But I say, as long as the heir is an infant, he differeth nothing from a bondservant, though he be lord of all;
but is under guardians and stewards until the time fore-appointed by the father.
So also we, when we were infants, were held in bondage under the principles of the world;
but when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under law,
that he might buy those under law, that we might receive our sonship.
But because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba Father.
So that thou art no longer a bondservant but a son; and if a son, an heir also of God through Christ.
But then, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods;
but now having known God, yea rather being known by God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye wish again afresh to be in bondage?
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
I am afraid of you, lest somehow I have laboured in vain as to you.
Be as I, for I also [am] as ye, brethren, I beseech you: ye have in nothing wronged me;
but ye know that in weakness of the flesh I preached to you the first time;
and my temptation which was in my flesh ye slighted not nor loathed, but as an angel of God ye received me(as Christ Jesus.
What then was your blessedness? For I bear you witness that, if possible, plucking out your eyes, ye would have given them to me.
So that have I become your enemy by being truthful to you?
They are zealous about you, not rightly; but wish to shut you out, that ye may be zealous about them.
But [it is] right to be zealous in a right thing always, and not only when I am present with you.
My children, with whom I again travail, until Christ shall have been formed in you,
yea, I could wish to be present with you now and change my voice, for I am perplexed about you.
Tell me, ye who wish to be under law, do ye not hear the law?
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one of the maidservant and one of the freewoman.
But he that was of the maidservant was born according to flesh, and he that was of the freewoman through the promise.
Which things are given allegorically, for these are two covenants, one from Mount Sina, gendering unto bondage, which is Agar.
For Agar is Mount Sina in Arabia, but correspondeth with the existing Jerusalem, for she is in bondage with her children.
But the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother,
for it is written, “Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break out and cry, thou that travailest not; for the children of the desolate are many more than of her that hath the husband.”
But we, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.
But as then he that was born according to flesh persecuted him that was according to Spirit, so now.
But what saith the scripture? “Cast out the maidservant and her son. For in no wise shall the son of the maidservant inherit with the son of the freewoman.”
Therefore, brethren, we are not children of a maidservant, but of the freewoman.