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33 They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone.[a] How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 8:33 Have never been enslaved to anyone: since, historically, the Jews were enslaved almost continuously, this verse is probably Johannine irony, about slavery to sin.

33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants(A) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

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39 [a]They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them,(A) “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham.

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Footnotes

  1. 8:39 The works of Abraham: Abraham believed; cf. Rom 4:11–17; Jas 2:21–23.

39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”(A) said Jesus, “then you would[a] do what Abraham did.

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Footnotes

  1. John 8:39 Some early manuscripts “If you are Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then

nor are they all children of Abraham because they are his descendants; but “It is through Isaac that descendants shall bear your name.”(A) This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants.(B)

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Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”[a](A) In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children,(B) but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.(C)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 9:7 Gen. 21:12

21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the freeborn woman.(A) 23 The son of the slave woman was born naturally, the son of the freeborn through a promise.(B) 24 Now this is an allegory. These women represent two covenants. One was from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar.(C) 25 Hagar represents Sinai,[a] a mountain in Arabia; it corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery along with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is freeborn, and she is our mother.(D) 27 For it is written:

“Rejoice, you barren one who bore no children;(E)
    break forth and shout, you who were not in labor;
for more numerous are the children of the deserted one
    than of her who has a husband.”[b]

28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of the promise.(F) 29 But just as then the child of the flesh persecuted the child of the spirit, it is the same now. 30 But what does the scripture say?

“Drive out the slave woman and her son!
    For the son of the slave woman shall not share the inheritance with the son”(G)

of the freeborn. 31 Therefore, brothers, we are children not of the slave woman but of the freeborn woman.(H)

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Footnotes

  1. 4:25 Hagar represents Sinai…: some manuscripts have what seems a geographical note, “For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia.”
  2. 4:27 Is 54:1 in the Septuagint translation is applied to Sarah as the barren one (in Gn 15) who ultimately becomes the mother not only of Isaac but now of numerous children, i.e., of all those who believe, the children of the promise (Gal 4:28).

Hagar and Sarah

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

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(F) is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:

“Be glad, barren woman,
    you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
    you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
    than of her who has a husband.”[a](G)

28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.(H) 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh(I) persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.(J) 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](K) 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman,(L) but of the free woman.(M)

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 4:27 Isaiah 54:1
  2. Galatians 4:30 Gen. 21:10