New International Version NIV
New King James Version NKJV
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.
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Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,
2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.
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but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.
3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world.
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Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.
4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
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But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.
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to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
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And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying 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.
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Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
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But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which 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?
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But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage?
10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
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You observe days and months and seasons and years.
11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
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I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.
12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.
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Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all.
13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you,
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You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.
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.
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And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
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.
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What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me.
16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
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Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell 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.
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They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous 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.
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But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you.
19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
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My little children, for whom I labor in birth again 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!
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I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?
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Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
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For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.
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.
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But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through 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.
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which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which 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.
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for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children--
26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.
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but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.
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.”
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For it is written: "Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband."
28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.
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Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, 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.
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But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is 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.”
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Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman."
31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
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So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.