The Scriptures (ISR 1998) 1And I say, for as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, though he is master of all, 2but is under guardians and trustees till the time prearranged by the father. 3So we also, when we were children, were under the elementary matters of the world, being enslaved. 4But when the completion of the time came, Elohim sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under Torah, 5to redeem those who were under Torah, in order to receive the adoption as sons. 6And because you are sons, Elohim has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” 7So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir of Elohim through Messiah. 8But then, indeed, not knowing Elohim, you served those which by nature are not mighty ones. 9But now after you have known Elohim, or rather are known by Elohim, how do you turn again to the weak and poor elementary matters,a to which you wish to be enslaved again? 10You observe days and months and seasons and years. 11I fear for you, lest by any means I have laboured for you in vain. 12Brothers, I beg you to become as I am, because I am as you are. You did not wrong me at all. 13But you know that through weakness of the flesh I brought the Good News to you before. 14And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as a messenger of Elohim, as Messiah יהושע. 15What then was your blessedness? For I bear you witness, that if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. 16So then, have I become your enemy, speaking truth to you? 17They are ardent towards you, for no good, but they wish to shut you out, that you might be ardent towards them. 18And it is good always to be ardent in what is good, and not only when I am present with you. 19My little children, for whom I am again in birth pains until Messiah is formed in you, 20even now I wish to be present with you now and to change my voice, for I have doubts about you. 21Say to me, you who wish to be under Torah, do you not hear the Torah? 22For it has been written that Aḇraham had two sons, one by a female servant, the other by a free woman. 23But he who was of the female servant was born according to the flesh, and he of the free woman through promise. 24This is allegorical, for these are the two covenants: one indeed from Mount Sinai which brings forth slavery, which is Hag̅ar, 25for this Hag̅ar is Mount Sinai in Araḇia, and corresponds to Yerushalayim which now is, and is in slavery with her children. 26But the Yerushalayim above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27For it has been written, “Rejoice, O barren, you who do not bear! Break forth and shout, you who do not have birth pains! For the deserted one has many more children than she who has a husband.” 28And we, brothers, as Yitsḥaq was, are children of promise. 29But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him born according to the Spirit, so also now. 30But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the female servant and her son, for the son of the female servant shall by no means be heir with the son of the free woman.” 31Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the female servant but of the free woman. |