| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, | 1What 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. |
| 2but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. | 2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father. |
| 3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. | 3So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world. |
| 4But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, | 4But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, |
| 5to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. | 5to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons. |
| 6And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” | 6And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” |
| 7Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. | 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God. |
| 8But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods. | 8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. |
| 9But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? | 9But 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? |
| 10You observe days and months and seasons and years. | 10You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! |
| 11I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain. | 11I fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain. |
| 12Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all. | 12I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong. |
| 13You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. | 13You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. |
| 14And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. | 14And 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. |
| 15What then was the blessing you enjoyed? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your own eyes and given them to me. | 15What 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. |
| 16Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? | 16Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? |
| 17They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. | 17Those 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. |
| 18But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. | 18Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you. |
| 19My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, | 19My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, |
| 20I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you. | 20how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you. |
| 21Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? | 21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says? |
| 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. | 22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. |
| 23But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, | 23His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise. |
| 24which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— | 24These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar. |
| 25for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— | 25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. |
| 26but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. | 26But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. |
| 27For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband.” | 27For 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.” |
| 28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. | 28Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. |
| 29But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. | 29At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now. |
| 30Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” | 30But 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.” |
| 31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free. | 31Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. |
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