Gal 4:9-31 | ESV | STEP | But now that you have come to know God , or rather to be known by God , how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world , whose slaves you want to be once more ?

Galatians 4:9-31

9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather ^ato be known by God, ^bhow can you turn back again to ^cthe weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 ^dYou observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I am afraid ^eI may have labored over you in vain.

12 Brothers, ^{▼▼Or Brothers and sisters; also verses 28, 31} ^gI entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. ^hYou did me no wrong. 13 You know it was ⁱbecause of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you ^jat first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me ^kas an angel of God, ^las Christ Jesus. 15 What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I then become your enemy by ^mtelling you the truth? ^{▼▼Or by dealing truthfully with you} 17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and ^onot only when I am present with you, 19 ^pmy little children, ^qfor whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ ^ris formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Example of Hagar and Sarah

21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, ^sone by a slave woman and ^tone by a free woman. 23 But ^uthe son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while ^vthe son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two ^wcovenants. ^xOne is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; ^{▼▼Some manuscripts For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia} she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But ^zthe Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written,

^aa“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than those of the one who has a husband.”
28 Now you, ^{▼▼Some manuscripts we} brothers, ^aclike Isaac, ^adare children of promise. 29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh ^aepersecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, ^afso also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? ^ag“Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but ^ahof the free woman.