Study Desk

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,

and if children, also heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

nor are they all children because they are Abraham's seed, but: "through Isaac your seed will be named."

That is, the children of the flesh are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are considered as seed.

I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. For otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

Brothers, do not be children in your thinking; rather in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also.

Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you. For children ought not to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

So also we, while we were children, were enslaved under the elemental things of the world.

My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—

This is spoken with allegory, for these women are two covenants: one from Mount Sinai bearing children into slavery; she is Hagar.

Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.

For it is written,"Rejoice, barren woman who does not give birth;Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;For more numerous are the children of the desolate oneThan of the one who has a husband."

And you brothers, in accordance with Isaac, are children of promise.

So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant-woman, but of the free woman.

among whom we all also formerly conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

so that we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming,

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children,