1 Now I say, As long as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a bondman, though he be lord of all;
2 but he is under guardians and stewards until the period fixed by the father.
3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the principles of the world;
4 but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, come of woman, come under law,
5 that he might redeem those under law, that we might receive sonship.
6 But because ye are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
7 So thou art no longer bondman, but son; but if son, heir also through God.
8 But then indeed, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods;
9 but now, knowing God, but rather being known by God, how do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly principles to which ye desire to be again anew in bondage?
10 Ye observe days and months and times and years.
11 I am afraid of you, lest indeed I have laboured in vain as to you.
12 Be as *I* {am}, for *I* also {am} as *ye*, brethren, I beseech you: ye have not at all wronged me.
13 But ye know that in weakness of the flesh I announced the glad tidings to you at the first;
14 and my temptation, which {was} in my flesh, ye did not slight nor reject with contempt; but ye received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.
15 What then {was} your blessedness? for I bear you witness that, if possible, plucking out your own eyes ye would have given {them} to me.
16 So I have become your enemy in speaking the truth to you?
17 They are not rightly zealous after you, but desire to shut you out {from us}, that ye may be zealous after them.
18 But {it is} right to be zealous at all times in what is right, and not only when I am present with you-
19 my children, of whom I again travail in birth until Christ shall have been formed in you:
20 and I should wish to be present with you now, and change my voice, for I am perplexed as to you.
21 Tell me, ye who are desirous of being under law, do ye not listen to the law?
22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons; one of the maid servant, and one of the free woman.
23 But he {that was} of the maid servant was born according to flesh, and he {that was} of the free woman through the promise.
24 Which things have an allegorical sense; for these are two covenants: one from mount Sinai, gendering to bondage, which is Hagar.
25 For Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which {is} now, for she is in bondage with her children;
26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break out and cry, thou that travailest not; because the children of the desolate are more numerous than {those} of her that has a husband.
28 But *ye*, brethren, after the pattern of Isaac, are children of promise.
29 But as then he that was born according to flesh persecuted him {that was born} according to Spirit, so also {it is} now.
30 But what says the scripture? Cast out the maid servant and her son; for the son of the maid servant shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.
31 So then, brethren, we are not maid servant's children, but {children} of the free woman.
1 我说， 那承受产业的， 虽然是全部产业的主人， 但在孩童的时期， 却和奴仆没有分别。
2 他是在监护人和管家之下， 直到父亲预先指定的时候。
3 我们也是这样， 作孩童的时候， 被世俗的言论所奴役；
4 但到了时机成熟， 神就差遣他的儿子， 由女人所生， 而且生在律法之下，
5 要把律法之下的人救赎出来， 好让我们得着嗣子的名分。
6 你们既然是儿子， 神就差遣他儿子的灵进入我们心里， 呼叫"阿爸、父！ "
7 这样， 你不再是奴仆， 而是儿子； 既然是儿子， 就靠着 神承受产业了。
8 从前你们不认识 神的时候， 是给那些本来不是 神的作奴仆；
9 现在你们既然认识 神， 更可以说是 神所认识的， 怎么还回到那些软弱贫乏的言论， 情愿再作它们的奴仆呢？
10 你们严守日子、月份、节期、年份；
11 我为你们担心， 恐怕我在你们身上的劳苦是白费了。
12 弟兄们， 我请求你们要像我一样， 因为我也像你们一样。你们并没有亏负过我。
13 你们知道， 我第一次传福音给你们， 是因为身体有病。
14 虽然我的身体对你们是个试炼， 你们却没有轻看， 也没有厌弃， 反而接纳我， 好像 神的天使， 也好像基督耶稣。
15 现在， 你们的欢乐在哪里呢？我可以为你们作证， 那时如果可能， 你们甚至愿意把你们的眼睛剜出来给我哩！
16 现在我把真理告诉你们， 反而成了你们的仇敌吗？
17 那些人热心待你们， 并不是出于好意， 而是想你们和我疏远， 好使你们热心待他们。
18 常常在善事上热心， 总是好的； 只是不要我在你们那里的时候才是这样。
19 我的孩子们， 为了你们我再受生产的痛苦， 直到基督在你们里面成形。
20 我恨不得现今就在你们那里， 改变我的语气， 因为我为你们十分困扰。
21 你们这愿意在律法之下的人哪！ 请告诉我， 你们没有听过律法吗？
22 经上记着说， 亚伯拉罕有两个儿子， 一个出于婢女， 一个出于自由的妇人。
23 但那出于婢女的， 是按着肉体生的； 那出于自由的妇人的， 是凭着应许生的。
24 这都是寓意的说法： 那两个妇人就是两个约， 一个是出于西奈山， 生子作奴仆， 这是夏甲。
25 这夏甲是指着阿拉伯的西奈山， 相当于现在的耶路撒冷， 她和她的儿女都是作奴仆的。
26 那在上面的耶路撒冷是自由的， 她是我们的母亲，
27 因为经上记着说： "不能生育、没有生养的啊， 你要欢欣！ 没有受过生产痛苦的啊， 你要呼喊， 大声呼叫！ 因为弃妇比有夫之妇有更多儿子。"
28 可是， 弟兄们， 你们是按着应许作儿女的， 好像以撒一样。
29 不过， 当时那按着肉体生的， 迫害那按着圣灵生的， 现在也是这样。
30 然而经上怎样说呢？"把婢女和她的儿子赶出去， 因为婢女的儿子， 绝对不可以和自由的妇人的儿子一同承受产业。"
31 所以， 弟兄们， 我们不是婢女的儿女， 而是自由的妇人的儿女了。