But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”
Parallel translations
- WEB However what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not inherit with the son of the free woman.”
- KJV 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.
- NKJV Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”
- NASB 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.”
- NLT But what do the Scriptures say about that? “Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”
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 commands casting out the slave woman and her son, for he will not share the inheritance with the free woman's son. Law-righteousness and grace cannot coexist as ways of salvation.
Overview
Quoting Genesis 21:10, Paul shows that the way of the flesh and law has no share in the inheritance of grace. The decisive command to 'throw out' the slave and her son means believers must reject the false gospel of works entirely. There is no blending: justification is by grace through faith alone, or it is not grace at all.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Gen 21:10–12and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!”
- John 8:35A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever.
- Rom 8:15–17For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
- Rom 11:2God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah, how he appealed to God against Israel:
- Rom 4:3For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
- Rom 11:7–11What then? What Israel was seeking, it failed to obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,
- Jas 4:5Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to dwell in us yearns with envy?
- Gal 3:22But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.
- Gal 3:8The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
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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 4:30 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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