For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman.
Parallel translations
- WEB For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman.
- KJV For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
- BSB For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
- NASB For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman.
- NLT The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Scripture records that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman Hagar and one by the free woman Sarah. Paul uses this history to illustrate two ways of relating to God.
Overview
Paul appeals to the Genesis narrative of Ishmael, son of Hagar, and Isaac, son of Sarah. These two sons become the foundation of his contrast between slavery and freedom, law and promise. By grounding his argument in Scripture's own story, Paul shows that the gospel of grace is woven into the fabric of God's dealings with Abraham.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Gen 16:15Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.
- Gen 21:10Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this servant and her son! For the son of this servant will not be heir with my son, Isaac.”
- Gen 16:2–4Sarai said to Abram, “See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
- Gen 21:1–2Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did to Sarah as he had spoken.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ became a curse for us to redeem us from the law's curse, that we might receive the Spirit and be sons — justified by faith in him, not by works.
How Galatians 4:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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