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.

The Darby Translation DBY

1 Now I say, As long as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a bondman, though he be lord of all;

2 but he is under guardians and stewards until the period fixed by the father.

3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the principles of the world;

4 but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, come of woman, come under law,

5 that he might redeem those under law, that we might receive sonship.

6 But because ye are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

7 So thou art no longer bondman, but son; but if son, heir also through God.

8 But then indeed, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods;

9 but now, knowing God, but rather being known by God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye desire to be again anew in bondage?

10 Ye observe days and months and times and years.

11 I am afraid of you, lest indeed I have laboured in vain as to you.

12 Be as *I* [am], for *I* also [am] as *ye*, brethren, I beseech you: ye have not at all wronged me.

13 But ye know that in weakness of the flesh I announced the glad tidings to you at the first;

14 and my temptation, which [was] in my flesh, ye did not slight nor reject with contempt; but ye received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

15 What then [was] your blessedness? for I bear you witness that, if possible, plucking out your own eyes ye would have given [them] to me.

16 So I have become your enemy in speaking the truth to you?

17 They are not rightly zealous after you, but desire to shut you out [from us], that ye may be zealous after them.

18 But [it is] right to be zealous at all times in what is right, and not only when I am present with you --

19 my children, of whom I again travail in birth until Christ shall have been formed in you:

20 and I should wish to be present with you now, and change my voice, for I am perplexed as to you.

21 Tell me, ye who are desirous of being under law, do ye not listen to the law?

22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons; one of the maid servant, and one of the free woman.

23 But he [that was] of the maid servant was born according to flesh, and he [that was] of the free woman through the promise.

24 Which things have an allegorical sense; for these are two covenants: one from mount Sinai, gendering to bondage, which is Hagar.

25 For Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which [is] now, for she is in bondage with her children;

26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother.

27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break out and cry, thou that travailest not; because the children of the desolate are more numerous than [those] of her that has a husband.

28 But *ye*, brethren, after the pattern of Isaac, are children of promise.

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

30 But what says the scripture? Cast out the maid servant and her son; for the son of the maid servant shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.

31 So then, brethren, we are not maid servant's children, but [children] of the free woman.