| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now what I am saying is this: As long as an heir is a child, he is no better off than a slave, even though he owns everything. | 1Now I mean that the heir, as long as he is a minor, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything. |
| 2Instead, he is placed under the care of guardians and servant managers until the time set by the father. | 2But he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. |
| 3It was the same way with us. While we were children, we were slaves to the basic principles of the world. | 3So also we, when we were minors, were enslaved under the basic forces of the world. |
| 4But when the appropriate time had come, God sent his Son, born by a woman, born under the Law, | 4But when the appropriate time had come, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, |
| 5in order to redeem those who were under the Law, and thus to adopt them as his children. | 5to redeem those who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights. |
| 6Now because you are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to cry out, "Abba! Father!" | 6And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, who calls "Abba! Father!" |
| 7So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if you are a child, then you are also an heir because of what God did. | 7So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son, then you are also an heir through God. |
| 8However, in the past, when you did not know God, you were slaves to things that are not really gods at all. | 8Formerly when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods at all. |
| 9But now that you know God, or rather have been known by God, how can you turn back again to those powerless and bankrupt basic principles? Why do you want to become their slaves all over again? | 9But now that you have come to know God (or rather to be known by God), how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless basic forces? Do you want to be enslaved to them all over again? |
| 10You are observing days, months, seasons, and years. | 10You are observing religious days and months and seasons and years. |
| 11I am afraid for you! I don't want my work for you to have been wasted! | 11I fear for you that my work for you may have been in vain. |
| 12I beg you, brothers, to become like me, since I became like you. You did not do anything wrong to me. | 12I beg you, brothers and sisters, become like me, because I have become like you. You have done me no wrong! |
| 13You know that it was because I was ill that I brought you the gospel the first time. | 13But you know it was because of a physical illness that I first proclaimed the gospel to you, |
| 14Even though my condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. On the contrary, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, or as if I were the Messiah Jesus. | 14and though my physical condition put you to the test, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as though I were an angel of God, as though I were Christ Jesus himself! |
| 15What, then, happened to your positive attitude? For I testify that if it had been possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. | 15Where then is your sense of happiness now? For I testify about you that if it were possible, you would have pulled out your eyes and given them to me! |
| 16So have I now become your enemy for telling you the truth? | 16So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? |
| 17These people who have been instructing you are devoted to you, but not in a good way. They want you to avoid me so that you will be devoted to them. | 17They court you eagerly, but for no good purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly. |
| 18(Now it is always good to be devoted to a good cause, even when I am not with you.) | 18However, it is good to be sought eagerly for a good purpose at all times, and not only when I am present with you. |
| 19My children, I am suffering birth pains for you again until the Messiah is formed in you. | 19My children--I am again undergoing birth pains until Christ is formed in you! |
| 20Indeed, I wish I were with you right now so that I could change the tone of my voice, because I am completely baffled by you! | 20I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice, because I am perplexed about you. |
| 21Tell me, those of you who want to live under the Law: Are you really listening to what the Law says? | 21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand the law? |
| 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and the other by a free woman. | 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. |
| 23Now the slave woman's son was conceived through human means, while the free woman's son was conceived through divine promise. | 23But one, the son by the slave woman, was born by natural descent, while the other, the son by the free woman, was born through the promise. |
| 24This is being said as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants. The one woman, Hagar, is from Mount Sinai, and her children are born into slavery. | 24These things may be treated as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar. |
| 25Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery along with her children. | 25Now Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. |
| 26But the heavenly Jerusalem is the free woman, and she is our spiritual mother. | 26But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. |
| 27For it is written, "Rejoice, you childless woman, who cannot give birth to any children! Break into song and shout, you who feel no pains of childbirth! For the children of the deserted woman are more numerous than the children of the woman who has a husband." | 27For it is written: "Rejoice, O barren woman who does not bear children; break forth and shout, you who have no birth pains, because the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than those of the woman who has a husband." |
| 28So you, brothers, are children of the promise, like Isaac. | 28But you, brothers and sisters, are children of the promise like Isaac. |
| 29But just as then the son who was conceived according to the flesh persecuted the son who was conceived according to the Spirit, so it is now. | 29But just as at that time the one born by natural descent persecuted the one born according to the Spirit, so it is now. |
| 30But what does the Scripture say? "Drive out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman must never share the inheritance with the son of the free woman." | 30But what does the scripture say? "Throw out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the son" of the free woman. |
| 31So then, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman. | 31Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman. |
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