¶ Now I say, That¹ the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

Even so we, when² we were children, were in³ bondage under the elements⁴ of the world:

But when the fulness⁵ of the time was come, God⁶ sent forth his Son, made⁷ of a⁸ woman, made under⁹ the law,

To redeem¹⁰ them that were under the law, that we¹¹ might receive the adoption of sons.

And because ye are sons, God¹² hath sent forth the Spirit¹³ of his Son into your hearts, crying¹⁴, Abba, Father.

Wherefore thou¹⁵ art no more a servant, but¹⁶ a son; and if¹⁷ a son, then an heir¹⁸ of God through Christ.

¶ Howbeit then, when¹⁹ ye knew not God, ye did²⁰ service unto them which by nature are no gods.

But now, after that ye have²¹ known God, or rather are known²² of God, how²³ turn ye again²⁴ to the weak and beggarly elements²⁵, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

¶²⁶Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

I am²⁷ afraid of you, lest²⁸ I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

¶ Brethren, I beseech you, be²⁹ as I am; for I am as ye³⁰ are: ye have not injured me at all.

Ye know how through infirmity³¹ of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the³² first.

And my temptation which was in my flesh ye³³ despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel³⁴ of God, even as Christ³⁵ Jesus.

Where is³⁶ then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear³⁷ you record, that, if³⁸ it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

Am I therefore become³⁹ your enemy, because⁴⁰ I tell you the truth?

¶ They zealously⁴¹ affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you⁴², that ye might affect them.

But it is⁴³ good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am⁴⁴ present with you.

¶ My little⁴⁵ children, of⁴⁶ whom I travail in birth again until Christ⁴⁷ be formed in you,

¶ I desire to be present⁴⁸ with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

¶ Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

¶ Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.