| New King James Version | NET 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, | 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. |
| 2but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. | 2But he is under guardians and managers 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 we, when we were minors, were enslaved under the basic forces 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 out 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 who were under the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights. |
| 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, who calls "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 if you are a son, then 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 enslaved to beings that by nature are not 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 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 observe days and months and seasons and years. | 10You are observing religious 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 work 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 and sisters, become like me, because I have become like you. You have done me no wrong! |
| 13You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. | 13But you know it was because of a physical illness that I first proclaimed 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 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 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. | 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! |
| 16Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? | 16So then, have I 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. | 17They court you eagerly, but for no good purpose; they want to exclude you, so that you would seek them eagerly. |
| 18But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present 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 little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, | 19My children--I am again undergoing birth pains 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. | 20I wish I could be with you now and change my tone of voice, 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 the law? |
| 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, | 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. |
| 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 may be treated as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for 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 represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for 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 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." |
| 28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. | 28But you, brothers and sisters, 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 at that time the one born by natural descent persecuted the one born 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? "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, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free. | 31Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman. |
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