Galatians 4
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I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything,
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but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father.
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In the same way we also, when we were children, c were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.
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But d when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, e born f of woman, born g under the law,
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h to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive i adoption as sons.
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And because you are sons, God has sent j the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
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So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then k an heir through God.
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Formerly, when you l did not know God, you m were enslaved to those that by nature n are not gods.
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But now that you have come to know God, or rather o to be known by God, p how can you turn back again to q the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
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r You observe days and months and seasons and years!
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I am afraid s I may have labored over you in vain.
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Brothers, t I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. u You did me no wrong.
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You know it was v because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you w at first,
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and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me x as an angel of God, y as Christ Jesus.
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What then has become of the blessing you felt? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.
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Have I then become your enemy by z telling you the truth?
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They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.
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It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and a not only when I am present with you,
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b my little children, c for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ d is formed in you!
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I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
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Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?
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For it is written that Abraham had two sons, e one by a slave woman and f one by a free woman.
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But g the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while h the son of the free woman was born through promise.
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Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two i covenants. j One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.
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Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
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But k the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
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For it is written,
l "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
than those of the one who has a husband."
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Now you, brothers, m like Isaac, n are children of promise.
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But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh o persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, p so also it is now.
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But what does the Scripture say? q "Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman."
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So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but r of the free woman.
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Cross References
Galatians 2:4
Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in - who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery -
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Cross References
1 Timothy 2:6
Who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
Mark 1:15
And saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.
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Cross References
Philippians 2:7
But made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
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Cross References
1 Timothy 2:15
Yet she will be saved through childbearing - if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.
Genesis 3:15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
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Cross References
Luke 2:21 - 22
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luke 2:27
And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law.
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Cross References
Galatians 3:13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree" -
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Cross References
Galatians 3:26
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
Romans 8:15
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!
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Cross References
Romans 5:5
And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Acts 16:7
And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.
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Cross References
Galatians 3:29
And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 1:21
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
1 Thessalonians 4:5
Not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.
2 Thessalonians 1:8
In flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 John 4:8
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
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Cross References
Ephesians 2:11 - 12
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands -
1 Thessalonians 1:9
For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.
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Cross References
2 Chronicles 13:9
Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord...
Isaiah 37:19
And have cast their gods into the fire. For the...
Jeremiah 2:11
Has a nation changed its gods, even though they...
Jeremiah 5:7
How can I pardon you? Your children have forsak...
Jeremiah 16:20
Can man make for himself gods? Such are not gods!
1 Corinthians 8:4
Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to ...
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 8:3
But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.
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Cross References
Galatians 3:3
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
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Cross References
Romans 8:3
For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.
Hebrews 7:18
For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness
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Cross References
Romans 14:5
One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
Colossians 2:16
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.
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Cross References
Galatians 2:2
I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.
Galatians 5:2
Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.
Galatians 5:4
You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
1 Thessalonians 3:5
For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
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Cross References
2 Corinthians 6:13
In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.
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Cross References
2 Corinthians 2:5
Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure - not to put it too severely - to all of you.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 2:3
And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling.
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Cross References
Galatians 1:6
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel -
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Cross References
1 Samuel 29:9
And Achish answered David and said, "I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, 'He shall not go up with us to the battle.
Malachi 2:7
For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
2 Corinthians 5:20
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
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Cross References
Matthew 10:40
Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.
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Cross References
Galatians 2:5
To them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
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Cross References
Galatians 4:13
You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 4:15
For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Philemon 1:10
I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.
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Cross References
James 1:18
Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
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Cross References
Romans 8:10
But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
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Cross References
Genesis 16:5
And Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!
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Cross References
Genesis 21:2
And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.
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Cross References
Galatians 4:29
But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.
Romans 9:7
And not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.
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Cross References
Galatians 4:28
Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of ...
Genesis 17:16 - 19
I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you...
Genesis 18:10
The Lord said, "I will surely return to you abo...
Genesis 18:14
Is anything too hard for the Lord ? At the appo...
Genesis 21:1 - 2
The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the ...
Hebrews 11:11
By faith Sarah herself received power to concei...
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Cross References
Romans 9:4
They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.
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Cross References
Deuteronomy 33:2
He said, "The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right hand.
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Cross References
Hebrews 12:22
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering.
Revelation 3:12
The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.
Revelation 21:2
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 21:10
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.
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Cross References
Isaiah 54:1
Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married," says the Lord.
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Cross References
Isaiah 54:1
Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married," says the Lord.
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Cross References
Galatians 4:23
But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise.
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Cross References
Romans 9:8
This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.
Galatians 3:29
And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
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Cross References
Genesis 21:9
But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing.
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Cross References
Galatians 5:11
But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.
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Cross References
Genesis 21:10
So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.
John 8:35
The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
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Cross References
Genesis 21:10
So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.
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Cross References
1 Peter 3:6
As Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.