Parallel Bible results for "galatians 4"

Galatians 4

Good News Translation GNT

1 But now to continue - the son who will receive his father's property is treated just like a slave while he is young, even though he really owns everything.

2 While he is young, there are men who take care of him and manage his affairs until the time set by his father.

3 In the same way, we too were slaves of the ruling spirits of the universe before we reached spiritual maturity.

4 But when the right time finally came, God sent his own Son. He came as the son of a human mother and lived under the Jewish Law,

5 to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might become God's children.

6 To show that you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who cries out, "Father, my Father."

7 So then, you are no longer a slave but a child. And since you are his child, God will give you all that he has for his children.

8 In the past you did not know God, and so you were slaves of beings who are not gods.

9 But now that you know God - or, I should say, now that God knows you - how is it that you want to turn back to those weak and pitiful ruling spirits? Why do you want to become their slaves all over again?

10 You pay special attention to certain days, months, seasons, and years.

11 I am worried about you! Can it be that all my work for you has been for nothing?

12 I beg you, my friends, be like me. After all, I am like you. You have not done me any wrong.

13 You remember why I preached the gospel to you the first time; it was because I was sick.

14 But even though my physical condition was a great trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you received me as you would an angel from heaven; you received me as you would Christ Jesus.

15 You were so happy! What has happened? I myself can say that you would have taken out your own eyes, if you could, and given them to me.

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

17 Those other people show a deep interest in you, but their intentions are not good. All they want is to separate you from me, so that you will have the same interest in them as they have in you.

18 Now, it is good to have such a deep interest if the purpose is good - this is true always, and not merely when I am with you.

19 My dear children! Once again, just like a mother in childbirth, I feel the same kind of pain for you until Christ's nature is formed in you.

20 How I wish I were with you now, so that I could take a different attitude toward you. I am so worried about you!

21 Let me ask those of you who want to be subject to the Law: do you not hear what the Law says?

22 It says that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman, the other by a free woman.

23 His son by the slave woman was born in the usual way, but his son by the free woman was born as a result of God's promise.

24 These things can be understood as a figure: the two women represent two covenants. The one whose children are born in slavery is Hagar, and she represents the covenant made at Mount Sinai.

25 Hagar, who stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia, is a figure of the present city of Jerusalem, in slavery with all its people.

26 But the heavenly Jerusalem is free, and she is our mother.

27 For the scripture says, "Be happy, you childless woman! Shout and cry with joy, you who never felt the pains of childbirth! For the woman who was deserted will have more children than the woman whose husband never left her."

28 Now, you, my friends, are God's children as a result of his promise, just as Isaac was.

29 At that time the son who was born in the usual way persecuted the one who was born because of God's Spirit; and it is the same now.

30 But what does the scripture say? It says, "Send the slave woman and her son away; for the son of the slave woman will not have a part of the father's property along with the son of the free woman."

31 So then, my friends, we are not the children of a slave woman but of a free woman.

World English Bible WEB

1 But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all;

2 but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father.

3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elements of the world.

4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born to a woman, born under the law,

5 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

6 And because you are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba, Father!"

7 So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

8 However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are no gods.

9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elements, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?

10 You observe days, months, seasons, and years.

11 I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you.

12 I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong,

13 but you know that because of weakness of the flesh I preached the gospel to you the first time.

14 That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn't despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

15 What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

16 So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

17 They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them.

18 But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you.

19 My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you--

20 but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

21 Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don't you listen to the law?

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

23 However, the son by the handmaid was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.

24 These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.

25 For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children.

26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

27 For it is written, "Rejoice, you barren who don't bear. Break forth and shout, you that don't travail. For more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband."

28 Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

29 But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.

30 However what does the Scripture say? "Throw out the handmaid and her son, for the son of the handmaid will not inherit with the son of the free woman."

31 So then, brothers, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the free woman.