Parallel Bible results for "Galatians 4"

Galatians 4

New Century Version NCV

1 I want to tell you this: While those who will inherit their fathers' prop- erty are still children, they are no different from slaves. It does not matter that the children own everything.

2 While they are children, they must obey those who are chosen to care for them. But when the children reach the age set by their fathers, they are free.

3 It is the same for us. We were once like children, slaves to the useless rules of this world.

4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son who was born of a woman and lived under the law.

5 God did this so he could buy freedom for those who were under the law and so we could become his children.

6 Since you are God's children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, and the Spirit cries out, "Father."

7 So now you are not a slave; you are God's child, and God will give you the blessing he promised, because you are his child.

8 In the past you did not know God. You were slaves to gods that were not real.

9 But now you know the true God. Really, it is God who knows you. So why do you turn back to those weak and useless rules you followed before? Do you want to be slaves to those things again?

10 You still follow teachings about special days, months, seasons, and years.

11 I am afraid for you, that my work for you has been wasted.

12 Brothers and sisters, I became like you, so I beg you to become like me. You were very good to me before.

13 You remember that it was because of an illness that I came to you the first time, preaching the Good News.

14 Though my sickness was a trouble for you, you did not hate me or make me leave. But you welcomed me as an angel from God, as if I were Jesus Christ himself!

15 You were very happy then, but where is that joy now? I am ready to testify that you would have taken out your eyes and given them to me if that were possible.

16 Now am I your enemy because I tell you the truth?

17 Those peoplen are working hard to persuade you, but this is not good for you. They want to persuade you to turn against us and follow only them.

18 It is good for people to show interest in you, but only if their purpose is good. This is always true, not just when I am with you.

19 My little children, again I feel the pain of childbirth for you until you truly become like Christ.

20 I wish I could be with you now and could change the way I am talking to you, because I do not know what to think about you.

21 Some of you still want to be under the law. Tell me, do you know what the law says?

22 The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons. The mother of one son was a slave woman, and the mother of the other son was a free woman.

23 Abraham's son from the slave woman was born in the normal human way. But the son from the free woman was born because of the promise God made to Abraham.

24 This story teaches something else: The two women are like the two agreements between God and his people. One agreement is the law that God made on Mount Sinai, and the people who are under this agreement are like slaves. The mother named Hagar is like that agreement.

25 She is like Mount Sinai in Arabia and is a picture of the earthly Jewish city of Jerusalem. This city and its people, the Jews, are slaves to the law.

26 But the heavenly Jerusalem, which is above, is like the free woman. She is our mother.

27 It is written in the Scriptures: "Be happy, Jerusalem. You are like a woman who never gave birth to children. Start singing and shout for joy. You never felt the pain of giving birth, but you will have more children than the woman who has a husband."

28 My brothers and sisters, you are God's children because of his promise, as Isaac was then.

29 The son who was born in the normal way treated the other son badly. It is the same today.

30 But what does the Scripture say? "Throw out the slave woman and her son. The son of the slave woman should not inherit anything. The son of the free woman should receive it all."

31 So, my brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

New International Version NIV

1 What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.

2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.

3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world.

4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.

6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”

7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces ? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?

10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!

11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.

13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you,

14 and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.

15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them.

18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.

19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?

22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.

23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

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 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.”

28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.

29 At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. 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.”

31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.