Galatians 4
1 So I say, as long as the heir is under-age, he, being Lord of all, differs nothing from [a] slave. 2 But he is under guardians and house-managers until the time appointed by the father. 3 Thus we also, when we were under-age, by the principles1 of the world were we enslaved. 4 But when came the fullness of time, God sent forth his son, coming into being from woman, coming into being under law, 5 in order that he redeem those under law, in order that we recover2 the sonship. 6 So because you are sons, God sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts, shouting: Daddy, Father. 7 So no longer are you slave, but son; so if son, also heir through God. 8 But then you, not knowing God, were enslaved to those by nature not being gods, 9 but now knowing God, rather having been known by God, how do you return again to the weak and poor principles, to which you again want to be slaving anew? 10 You observe days and months and seasons3 and years. 11 I fear for you, lest in vain I toiled for you. 12 Become as I, because I also [became] as you, brothers, I ask [of you]. You did me no injustice. 13 For you know that through weakness of the flesh I good-newsed to you before, 14 and my test in my flesh you did not despise nor spit out, you received me as [a] messenger of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 Where therefore [is] your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, having torn out your eyes you would have given [them] to me. 16 So that your enemy came to be speaking truth to you? 17 They do not seek you rightly, but they want to shut you out, in order that you seek them. 18 But [it is] good to always be sought in [a] good [thing], and not only when I am present with you, 19 my children, of whom I again suffer birth pains until Christ be formed in you. 20 So I want to be present with you now and to change my voice, because I am uncertain [of you].21 Be saying to me, you wanting to be under [the] law, don't you hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one from the bondmaid and one from the free. 23 But the [one] from the bondmaid was born according to [the] flesh, but the [one] from the free through the promise. 24 Which [things] are allegorical; for these are [the] two contracts4, one from mount Sinai, having given birth to slavery, which is Hagar. 25 So Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for it is enslaved with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother. 27 For it is written:
Rejoice, [O] barren not having brought forth,
Burst and cry out, the [one] not having suffered birth pains,
Because many [more are] the children of the desolate
Than of the [one] having the husband.
28 But you, brothers according to Isaac, are [the] children of promise. 29 But, as then, the [one] having been born according to [the] flesh persecuted the [one] according to [the] spirit, thus also now. 30 But what says the scripture? Throw out the bondmaid and her son, for the son of the bondmaid will not inherit with the son of the free. 31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of [the] bondmaid but of the free.
1or "elements"
2or "receive"
3KAIROS (καιρoς ) `opportune time', `proper time', `season'
4or "wills", "testaments", "covenants"