But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Parallel translations
- WEB However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.
- BSB His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.
- NKJV But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,
- NASB But the son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.
- NLT The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise.
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
The slave woman's son was born by ordinary human effort, but the free woman's son was born through God's promise. This distinguishes human striving from divine grace.
Overview
Paul notes the crucial difference: Ishmael came through Abraham and Sarah's fleshly scheme, while Isaac came as the fulfillment of God's supernatural promise. The contrast between 'flesh' and 'promise' mirrors the difference between earning salvation by works and receiving it by grace. Isaac, the child of promise, represents those born of God's grace through faith.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Heb 11:11Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
- Rom 9:7–8Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
- Gen 21:1–2And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
- Gal 4:28–29Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
- Gen 18:10–14And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
- Gen 17:15–19And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
- Rom 4:18–21Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
- Rom 10:8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
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 4:23 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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