Gal 4 | NASB2020 | STEP | Now I say , as long as the heir is a child , he does not differ at all from a slave , although he is owner of everything ,

Galatians 4

Sonship in Christ

1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a ^{▼▼Or minor}child, he does not differ at all from a slave, although he is ^{▼▼Lit lord}owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and ^{▼▼Or stewards}managers until the ^{▼▼I.e., when the child is no longer a minor}date set by the father. 3 So we too, when we were children, were held ^ein bondage under the ^{▼▼Or rudimentary teachings
,} ^gelementary principles of the world. 4 But when ^hthe fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, ⁱborn of a woman, born ^junder ^{▼▼Or law}the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under ^{▼▼Or law}the Law, that we might receive the adoption as ^msons and daughters. 6 Because you are sons, ⁿGod has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “ ^oAbba! ^{▼▼I.e., Paul’s translation of the Aramaic Abba}Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and ^qif a son, then an heir ^{▼▼I.e., through the gracious act of}through God.

8 However at that time, ^swhen you did not know God, you were ^tslaves to ^uthose which by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be ^vknown by God, ^whow is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless ^{▼▼Or rudimentary teachings
,} ^yelementary principles, to which you want to be enslaved all over again? 10 You ^zmeticulously observe days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored ^{▼▼Or for}over you in vain.

12 I beg of you, ^abbrothers and sisters, ^acbecome as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; 13 but you know that it was because of a ^{▼▼Lit weakness of the flesh}bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the ^{▼▼Or former}first time; 14 and you did not despise that which was a trial to you in my ^{▼▼Lit flesh}bodily condition, nor express contempt, but ^agyou received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. 15 Where then is ^{▼▼I.e., considering yourselves fortunate}that sense of blessing you had? For I testify about you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 So have I become your enemy ^aiby ^{▼▼Or dealing truthfully with you}telling you the truth? 17 They eagerly seek you, not ^{▼▼Or with good intentions}in a commendable way, but they want to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought ^{▼▼Or with good intentions}in a commendable way, and ^amnot only when I am present with you. 19 ^anMy children, with whom ^aoI am again in labor until ^apChrist is formed in you-- 20 but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone of voice, for ^aqI am at a loss about you!

Slave and Free

21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not ^arlisten to the Law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, ^asone by the slave woman and ^atone by the free woman. 23 But ^authe son by the slave woman ^{▼▼Lit has been born}was born according to the flesh, and ^awthe son by the free woman through the promise. 24 ^{▼▼Lit Which
,} ^ayThis is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from ^azMount Sinai giving birth to children ^{▼▼Lit into slavery}who are to be ^bbslaves; ^{▼▼Lit which}she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children. 26 But ^bdthe Jerusalem above is free; ^{▼▼Lit which}she is our mother. 27 For it is written:

“ ^bfRejoice, infertile one, you who do not give birth;
Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;
For the children of the desolate one are more numerous
Than those of the one who has a husband.”
28 And you, brothers and sisters, ^bglike Isaac, are ^bhchildren of promise. 29 But as at that time ^bithe son who was born according to the flesh ^bjpersecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, ^bkso it is even now. 30 But what does the Scripture say?

“ ^blDrive out the slave woman and her son,
For ^bmthe son of the slave woman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.”
31 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.