1 Now I say the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and stewards, till the time appointed by the father.
3 So we also, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son,
5 made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem those under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your 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.
8 Indeed then, when ye knew not God, ye served them that by nature are not gods.
9 But now having known God, or rather being known of God, how turn ye back to the weak and beggarly elements, to which ye desire to be in bondage again?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have laboured upon you in vain.
11 Brethren, I beseech you, be ye as I am; for I also am as ye were: ye have not injured me at all.
12 Ye know how though infirmity of the flesh, I preached the gospel to you at first.
13 And ye did not slight or disdain my temptation which was in the flesh, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.
14 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of?
15 For I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes, and have given them to me.
16 Am I become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
18 Now it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only while I am present with you.
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, till Christ be formed in you,
20 I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
21 Tell me, ye that would be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
22 For it is written, Abraham had two sons, one by the bond-woman, another by the free-woman.
23 And he of the bond-woman was born after the flesh, but he of the free-woman by promise.
24 Which things are an allegory; for these are the two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Agar.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem that now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
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 that hath an husband.
28 Now we, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.
29 But as then, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so it is now also.
30 But 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.
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free.