21Tell me, you who are wishing to be under the Law — do you not listen to the Law? [4:22] For it has been written that Abraham had two sons: one of the slave woman and one of the free woman. [4:23] But the one indeed of the slave woman has been born according to flesh, and the one of the free woman through the promise. [4:24] Which things are allegorized; for these are two covenants — one indeed from Mount Sinai, begetting unto slavery, which is Hagar. [4:25] Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. [4:26] But the Jerusalem above is free, who is our mother. [4:27] For it has been written: "Rejoice, O barren woman, you who are not bearing; break forth and call aloud, you who are not travailing — because many are the children of the desolate woman, more than of her who has the husband." [4:28] But you yourselves, brothers, are children of promise according to Isaac. [4:29] But just as at that time the one born according to flesh was persecuting the one according to Spirit, so also it is now. [4:30] But what says the Scripture? "Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall certainly not inherit along with the son of the free woman." [4:31] So then, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman but of the free.
GAL 4:21-31
Hagar and Sarah
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Jewish and Greco-Roman world, the story of Hagar and Sarah would have been familiar to Paul’s audience, particularly those steeped in Jewish tradition. Hagar, the Egyptian slave, and Sarah, the free wife of Abraham, represented contrasting social and covenantal realities. For Jewish listeners, the Torah’s narrative of these women carried weight, but Paul’s allegorical reinterpretation would have been striking. He associates Hagar with Mount Sinai and the Mosaic covenant, which he frames as leading to slavery, while Sarah represents the promise of freedom through faith. This would have been provocative, as Sinai was central to Jewish identity. For Gentile listeners, the imagery of slavery versus freedom resonated deeply in a society where slavery was ubiquitous and freedom a prized status. Paul’s use of (covenant/testament) would evoke legal and inheritance practices, where a will was irrevocable and binding. The hostile pursuit of the free by the enslaved mirrored societal tensions and power dynamics, making Paul’s argument both culturally and theologically charged.
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How other translations render this
GAL 4:21
- KJV
- Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
- BSB
- Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?
- Koinōnos
- Tell me, you who are wishing to be under the Law — do you not listen to the Law?
GAL 4:22
- KJV
- For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
- BSB
- For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
- Koinōnos
- For it has been written that Abraham had two sons: one of the slave woman and one of the free woman.
GAL 4:23
- KJV
- But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
- BSB
- His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.
- Koinōnos
- But the one indeed of the slave woman has been born according to flesh, and the one of the free woman through the promise.
GAL 4:24
- KJV
- Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
- BSB
- 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.
- Koinōnos
- Which things are allegorized; for these are two covenants — one indeed from Mount Sinai, begetting unto slavery, which is Hagar.
GAL 4:25
- KJV
- For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
- BSB
- Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
- Koinōnos
- Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.
GAL 4:26
- KJV
- But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
- BSB
- But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
- Koinōnos
- But the Jerusalem above is free, who is our mother.
GAL 4:27
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- 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.”
- Koinōnos
- For it has been written: "Rejoice, O barren woman, you who are not bearing; break forth and call aloud, you who are not travailing — because many are the children of the desolate woman, more than of her who has the husband.
GAL 4:28
- KJV
- Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
- BSB
- Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
- Koinōnos
- But you yourselves, brothers, are children of promise according to Isaac.
GAL 4:29
- KJV
- But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
- BSB
- At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now.
- Koinōnos
- But just as at that time the one born according to flesh was persecuting the one according to Spirit, so also it is now.
GAL 4:30
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave womanʼs son will never share in the inheritance with the free womanʼs son.”
- Koinōnos
- But what says the Scripture? "Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall certainly not inherit along with the son of the free woman.
GAL 4:31
- KJV
- So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
- BSB
- Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.
- Koinōnos
- So then, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman but of the free.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
GAL 4:22
- slave woman:The word translated 'slave woman' here specifically refers to a female servant who is also a concubine, highlighting her vulnerable and dependent status within the household.
GAL 4:24
- allegorized;:The word translated 'allegorized' means to interpret a story or text by finding a deeper, symbolic meaning beyond its literal sense, often to illustrate a moral or spiritual truth.
- two:The term used here for 'covenants' refers to a formal, binding agreement or contract, often with legal implications, establishing a relationship or obligation between parties.
GAL 4:29
- he was persecuting:The word translated 'he was persecuting' implies an active, persistent, and often hostile pursuit or harassment, not just a single act of mistreatment.