Commentary on Galatians and Ephesians

1Now I say: As long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a slave, ¹⁸⁷ though he is lord of all;

2But is under tutors and guardians, till the time appointed by the father.

3So also we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

4But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, subjected under the law;

5That he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive adoption. ¹⁸⁸

6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

7Wherefore thou art no longer a slave ¹⁸⁹ but a son; and if a son, likewise an heir of God by Christ.

8But at the time when ye knew not God, ye served those who by nature are not gods.

9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather have been known by God, why do ye turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, which you again desire to serve, anew? ¹⁹⁰

10Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

11I am afraid of you, lest perhaps I have labored among you in vain.

12Be ye as I; for I also am as you. Brethren, I beseech you; ye have done me no injury.

13Now ye knew that, through infirmity of the flesh, I formerly preached the gospel to you;

14And the trial of me, which was in my flesh, ye despised not, nor rejected; ¹⁹¹ but ye received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

15Where is then your blessedness? for I bear you witness, that, if it had been possible, ye would even have plucked out your own eyes, and would have given them to me.

16Am I therefore become your enemy by speaking the truth?

17They are jealous of you, not well; ¹⁹² yea, they wish to exclude you, that ye may be jealous of them.

18But it is good to be the object of jealousy always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

19My little children, for whom I again travail in birth; till Christ be formed in you,

20I would wish now to be present with you, and to change my voice; for I am distressed about you.

21Tell me, ye who wish to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; one by the bond-maid, the other by the free-woman.

23But he who (was) of the bond-maid was born according to the flesh; but he who, (was) of the free-woman, by promise.

24Which things are allegorical ¹⁹³ for there are two covenants; one indeed from mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, that is Agar.

25For Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and, on the other hand, corresponds to that which is now Jerusalem; for she is in bondage with her children.

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

27For it is written: Rejoice, O barren, who bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for more are the children of the forsaken than of her who hath a husband. ((Isaiah 54:1).)

28Now we, brethren, like Isaac, are children of the promise. ((Romans 9:7).)

29But as, at that time, he who was born according to the flesh, persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit; so also is it now.

30But what saith the scripture? Cast out the bond-maid, and her son; for the son of the bond-maid shall not obtain the inheritance with the so, of the free-woman.

31Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free.