

I Beg You, Become As I Am. Have I Become Your Enemy By Speaking The Truth To You?

12 I beg you, brothers, become as I, because I also became as you. You did me no wrong. 13 And you know that I first[h] announced-the-good-news to you because of a weakness[i] of the flesh. 14 And you did not treat-with-contempt nor loathe your trial in-connection-with my flesh, but you welcomed me as an angel[j] of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 Where then is your blessedness[k]? For I testify concerning you that, if possible, you would have given your eyes to me, having torn them out! 16 So then, have I become your enemy while speaking-the-truth to you? 17 They are zealously-seeking you— not commendably, but they want to shut you out[l] in-order-that you might be zealously-seeking them.

I Am Again Suffering Birth Pains For You Until Christ Is Formed In You

18 Now it is good to be zealously-sought in[m] a commendable thing at-all-times, and not only during my being present with you— 19 my[n] children, as to whom again I am suffering-birth-pains until which time Christ is formed in you. 20 But I was [just now] wishing[o] to be present with you now and to change my tone, because I am perplexed with you.

Listen To The Law. We Are Children of The Free Promise, Not of The Slave Covenant

21 Tell me, the ones wanting to be under the Law, do you not hear the Law? 22 For it has been written that Abraham had two sons— one by the slave-woman and one by the free woman. 23 But the one by the slave-woman has been born according to the flesh, and the one by the free woman through the promise— 24 which things are being allegorized[p], for these women are two covenants. One[q] is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery, which is Hagar 25 (now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia). And she[r] corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she[s] is a slave[t] with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free— which is our mother[u]. 27 For it has been written, “Celebrate, barren one, the one not giving-birth. Break-forth and shout, the one not suffering-birth-pains. Because many more are the children of the desolate[v] than of the one having the husband!”[Isa 54:1] 28 And you, brothers, are children of the promise in accordance with Isaac. 29 But just as at-that-time the one having been born according to the flesh was persecuting the one born according to the Spirit, so also now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Send-out the slave-woman and her son. For the son of the slave-woman shall by no means inherit with the son of the free woman” [Gen 21:10]. 31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of a slave-woman, but of the free woman.

Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:1 That is, a minor.
  2. Galatians 4:2 slave... nevertheless he is. Or, slave, [though] being the [future] owner of all. But he is.
  3. Galatians 4:2 Or, household managers.
  4. Galatians 4:3 Or, had been.
  5. Galatians 4:3 That is, the elementary knowledge of God available in the world before Christ came. Or, the elemental spiritual beings or angels associated with religions. Same in v 9.
  6. Galatians 4:4 Or, ‘having come-into-being’ as a human, and in this sense, ‘having been born’.
  7. Galatians 4:6 Or, And that; meaning, ‘And as proof that’.
  8. Galatians 4:13 Or, formerly.
  9. Galatians 4:13 Or, sickness.
  10. Galatians 4:14 Or, messenger.
  11. Galatians 4:15 That is, your feeling of blessing in my work among you. You had it then!
  12. Galatians 4:17 Or, exclude you.
  13. Galatians 4:18 That is, in connection with.
  14. Galatians 4:19 Some start a new sentence here, omitting the ‘But’ at v 20.
  15. Galatians 4:20 Or, I would wish, if it were possible.
  16. Galatians 4:24 That is, which things contain an allegory; or, which things I am going to allegorize.
  17. Galatians 4:24 That is, one woman representing one covenant.
  18. Galatians 4:25 That is, Hagar.
  19. Galatians 4:25 That is, the present Jerusalem.
  20. Galatians 4:25 Or, serves as slave.
  21. Galatians 4:26 But... mother. Paul does not fully detail this side of the comparison, but jumps to his two main points from it.
  22. Galatians 4:27 That is, unable to bear children, referring to Sarah.

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