VERSE STUDY • KJV

Galatians 4:22-31

²² For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. ²³ But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by 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. ²⁵ For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. ²⁶ But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 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. ²⁸ Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the 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. 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. ³¹ So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

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KJV King James Version

²² For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. ²³ But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by 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. ²⁵ For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. ²⁶ But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 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. ²⁸ Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the 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. 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. ³¹ So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. ²³ His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise. ²⁴ These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.” ²⁸ Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹ At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now. ³⁰ But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” ³¹ Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

WEB World English Bible

²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the free woman. ²³ However, the son by the handmaid was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise. ²⁴ These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar. ²⁵ For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. ²⁷ For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear. Break forth and shout, you that don’t travail. For more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband.” ²⁸ Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise. ²⁹ But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. ³⁰ However what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the handmaid and her son, for the son of the handmaid will not inherit with the son of the free woman.” ³¹ So then, brothers, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the free woman.

ASV American Standard Version

²² For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman. ²³ Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise. ²⁴ Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar. ²⁵ Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written, 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. ²⁸ Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. ²⁹ But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so also it is now. ³⁰ Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. ³¹ Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

²² for it hath been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the maid-servant, and one by the free-woman, ²³ but he who is of the maid-servant, according to flesh hath been, and he who is of the free-woman, through the promise; ²⁴ which things are allegorized, for these are the two covenants: one, indeed, from mount Sinai, to servitude bringing forth, which is Hagar; ²⁵ for this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and doth correspond to the Jerusalem that now is, and is in servitude with her children, ²⁶ and the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all, ²⁷ for it hath been written, ‘Rejoice, O barren, who art not bearing; break forth and cry, thou who art not travailing, because many are the children of the desolate—more than of her having the husband.’ ²⁸ And we, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise, ²⁹ but as then he who was born according to the flesh did persecute him according to the spirit, so also now; ³⁰ but what saith the Writing? ‘Cast forth the maid-servant and her son, for the son of the maid-servant may not be heir with the son of the free-woman;’ ³¹ then, brethren, we are not a maid-servant’s children, but the free-woman’s.

Surrounding context — Galatians 4

19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

23 But he [who was] of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman [was] by 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.

25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

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.

28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the 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.

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.

31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

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