Galatians 4

Paul explains that before faith came, we were kept under the law like children under tutors, but when the fulness of time came, God sent forth His Son to redeem those under the law so they might receive the adoption of sons. He uses the allegory of Sarah and Hagar to illustrate the difference between the bondage of the law and the freedom of the promise.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;	What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a servant, even though he is the owner of everything.
2	But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.	He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.
3	Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:	So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.
4	But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,	But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5	To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.	to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption as sons.
6	And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.	Because You are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit Who calls out, "Abba, Father."
7	Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.	Therefore You are no longer a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
8	Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.	Formerly, when You did not know God, You were enslaved to those who by nature are not gods.
9	But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?	But now that You know God — or rather are known by God — how is it that You are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do You wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
10	Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.	You are observing special days, months, seasons, and years.
11	I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.	I fear for You, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on You.
12	Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.	I plead with You, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like You. You did me no wrong.
13	Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.	As You know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to You.
14	And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.	And my temptation which was in my flesh You did not despise or reject; but You received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15	Where is then the blessedness ye spake 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.	Where, then, is Your blessing? I can testify that, if You could have done so, You would have torn out Your eyes and given them to me.
16	Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?	Have I now become Your enemy by telling You the truth?
17	They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.	Those people are zealous to win You over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate You from us, so that You may have zeal for them.
18	But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.	It is good to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not only when I am with You.
19	My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,	My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth 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.	how I wish I could be with You now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about You!
21	Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?	Tell me, You who want to be under the law, are You not aware of what the law says?
22	For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.	For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
23	But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.	His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.
24	Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.	These things are being taken figuratively: the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves — this is Hagar.
25	For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.	For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26	But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.	But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.
27	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.	For it is written: "Rejoice, you who are childless. Break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor. For the desolate woman has more children than she who has a husband."
28	Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.	Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.
29	But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.	At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now.
30	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.	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.	Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.