迦拉达书 4

1Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

2But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed by the father:

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

4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law:

5That he might redeem them who were under the law: that we might receive the adoption of sons.

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

7Therefore now he is not a servant, but a son. And if a son, an heir also through God.

8But then indeed, not knowing God, you served them, who, by nature, are not gods.

9But now, after that you have known God, or rather are known by God: how turn you again to the weak and needy elements, which you desire to serve again?

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

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

12Be ye as I, because I also am as you: brethren, I beseech you: you have not injured me at all.

13And you know, how through infirmity of the flesh, I preached the gospel to you heretofore: and your temptation in my flesh,

14You despised not, nor rejected: but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

15Where is then your blessedness? For I bear you witness, that, if it could be done, you would have plucked out your own eyes, and would have given them to me.

16Am I then become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

17They are zealous in your regard not well: but they would exclude you, that you might be zealous for them.

18But be zealous for that which is good in a good thing always: and not only when I am present with you.

19My little children, of whom I am in labour again, until Christ be formed in you.

20And I would willingly be present with you now, and change my voice: because I am ashamed for you.

21Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, have you not read the law?

22For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, and the other by a free woman.

23But he who was of the bondwoman, was born according to the flesh: but he of the free woman, was by promise.

24Which things are said by an allegory. For these are the two testaments. The one from mount Sina, engendering unto bondage; which is Agar:

25For Sina is a mountain in Arabia, which hath affinity to that Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

26But that Jerusalem, which is above, is free: which is our mother.

27For it is written: Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not: break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband.

28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

29But as then he, that was born according to the flesh, persecuted him that was after the spirit; so also it is now.

30But 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 free woman.

31So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman, but of the free: by the freedom wherewith Christ has made us free.

1Dico autem: quanto tempore hæres parvulus est, nihil differt a servo, cum sit dominus omnium:

2sed sub tutoribus et actoribus est usque ad præfinitum tempus a patre:

3ita et nos cum essemus parvuli, sub elementis mundi eramus servientes.

4At ubi venit plenitudo temporis, misit Deus Filium suum factum ex muliere, factum sub lege,

5ut eos, qui sub lege erant, redimeret, ut adoptionem filiorum reciperemus.

6Quoniam autem estis filii, misit Deus Spiritum Filii sui in corda vestra, clamantem: Abba, Pater.

7Itaque jam non est servus, sed filius: quod si filius, et hæres per Deum.

8Sed tunc quidem ignorantes Deum, iis, qui natura non sunt dii, serviebatis.

9Nunc autem cum cognoveritis Deum, immo cogniti sitis a Deo: quomodo convertimini iterum ad infirma et egena elementa, quibus denuo servire vultis?

10Dies observatis, et menses, et tempora, et annos.

11Timeo vos, ne forte sine causa laboraverim in vobis.

12Estote sicut ego, quia et ego sicut vos: fratres, obsecro vos. Nihil me læsistis.

13Scitis autem quia per infirmitatem carnis evangelizavi vobis jampridem: et tentationem vestram in carne mea

14non sprevistis, neque respuistis: sed sicut angelum Dei excepistis me, sicut Christum Jesum.

15Ubi est ergo beatitudo vestra? testimonium enim perhibeo vobis, quia, si fieri posset, oculos vestros eruissetis, et dedissetis mihi.

16Ergo inimicus vobis factus sum, verum dicens vobis?

17Æmulantur vos non bene: sed excludere vos volunt, ut illos æmulemini.

18Bonum autem æmulamini in bono semper: et non tantum cum præsens sum apud vos.

19Filioli mei, quos iterum parturio, donec formetur Christus in vobis:

20vellem autem esse apud vos modo, et mutare vocem meam: quoniam confundor in vobis.

21Dicite mihi qui sub lege vultis esse: legem non legistis?

22Scriptum est enim: Quoniam Abraham duos filios habuit: unum de ancilla, et unum de libera.

23Sed qui de ancilla, secundum carnem natus est: qui autem de libera, per repromissionem:

24quæ sunt per allegoriam dicta. Hæc enim sunt duo testamenta. Unum quidem in monte Sina, in servitutem generans, quæ est Agar:

25Sina enim mons est in Arabia, qui conjunctus est ei quæ nunc est Jerusalem, et servit cum filiis suis.

26Illa autem, quæ sursum est Jerusalem, libera est, quæ est mater nostra.

27Scriptum est enim: [Lætare, sterilis, quæ non paris; erumpe et clama, quæ non parturis: quia multi filii desertæ, magis quam ejus quæ habet virum.]

28Nos autem, fratres, secundum Isaac promissionis filii sumus.

29Sed quomodo tunc is, qui secundum carnem natus fuerat, persequebatur eum qui secundum spiritum: ita et nunc.

30Sed quid dicit Scriptura? Ejice ancillam, et filium ejus: non enim hæres erit filius ancillæ cum filio liberæ.

31Itaque, fratres, non sumus ancillæ filii, sed liberæ: qua libertate Christus nos liberavit.

1But I say that, during the time an heir is a child, he is no different from a servant, even though he is the owner of everything.

2For he is under tutors and caretakers, until the time which was predetermined by the father.

3So also we, when we were children, were subservient to the influences of the world.

4But when the fullness of time arrived, God sent his Son, formed from a woman, formed under the law,

5so that he might redeem those who were under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption of sons.

6Therefore, because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying out: “Abba, Father.”

7And so now he is not a servant, but a son. But if he is a son, then he is also an heir, through God.

8But then, certainly, while ignorant of God, you served those who, by nature, are not gods.

9But now, since you have known God, or rather, since you have been known by God: how can you turn away again, to weak and destitute influences, which you desire to serve anew?

10You serve the days, and months, and times, and years.

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

12Brothers, I beg you. Be as I am. For I, too, am like you. You have not injured me at all.

13But you know that, in the weakness of the flesh, I have preached the Gospel to you for a long time, and that your trials are in my flesh.

14You did not despise or reject me. But instead, you accepted me like an Angel of God, even like Christ Jesus.

15Therefore, where is your happiness? For I offer to you testimony that, if it could be done, you would have plucked out your own eyes and would have given them to me.

16So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

17They are not imitating you well. And they are willing to exclude you, so that you might imitate them.

18But be imitators of what is good, always in a good way, and not only when I am present with you.

19My little sons, I am giving birth to you again, until Christ is formed in you.

20And I would willingly be present with you, even now. But I would alter my voice: for I am ashamed of you.

21Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, have you not read the law?

22For it is written that Abraham had two sons: one by a servant woman, and one by a free woman.

23And he who was of the servant was born according to the flesh. But he who was of the free woman was born by the promise.

24These things are said through an allegory. For these represent the two testaments. Certainly the one, on Mount Sinai, gives birth unto servitude, which is Hagar.

25For Sinai is a mountain in Arabia, which is related to the Jerusalem of the present time, and it serves with her sons.

26But that Jerusalem which is above is free; the same is our mother.

27For it was written: “Rejoice, O barren one, though you do not conceive. Burst forth and cry out, though you do not give birth. For many are the children of the desolate, even more than of her who has a husband.”

28Now we, brothers, like Isaac, are sons of the promise.

29But just as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now.

30And what does Scripture say? “Cast out the woman servant and her son. For the son of a servant women shall not be an heir with the son of a free woman.”

31And so, brothers, we are not the sons of the servant woman, but rather of the free woman. And this is the freedom with which Christ has set us free.