But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;
but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father.
So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the {Or, elements 2 Peter 3:10, 12}rudiments of the world:
but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods:
but 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 {Or, elements See verse 3.}rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?
Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years.
I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.
I beseech you, brethren, become as I am, for I also am become as ye are. Ye did me no wrong:
but ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I {See marginal note on chapter 1:8.}preached the gospel unto you the {Greek: former.}first time:
and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor {Greek: spat out.}rejected; but ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
Where then is that gratulation {Or, of yours}of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
So then am I become your enemy, {Or, by dealing truly with you}by telling you the truth?
They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.
But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.
My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you—
but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
For it is written, {Genesis 16:15.}that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman.
{Genesis 21:2}Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise.
Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.
{Many ancient authorities read For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia.}Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children.
But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother.
For it is written,
{Isaiah 54:1}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.
Now {Many ancient authorities read ye.}we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so also it is now.
Howbeit what saith the scripture? {Genesis 21:10, 12}Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman.
Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.
Querverweise zu Galater 4,21 Gal 4,21
but 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 {Or, elements See verse 3.}rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, {Psalm 118:22 f.}The stone which the builders rejected,The same was made the head of the corner;This was from the Lord,And it is marvelous in our eyes?
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
{Some ancient authorities omit verse 44.}And he that falleth on this stone shall be broken to pieces: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will scatter him as dust.
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, {Psalm 82:6}I said, Ye are gods?
For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, {Deuteronomy 27:26.}Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.
But Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels {Many ancient authorities add of God.} in heaven.
But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
{Exodus 3:6.}I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
The multitude therefore answered him, We have heard out of the law that the Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
For if ye believed Moses, ye would believe me; for he wrote of me.
But this cometh to pass, that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law, {Psalm 35:19; 69:4}They hated me without a cause.
So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it speaketh to them that are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God:
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.
For when we were in the flesh, the {Greek: passions of sins.}sinful passions, which were through the law, wrought in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that wherein we were held; so that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith:
but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.
Wherefore? {Or, Because, doing it not by faith, but as it were by works, they stumbled}Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by works. They stumbled at the stone of stumbling;
For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
For Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth.
For Moses writeth that {Leviticus 18:5}the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby.
But the righteousness which is of faith saith thus, {Deuteronomy 30:12 f.}Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:)
or, Who shall descend into the abyss? (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)
But what saith it? {Deuteronomy 30:14}The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach:
{Or, that}because if thou shalt {Some ancient authorities read confess the word with thy mouth, that Jesus is Lord.}confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:
for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.