4:1  Now I say, as long as the heir remains a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he owns everything,

4:2   but his parents place him under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.

4:3   So also we, while we remained children, suffered bondage under the elemental things of the world.

4:4   But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,

4:5   so that He might redeem those who lived under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

4:6   Because you have now become sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, " Abba! Father!"

4:7   Therefore you serve no longer as a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

4:8   However at that time, when you did not know God, you became slaves to those which by nature do not really have any claim as gods.

4:9  But now that you have come to know God, or rather that God knows you, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire enslavement all over again?

4:10   You observe days and months and seasons and years.

4:11   I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

4:12   I beg of you, brethren, do as I do, for I also have become as you have become. You have done me no wrong;

4:13  but you know that because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time;

4:14   and that which I considered a trial - my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.

4:15   What then has become of the blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

4:16   So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

4:17   They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them.

4:18   But it feels good always to have someone seek us out in a commendable manner, and not only when I dwell with you presently.

4:19   My children, with whom I feel again in labor until Christ becomes formed in you--

4:20   but I could wish to join you presently and to change my tone, for I feel perplexed about you.

4:21   Tell me, you who want to live under law, do you not listen to the law?

4:22   For the scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.

4:23   But the son by the bondwoman had become born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.

4:24   This represents an allegory, for these women represent two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who will become slaves; we acknowledge her as Hagar.

4:25   Now this Hagar represents Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she lives in slavery with her children.

4:26   But the Jerusalem above has attained freedom; she represents our mother.

4:27  For the scriptures declare, " REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO DO NOT FIND THEMSELVES IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS HAVE INCREASED THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND."

4:28  And you brethren, like Isaac, have become children of promise.

4:29   But as at that time he who came into life born according to the flesh persecuted him who came into life born according to the Spirit, so it has now occurred.

4:30   But what does the Scripture say? " CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON, FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT RECEIVE AN INHERITANCE WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN."

4:31   So then, brethren, we should not consider ourselves children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman.