King James Version KJV
New Revised Standard NRS
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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My point is this: heirs, as long as they are minors, are no better than slaves, though they are the owners of all the property;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
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but they remain under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father.
3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
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So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world.
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 fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
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in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.
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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And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! 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 you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.
8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
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Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not 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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Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits? How can you want to be enslaved to them again?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
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You are observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years.
11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
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I am afraid that my work for you may have 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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Friends, I beg you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no 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 of a physical infirmity that I first announced the gospel to you;
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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though my condition put you to the test, you did not scorn or despise me, but welcomed me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.
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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What has become of the goodwill you felt? For I testify that, had it been possible, you would have torn 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 by telling 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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They make much of you, but for no good purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you may make much of 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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It is good to be made much of for a good purpose at all times, and not only when I am present with you.
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
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My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed 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 were present with you now and could change my tone, for I am perplexed about 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 desire to be subject to the law, will you not listen to the law?
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
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For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and the other by a 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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One, the child of the slave, was born according to the flesh; the other, the child of the free woman, was born through the 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 this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One woman, in fact, is Hagar, from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery.
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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Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
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But the other woman corresponds to the Jerusalem above; she 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 it is written, "Rejoice, you childless one, you who bear no children, burst into song and shout, you who endure no birth pangs; for the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than the children of the one who is married."
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
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Now you, my friends, are children of the promise, like Isaac.
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 at that time the child who was born according to the flesh persecuted the child who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
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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But what does the scripture say? "Drive out the slave and her child; for the child of the slave will not share the inheritance with the child of the free woman."
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
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So then, friends, we are children, not of the slave but of the free woman.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.