1 Now I say That the heir, as long as he is a child differs in nothing from a slave, though he be lord of all, 2 but is under the hand of tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements of the world, 4 but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father; 7 therefore, thou art no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8 However then, when ye did not know God, ye did service unto those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now, having known God, or rather being known of God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, in which ye desire again to be in slavery? 10 Ye observe days and months and times and years. 11 I am afraid for you, lest I have bestowed labour upon you in vain.
12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are; ye have not injured me at all. 13 Ye know how through weakness of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. 14 And my affliction which was in my flesh ye did not despise, nor reject but ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15 Where is then the blessedness ye spoke of? for I bear you record that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes and have given them to me. 16 Am I, therefore, become your enemy because I tell you the truth? 17 They are zealous after you, but not for good; they would exclude you from us, that ye might be zealous after them. 18 It is good to be always zealous to do good, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ is formed in you, 20 I desire to be present with you now and to change my voice, for I stand in doubt of you.
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, have ye not heard the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, but he of the freewoman was born through the promise. 24 Which things are an allegory; for these women are the two covenants: the one from the Mount Sinai, which begat unto slavery, which is Hagar. 25 For this Hagar or Sinai is a mount in Arabia, which corresponds to the one that is now Jerusalem, which together with her children is in slavery. 26 But the Jerusalem of above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth into praise and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.
28 So that we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born according to the flesh persecuted him that was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless 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. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.