New International Version NIV
Young's Literal Translation YLT
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.
1 And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant -- being lord of all,
2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.
2 but is under tutors and stewards till the time appointed of the father,
3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world.
3 so also we, when we were babes, under the elements of the world were in servitude,
4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
4 and when the fulness of time did come, God sent forth His Son, come of a woman, come under law,
5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.
5 that those under law he may redeem, that the adoption of sons we may receive;
6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
6 and because ye are sons, God did send forth the spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, `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.
7 so that thou art no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, also 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.
8 But then, indeed, not having known God, ye were in servitude to those not by nature 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?
9 and now, having known God -- and rather being known by God -- how turn ye again unto the weak and poor elements to which anew ye desire to be in servitude?
10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
10 days ye observe, and months, and times, and years!
11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
11 I am afraid of you, lest in vain I did labour toward you.
12 I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong.
12 Become as I [am] -- because I also [am] as ye brethren, I beseech you; to me ye did no hurt,
13 As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you,
13 and ye have known that through infirmity of the flesh I did proclaim good news 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.
14 and my trial that [is] in my flesh ye did not despise nor reject, but as a messenger of God ye did receive me -- 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.
15 what then was your happiness? for I testify to you, that if possible, your eyes having plucked out, ye would have given to me;
16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
16 so that your enemy have I become, being true to you?
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.
17 they are zealous for you -- [yet] not well, but they wish to shut us out, that for them ye may be zealous;
18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.
18 and [it is] good to be zealously regarded, in what is good, at all times, and not only in my being present with you;
19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
19 my little children, of whom again I travail in birth, till Christ may be formed in you,
20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!
20 and I was wishing to be present with you now, and to change my voice, because I am in doubt about you.
21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?
21 Tell me, ye who are willing to be under law, the law do ye not hear?
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
22 for it hath been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the maid-servant, and one by the free-woman,
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.
23 but he who [is] of the maid-servant, according to flesh hath been, and he who [is] of the free-woman, through the 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.
24 which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from mount Sinai, to servitude bringing forth, 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.
25 for this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and doth correspond to the Jerusalem that now [is], and is in servitude with her children,
26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.
26 and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is 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.”
27 for it hath been written, `Rejoice, O barren, who art not bearing; break forth and cry, thou who art not travailing, because many [are] the children of the desolate -- more than of her having the husband.'
28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.
28 And we, brethren, as Isaac, 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.
29 but as then he who was born according to the flesh did persecute him according to the spirit, so also 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.”
30 but what saith the Writing? `Cast forth the maid-servant and her son, for the son of the maid-servant may not be heir with the son of the free-woman;'
31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
31 then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant's children, but the free-woman's.
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Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.