Sons and Heirs 1 WBS Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he is lord of all; BSB BSB: What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything.
2 WBS But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father. BSB BSB: He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.
3 WBS Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: BSB BSB: So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world.
5 WBS To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. BSB BSB: to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.
6 WBS And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. BSB BSB: And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
7 WBS Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. BSB BSB: So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians 8 WBS However then, when ye knew not God, ye did service to them which by nature are no gods. BSB BSB: Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.
9 WBS But now, after ye have known God, or rather are known by God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which ye desire again to be in bondage? BSB BSB: But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
10 WBS Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. BSB BSB: You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!
11 WBS I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain. BSB BSB: I fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain.
12 WBS Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are : ye have not injured me at all. BSB BSB: I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.
13 WBS Ye know that in infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel to you at the first. BSB BSB: You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.
14 WBS 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. BSB BSB: And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself.
15 WBS What then was the blessedness ye spoke of; for I bear you testimony, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. BSB BSB: What then has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.
16 WBS Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? BSB BSB: Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 WBS They zealously affect you, but not well; for, they would exclude you, that ye may affect them. BSB BSB: Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.
18 WBS But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing , and not only when I am present with you. BSB BSB: Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.
19 WBS My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you, BSB BSB: My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
20 WBS I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. BSB BSB: how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.
Hagar and Sarah (Genesis 21:9–21)
21 WBS Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? BSB BSB: Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?
22 WBS For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-woman. BSB BSB: For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
23 WBS But he who was of the bond-woman, was born according to the flesh; but he of the free-woman was by promise. BSB BSB: His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.
24 WBS Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. BSB BSB: These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar.
25 WBS For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. BSB BSB: Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
26 WBS But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. BSB BSB: But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
27 WBS 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 who hath a husband. BSB BSB: For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”
28 WBS Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. BSB BSB: Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
29 WBS But as then he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. BSB BSB: At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now.
30 WBS Nevertheless, what saith the scripture? Cast out the bond-woman and her son: for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman. BSB BSB: But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”
31 WBS So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free. BSB BSB: Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.