Galatians 4:20-22

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Galatians 4:18-31 The Message (MSG)

It is a good thing to be passionate in doing good, but not just when I am in your presence. Can’t you continue the same concern for both my person and my message when I am away from you that you had when I was with you? Do you know how I feel right now, and will feel until Christ’s life becomes visible in your lives? Like a mother in the pain of childbirth. Oh, I keep wishing that I was with you. Then I wouldn’t be reduced to this blunt, letter-writing language out of sheer frustration. Tell me now, you who have become so enamored with the law: Have you paid close attention to that law? Abraham, remember, had two sons: one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. The son of the slave woman was born by human plotting; the son of the free woman was born by God’s promise. This illustrates the very thing we are dealing with now. The two births represent two ways of being in relationship with God. One is from Mount Sinai in Arabia. It corresponds with what is now going on in Jerusalem—a slave life, producing slaves as offspring. This is the way of Hagar. In contrast to that, there is an invisible Jerusalem, a free Jerusalem, and she is our mother—this is the way of Sarah. Remember what Isaiah wrote

Galatians 4:20-22 King James Version (KJV)

I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. 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, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

Galatians 4:20-22 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)

but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.

Galatians 4:20-22 New Century Version (NCV)

I wish I could be with you now and could change the way I am talking to you, because I do not know what to think about you. Some of you still want to be under the law. Tell me, do you know what the law says? The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons. The mother of one son was a slave woman, and the mother of the other son was a free woman.

Galatians 4:20-22 American Standard Version (ASV)

but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you. 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 handmaid, and one by the freewoman.

Galatians 4:20-22 New International Version (NIV)

how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you! Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.

Galatians 4:20-22 New King James Version (NKJV)

I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you. Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.

Galatians 4:20-22 Amplified Bible (AMP)

how I wish that I were with you now and could change my tone, because I am perplexed in regard to you. Tell me, you who are bent on being under the Law, do you not listen to [what] the Law [really says]? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman [Hagar] and one by the free woman [Sarah]. [Gen 16:15; 21:2, 9]

Galatians 4:20-22 New Living Translation (NLT)

I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you. Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife.

Galatians 4:20-22 The Passion Translation (TPT)

How I wish I could be there in person and change my tone toward you, for I am truly dumbfounded over what you are doing! Tell me, do you want to go back to living strictly by the law? Haven’t you ever listened to what the law really says? Have you forgotten that Abraham had two sons; one by the slave girl, and the other by the freewoman?

Galatians 4:20-22 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)

I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.