'I mean1thatthe6heir,7as long as345he is9a child,8is11no10different from11a slave,12thoughhe is15the owner13of everything,14 but1he is4under2guardians3and5managers6until7the8date set9by [his] father.11 In the same way1we3also,2when4we were5children,6were12enslaved13to7the8elementary principles9of the10world.11 But2when1the4fullness5of time7had come,3God10sent forth8his13Son,12born14of15woman,16born17under18the law,19 to redeem15those2who wereunder3the law,4so that6we might receive9adoption as sons.8 And2because1you are3sons,4God7has sent5the8Spirit9of11his12Son11into13our16hearts,15crying,17“Abba!18Father!”20 So1you are3no longer2a slave,4but5a son,6and8if7a son,9then10an heir11through12God.13 Formerly,2when you did5not4know5God,6you were enslaved7to those8thatby nature9are11not10gods.12 But2now1that you have come to know3God,4or6rather5to be known7by8God,9how10can you turn back11again12to13the14weak15and16worthless17elementary principles of the world,18whose19slaves22you want23to be22once more?2021 You observe2days1and3months4and5seasons6and7years!8 I am afraid1I may have labored6over7you8in vain.5 Brothers,8I entreat9you,10become1as2I3am,for4I also5have becomeas6you7are.You did13me12no11wrong.13 You know1it wasbecause of4a bodily7ailment5that3I preached the gospel8to you9at first,11 and though1my8[condition]7wasa trial3to you,4you did10not9scorn10or11despise12me,but13received17me18as14an angel15of God,16as19Christ20Jesus.21 What1then2has become ofyour5blessedness?4For7I testify6to you8that,9if10possible,11you would have16gouged out15your14eyes13andgiven16themto me.17 Have I4then1become4your3enemy2by telling5you6the truth?5 They make much of1you,2but5for4no3good purpose.4They want8to shut6you7out,6that9you may make much of11them.10 It isalways6good1to be made much of3for4a good purpose,5and7not8only9when1011I13am present12with14you,15 my2little children,1for whom3I am5again4in the anguish of childbirth5until6Christ9is formed8in10you!11 I wish1I could be present3with4you5now6and7change8my11tone,10for12I am perplexed13about14you.15 Tell1me,2you3who desire6to be7under4the law,5doyou11not10listen to11the8law?9 For2it is written1that3Abraham4had7two5sons,6one8by9a10slave woman11and12one13by14a15free woman.16 But1the [son]2of4the5slave6was born9according to7the flesh,8while11the [son]10of12the13free woman14was bornthrough15promise.16 Nowthis1[may] be2interpreted allegorically:3these women4are6two7covenants.8One9isfrom11Mount12Sinai,13bearing children16for14slavery;15she17is18Hagar.19 Now2Hagar3is6Mount5Sinai4in7Arabia;9she corresponds10to the12present13Jerusalem,14for16she is in slavery15with17her20children.19 But2the1Jerusalem4above3is6free,5andshe7is8our10mother.9 For2it is written,1“Rejoice,3O barren4one5who does7not6bear;7break forth8and9cry aloud,10you11who are13not12in labor!13For14the16children17of the18desolate one19will bemore15than21those ofthe one22who has23a24husband.”25 Now2you,1brothers,3like4Isaac,5are8children7of promise.6 But1just as2at that time3he4who was born7according to5the flesh6persecuted8him9who was bornaccording to10the Spirit,11so12also13it isnow.14 But1what2doesthe4Scripture5say?3“Cast out6the7slave woman8and9her12son,11for14the17son18of the19slave woman20shall16not1315inherit16with21the22son23of the24free woman.”25 So,1brothers,2we are4not3children6of the slave5but7of the8free woman.9