1But I say that so long as the heir is a child , he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all ; 2but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father . 3So we also , when we were children , were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world : 4but when the fulness of the time came , God sent forth his Son , born of a woman , born under the law , 5that he might redeem them that were under the law , that we might receive the adoption of sons . 6And because ye are sons , God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts , crying , Abba, Father . 7So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son ; and if a son , then an heir through God .
The Danger of Turning Back
8Howbeit at that time , not knowing God , ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods : 9but now that ye have come to know God , or rather to be known by God , how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments , whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again ? 10Ye observe days , and months , and seasons , and years . 11I am afraid of you , lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain . 12I beseech you , brethren, become as I am , for I also am become as ye are . Ye did me no wrong: 13but ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time : 14and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not , nor rejected ; but ye received me as an angel of God , even as Christ Jesus . 15Where then is that gratulation of yourselves ? for I bear you witness , that , if possible , ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me . 16So then am I become your enemy , by telling you the truth? 17They zealously seek you in no good way; nay , they desire to shut you out , that ye may seek them . 18But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times , and not only when I am present with you . 19My little children , of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you — 20but I could wish to be present with you now , and to change my tone ; for I am perplexed about you .
The Allegory of Hagar and Sarah
21Tell me , ye that desire to be under the law , do ye not hear the law ? 22For it is written , that Abraham had two sons , one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman . 23Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh ; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise . 24Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants ; one from mount Sinai , bearing children unto bondage , which is Hagar. 25Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is : for she is in bondage with her children . 26But the Jerusalem that is above is free , which is our mother . 27For it is written , Rejoice , thou barren that bearest not ; Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not : For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband. 28Now we , brethren, as Isaac was , are children of promise . 29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit , so also it is now . 30Howbeit what saith the scripture ? Cast out the handmaid and her son : for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman . 31Wherefore , brethren , we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman .