Galatians 4 NKJV ISV Parallel

◄ Galatians 4 ►

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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,

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.

2but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.

2Instead, he is placed under the care of guardians and servant managers until the time set by the father.

3Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

3It was the same way with us. While we were children, we were slaves to 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 appropriate time had come, God sent his Son, born by a woman, born under the Law,

5to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

5in order to redeem those who were under the Law, and thus to adopt them as his children.

6And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

6Now because you are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts to cry 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 child, and if you are a child, then you are also an heir because of what God did.

8But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.

8However, in the past, when you did not know God, you were slaves to things that are not really gods at all.

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 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?

10You observe days and months and seasons and years.

10You are observing days, months, seasons, and years.

11I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.

11I am afraid for you! I don't want my work for you to have been wasted!

12Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all.

12I beg you, brothers, to become like me, since I became like you. You did not do anything wrong to me.

13You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first.

13You know that it was because I was ill that I brought you the gospel the first time.

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.

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.

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, 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.

16Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

16So have I now become your enemy for 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.

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.

18But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you.

18(Now it is always good to be devoted to a good cause, even when I am not with you.)

19My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,

19My children, I am suffering birth pains for you again until the Messiah is formed in you.

20I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about 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!

21Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?

21Tell me, those of you who want to live under the Law: Are you really listening to 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 a slave woman and the other by a free woman.

23But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,

23Now the slave woman's son was conceived through human means, while the free woman's son was conceived through divine promise.

24which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—

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.

25for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children—

25Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery along with her children.

26but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.

26But the heavenly Jerusalem is the free woman, and she is our spiritual 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, 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."

28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.

28So you, brothers, are children of the promise, like Isaac.

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.

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.

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? "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."

31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

31So then, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman.

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