1 But now to continue—the son who will receive his father's property is treated just like a slave while he is young, even though he really owns everything. 2 While he is young, there are men who take care of him and manage his affairs until the time set by his father. 3 In the same way, we too were slaves of the ruling spirits of the universe before we reached spiritual maturity. 4 But when the right time finally came, God sent his own Son. He came as the son of a human mother and lived under the Jewish Law, 5 to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might become God's children.
6 To show that you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who cries out, “Father, my Father.” 7 So then, you are no longer a slave but a child. And since you are his child, God will give you all that he has for his children.
Paul's Concern for the Galatians
8 In the past you did not know God, and so you were slaves of beings who are not gods. 9 But now that you know God—or, I should say, now that God knows you—how is it that you want to turn back to those weak and pitiful ruling spirits? Why do you want to become their slaves all over again? 10 You pay special attention to certain days, months, seasons, and years. 11 I am worried about you! Can it be that all my work for you has been for nothing?
12 I beg you, my friends, be like me. After all, I am like you. You have not done me any wrong. 13 You remember why I preached the gospel to you the first time; it was because I was sick. 14 But even though my physical condition was a great trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you received me as you would an angel from heaven; you received me as you would Christ Jesus. 15 You were so happy! What has happened? I myself can say that you would have taken out your own eyes, if you could, and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17 Those other people show a deep interest in you, but their intentions are not good. All they want is to separate you from me, so that you will have the same interest in them as they have in you. 18 Now, it is good to have such a deep interest if the purpose is good—this is true always, and not merely when I am with you. 19 My dear children! Once again, just like a mother in childbirth, I feel the same kind of pain for you until Christ's nature is formed in you. 20 How I wish I were with you now, so that I could take a different attitude toward you. I am so worried about you!
The Example of Hagar and Sarah
21 Let me ask those of you who want to be subject to the Law: do you not hear what the Law says? 22 It says that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman, the other by a free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born in the usual way, but his son by the free woman was born as a result of God's promise. 24 These things can be understood as a figure: the two women represent two covenants. The one whose children are born in slavery is Hagar, and she represents the covenant made at Mount Sinai. 25 Hagar, who stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia, is a figure of the present city of Jerusalem, in slavery with all its people. 26 But the heavenly Jerusalem is free, and she is our mother. 27 For the scripture says,
“Be happy, you childless woman!
Shout and cry with joy, you who never felt the pains of childbirth!
For the woman who was deserted will have more children
than the woman whose husband never left her.”
28 Now, you, my friends, are God's children as a result of his promise, just as Isaac was. 29 At that time the son who was born in the usual way persecuted the one who was born because of God's Spirit; and it is the same now. 30 But what does the scripture say? It says, “Send the slave woman and her son away; for the son of the slave woman will not have a part of the father's property along with the son of the free woman.” 31 So then, my friends, we are not the children of a slave woman but of a free woman.
1 Es jums saku: kamēr mantinieks vēl nav pieaudzis, viņš neatšķiras no verga, kaut arī viņš ir kungs pār visiem. 2 Viņš ir pakļauts aizbildņiem un pārvaldniekiem līdz tēva noteiktajam laikam. 3 Tāpat arī mēs, kamēr vēl nebijām pieauguši, bijām pasaules pirmspēku paverdzināti. 4 Bet, kad pienāca laiku beigas, Dievs sūtīja savu Dēlu, kas piedzima no sievietes, piedzima pakļauts bauslībai, 5 lai izpirktu tos, kas pakļauti bauslībai, un lai mēs tiktu pieņemti par Dieva dēliem. 6 Tā kā jūs esat dēli, Dievs sava Dēla Garu ir sūtījis jūsu sirdīs, kas sauc: Aba! Tēvs! 7 Tātad tu vairs neesi vergs, bet gan dēls un, ja dēls, tad caur Dievu arī mantinieks.
Pāvila pārmetumi galatiešiem
8 Tolaik, kad Dievu vēl nepazināt, jūs vergojāt tiem, kas patiesībā nebija dievi. 9 Bet tagad, kad jūs esat atzinuši Dievu; pareizāk gan, kad Dievs jūs ir atzinis, – kā tad jūs atkal pievēršaties nespēcīgajiem un nabadzīgajiem pirmspēkiem un no jauna gribat ļaut tiem sevi paverdzināt? 10 Jūs cītīgi ievērojat dienas un mēnešus, noteiktus laikus un gadus; 11 man ir bažas par jums, vai nebūšu veltīgi jūsu labā pūlējies. 12 Brāļi, es jūs lūdzu, topiet tādi kā es, jo es esmu kā viens no jums! Jūs man neko ļaunu neesat nodarījuši. 13 Jūs arī zināt, ka, pirmoreiz pasludinot jums evaņģēliju, es biju miesas nespēkā, 14 un, lai gan mana slimība jums bija par pārbaudījumu, jūs mani neuzņēmāt ar nicināšanu vai riebumu, bet uzņēmāt kā Dieva eņģeli, kā pašu Jēzu Kristu. 15 Kur tagad ir palikusi jūsu svētlaime? To es jums apliecinu, ka toreiz, ja vien būtu bijis iespējams, jūs pat savas acis būtu izrāvuši un atdevuši tās man! 16 Vai tagad, jums patiesību sacīdams, esmu kļuvis par jūsu ienaidnieku? 17 Bet to dedzība, kas jūs grib šķirt no mums, tā nav laba, jo viņi grib, lai jūs degtu dedzībā uz viņiem. 18 Būt dedzīgiem uz labu vienmēr ir labi, ne tikai tad, kad esmu pie jums. 19 Mani bērni, kuru dēļ es atkal ciešu dzemdību sāpes, lai Kristus beidzot izveidojas jūsos, 20 es gribētu tagad būt pie jums un runāt pavisam citādi, jo es esmu pilnīgā neziņā par jums.
Hāgare un Sāra
21 Jūs, kas gribat būt zem bauslības, sakiet man – vai jūs nedzirdat, ko saka bauslība? 22 Ir taču rakstīts: Ābrahāmam bija divi dēli – viens no verdzenes, otrs no brīvās. 23 Tas, kas bija no verdzenes, bija dzimis no miesas, turpretī tas, kas no brīvās, – caur apsolījumu. 24 Šis notikums izsaka līdzību: ir divas derības – viena nāk no Sīnaja kalna un dzemdē verdzībai, tā ir Hāgare – 25 Hāgare ir Sīnaja kalns Arābijā – un tāda ir tagadējā Jeruzāleme, kas līdz ar saviem bērniem ir verdzībā. 26 Taču debesu Jeruzāleme ir brīva, viņa ir mūsu māte, 27 jo ir rakstīts:
priecājies, neauglīgā, kas neesi dzemdējusi,
ļauj vaļu gavilēm un sauc, tu, kas neesi cietusi dzemdību sāpes,
jo daudz bērnu ir vientuļajai, vairāk nekā tai, kam ir vīrs.
28 Bet jūs, brāļi, esat apsolījuma bērni tāpat kā Īzaks. 29 Un, tāpat kā toreiz no miesas dzimušais vajāja dzimušo no gara, tā arī tagad. 30 Ko tad saka Raksti? – Padzen verdzeni un viņas dēlu, jo verdzenes dēls nemantos kopā ar brīvās dēlu. 31 Tātad, brāļi, mēs neesam vis verdzenes bērni, bet gan brīvās.
