1I will say again: An heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, although he is the master of all: 2 he is subject to the stewards and stewards until the time appointed by the father. 3In the same way, while we were children, we were enslaved to the material principles of the world; 4But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, who was born of a woman, and was subject to the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive adoption as sons. 6And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, "Abba, Father!" 7Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if he is a son, then he is also an heir of God through Jesus Christ. 8But then, not knowing God, you served gods who are not gods in essence. 9But now, having come to know God, or rather having received knowledge from God, why do you return again to weak and poor material principles, and want to enslave yourselves to them again? 10You observe the days, months, seasons, and years. 11I fear for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.

12I beseech you, brethren, to be as I am, for I also am like you. You have not offended me in any way: 13you know that although in the weakness of the flesh I preached the gospel to you the first time, 14 you did not despise my temptation in my flesh, nor did you abhor it, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15How blessed you were! I testify of you, that if it were possible, you would pluck out your eyes and give them to me. 16Have I therefore become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17They are jealous of you uncleanly, but they want to separate you so that you may be jealous of them. 18It is good to be jealous in good things always, and not only in my presence with you. 19My children, for whom I am again in the pangs of childbirth, until Christ is formed in you! 20I wish I could now be with you and change my voice, for I am perplexed about you.

21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22For it is written, "Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and the other by a free woman." 23But he who is of a servant is born according to the flesh; but he who is free is according to the promise. 24There is an allegory in this. These are the two covenants: one from Mount Sinai, who gives birth to slavery, which is Hagar, 25for Hagar means Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, because he is in bondage with his children. 26But the highest Jerusalem is free: she is the mother of us all. 27For it is written, "Be glad, you barren, you who do not give birth; cry out and cry out, not tormented by childbirth; for she who is forsaken has many more children than she who has a husband. 28We, brethren, are the children of the promise according to Isaac. 29But just as then he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now. 30What then does the Scripture say? Cast out the servant and her son, for the son of the slave shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. 31So, brethren, we are not the children of slaves, but of a free woman.

5

1Stand therefore, in the freedom which Christ has given us, and do not again be subjected to the yoke of bondage. 2Behold, I, Paul, say to you, if you are circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3Again, I testify to every person who is circumcised that he must fulfill the whole law. 4You who justify yourselves by the law are left without Christ, you have fallen from grace, 5 but we in the Spirit expect and hope for righteousness from faith. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is valid, but faith working through love. 7You walked well: who stopped you from submitting to the truth? 8Such a conviction is not from Him who calls you. 9A little leaven leavens the whole dough. 10I am confident of you in the Lord that you will not think otherwise; but he who troubles you, whoever he may be, will bear condemnation. 11Why then do they persecute me, brethren, if I preach circumcision even now? Then the temptation of the cross would cease. 12Oh, that those who troubled you were removed!

13You have been called to freedom, brethren, so that your freedom may not be an occasion for pleasing the flesh, but serve one another with love. 14For the whole law is contained in one word: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 15But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not destroyed by one another.

16I say, walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, 17for the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19The works of the flesh are known; they are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, envy, anger, strife, dissension, [temptations,] heresies, 21hatred, murder, drunkenness, disorder, and the like. I forewarn you, as I did before, that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faith, 23meekness, self-control. There is no law on them. 24But those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. 25If we live in the Spirit, then we must walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not be vain, provoke one another, or envy one another.

6

1Brethren! If a person falls into any sin, you, spiritual ones, correct him in a spirit of meekness, watching each one of you, so that you will not be tempted. 2Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. 3For whoever thinks himself to be something, being nothing, deceives himself. 4Let each one try his own work, and then he will have praise only in himself, and not in another, 5for each will bear his own burden.

6Being instructed by the word, share all good things with the one who instructs. 7Do not be deceived: God is not mocked. What a man sows, that he will also reap: 8He who sows in his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but he who sows in the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9In doing good, let us not lose heart, for in due time we shall reap, if we do not faint. 10Therefore, while there is time, let us do good to all, especially to those who are in the faith.

11You see how much I have written to you with my own hand. 12Those who want to boast in the flesh compel you to be circumcised only in order not to be persecuted for the cross of Christ, 13for even those who are circumcised do not keep the law, but want you to be circumcised in order to boast in your flesh. 14But I do not wish to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. 15For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but a new creation. 16To those who walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and on the Israel of God. 17But let no one burden me, for I bear the wounds of the Lord Jesus on my body.

18The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is with your spirit, brethren. Amen.