Study Desk

Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the Law?

Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman.

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

But the son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.

But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from Mount Sinai giving birth to children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.

Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

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

For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.

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

For it is written: "REJOICE, INFERTILE ONE, YOU WHO DO NOT GIVE BIRTH; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE ONE ARE MORE NUMEROUS THAN THOSE OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND."

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.

And you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.

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

But as at that time the son who was born according to the flesh persecuted the one who was born according to the Spirit, so it is even now.

But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

But what does the Scripture say? "DRIVE OUT THE SLAVE WOMAN AND HER SON, FOR THE SON OF THE SLAVE WOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN."

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.

So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.

So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.