King James Version KJV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
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What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a minor he is no different from a slave, even though he is the legal owner of the estate;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
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rather, he is subject to guardians and caretakers until the time previously set by his father.
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
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So it is with us - when we were "children" we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe;
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
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but when the appointed time arrived, God sent forth his Son. He was born from a woman, born into a culture in which legalistic perversion of the Torah was the norm,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
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so that he might redeem those in subjection to this legalism and thus enable us to be made God's sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
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Now because you are sons, God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out, "Abba!" (that is, "Dear Father!").
7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
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So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son you are also an heir.
8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
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In the past, when you did not know God, you served as slaves beings which in reality are non-gods.
9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
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But now you do know God, and, more than that, you are known by God. So how is it that you turn back again to those weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to enslave yourselves to them once more?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
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You observe special days, months, seasons and years!
11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
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I fear for you that my work among you has been wasted!
12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
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Brothers, I beg of you: put yourselves in my place - after all, I put myself in your place. It isn't that you have done me any wrong -
13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
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you know that it was because I was ill that I proclaimed the Good News to you at first;
14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
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and even though my physical condition must have tempted you to treat me with scorn, you did not display any sign of disdain or disgust. No, you welcomed me as if I had been an angel of God, as if I had been the Messiah Yeshua himself!
15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
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So what has become of the joy you felt? For I bear you witness that had it been possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.
16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
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Have I now become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
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True, these teachers are zealous for you, but their motives are not good. They want to separate you from us so that you will become zealous for them.
18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
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To be zealous is good, provided always that the cause is good. Indeed, whether I am present with you or not,
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
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my dear children, I am suffering the pains of giving birth to you all over again - and this will go on until the Messiah takes shape in you.
20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
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I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone of voice. I don't know what to do with you.
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
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Tell me, you who want to be in subjection to the system that results from perverting the Torah into legalism, don't you hear what the Torah itself says?
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
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It says that Avraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
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The one by the slave woman was born according to the limited capabilities of human beings, but the one by the free woman was born through the miracle-working power of God fulfilling his promise.
24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
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Now, to make a midrash on these things: the two women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children for slavery - this is Hagar.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
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Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Yerushalayim, for she serves as a slave along with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
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But the Yerushalayim above is free, and she is our mother;
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
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for the Tanakh says, "Rejoice, you barren woman who does not bear children! Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor! For the deserted wife will have more children than the one whose husband is with her!"i
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
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You, brothers, like Yitz'chak, are children referred to in a promise of God.
29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
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But just as then the one born according to limited human capability persecuted the one born through the Spirit's supernatural power, so it is now.
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
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Nevertheless, what does the Tanakh say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for by no means will the son of the slave woman inherit along with the son of the free woman!"
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
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So, brothers, we are children not of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.