Galatians 4:23

Verse

His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.

American Standard Version (1901)

Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise.

Now the son by the servant-woman has his birth after the flesh; but the son by the free woman has his birth through the undertaking of God.

Douay-Rheims 1899

But he who was of the bondwoman, was born according to the flesh: but he of the free woman, was by promise.

Free Bible Version

However, the son from the servant girl was born following a human plan, while the son from the free woman was born as the result of the promise.

Geneva Bible 1599

But he which was of the seruant, was borne after the flesh: and he which was of the free woman, was borne by promise.

King James (Authorized) Version

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

Plain English Version

The 1st son was born after Abraham and Sarah talked about it, and then Abraham and the worker got together, and after that she had a son. But it was not God’s idea. That 1st son came from the woman that was like a prisoner. But the 2nd son came after God promised to give Sarah a son. That 2nd son came from the free woman.

Translation for Translators

Also, the sons differed. Ishmael, the son born by the female slave, was conceived naturally. But Isaac, the son born by his wife who was not a slave, was conceived miraculously as a result of what God had promised Abraham.

Unlocked Literal Bible

One was born by the slave girl according to the flesh, but the other was born by the free woman through promise.

Noah Webster Bible

But he who was of the bond-woman, was born according to the flesh; but he of the free-woman was by promise.

World English Bible

However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.

Young's Literal Translation

but he who [is] of the maid-servant, according to flesh hath been, and he who [is] of the free-woman, through the promise;

Context

Hagar and Sarah

²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.²³His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.

Sermons

Carnality

John Hames

Summary

In this verse, the apostle Paul uses the story of Abraham's two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, as an allegory to illustrate the difference between living under the law and living by faith. Ishmael represents those who rely on their own efforts to please God, symbolizing the Old Covenant of law and works. Isaac, on the other hand, represents those who trust in God's promises and grace, symbolizing the New Covenant of faith and grace. Paul's message emphasizes the importance of faith in Christ as the fulfillment of God's promises, contrasting it with legalistic practices that cannot bring true spiritual freedom and inheritance.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Was born after the flesh - Ishmael was born according to the course of nature, his parents being both of a proper age, so that there was nothing uncommon or supernatural in his birth: this is the proper meaning of the apostle's κατα σαρκα, after or according to the flesh, and answers to the Hebrew phrase, על דרך בשר al derec basar, according to the manner of the flesh, i.e. naturally, according to the common process of nature. By promise - Both Abraham and Sarah had passed that age in which the procreation of children was possible on natural principles. The birth, therefore, of Isaac was supernatural; it was the effect of an especial promise of God; and it was only on the ground of that promise that it was either credible or possible.

John Gill Bible Commentary

Which things are an allegory,.... Or "are allegorized": so Sarah and Hagar were allegorized by Philo the Jew (p), before they were by the apostle. Sarah he makes to signify virtue, and Hagar the whole circle of arts and sciences, which are, or should be, an handmaid to virtue; but these things respecting Hagar and Sarah, the bondwoman and the free, and their several offspring, are much better allegorized by the apostle here. An allegory is a way of speaking in which one thing is expressed by another, and is a continued metaphor; and the apostle's meaning is, that these things point at some other things; have another meaning in them, a mystical and spiritual one, besides the literal; and which the Jews call "Midrash", a name they give to the mystical and allegorical sense of Scripture, in which they greatly indulge themselves. An allegory is properly a fictitious way of speaking; but here it designs an accommodation of a real history, and matter of fact, to other cases and things, and seems to intend a type or figure; and the sense to be, that these things which were literally true of Hagar and Sarah, of Ishmael and Isaac, were types and figures of things to come; just as what befell the Israelites were types and figures of things that would be under the Gospel dispensation, Co1 10:11. for these are the two covenants, or "testaments"; that is, these women, Hagar and Sarah, signify, and are figures of the two covenants; not the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace. Hagar was no figure of the covenant of works, that was made and broke before she was born; besides, the covenant she was a figure of was made at Mount Sinai, whereas the covenant of works was made in paradise: moreover, the covenant of works was made with Adam, and all his posterity, but the covenant which Hagar signified was only made with the children of Israel; she represented Jerusalem, that then was with her children. Nor was Sarah a figure of the covenant of grace, for this was made long before she had a being, even from everlasting; but they were figures of the two administrations of one and the same covenant, which were to take place in the world successively; and which following one the other, are by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews called the first and the second, the old and the new covenants. Now these are the covenants or testaments, the old and the new, and the respective people under them, which were prefigured by these two women, and their offspring. The one from the Mount Sinai; that is, one of these covenants, or one of the administrations of the covenant, one dispensation of it, which is the first, and now called old, because abolished, took its rise from Mount Sinai, was delivered there by God to Moses, in order to be communicated to the people of Israel, who were to be under that form of administration until the coming of the Messiah. And because the whole Mosaic economy was given to Moses on Mount Sinai, it is said to be from thence: hence, in Jewish writings, we read, times without number, of , a rite, custom, constitution, or appointment given to Moses "from Mount Sinai", the same phrase as here. Sinai signifies "bushes", and has its name from the bushes which grew upon if, (q); in one of which the Lord appeared to Moses; for Horeb and Sinai are one and the same mount; one signifies waste and desolate, the other bushy; as one part of the mountain was barren and desert, and the other covered with bushes and brambles; and may fitly represent the condition of such that are under the law. Which gendereth to bondage; begets and brings persons into a state of bondage, induces on them a spirit of bondage to fear, and causes them to be all their lifetime subject to it; as even such were that were under the first covenant, or under the Old Testament dispensation: which is Agar; or this is the covenant, the administration of it, which Hagar, the bondwoman, Sarah's servant, represented. (p) De Cherubim, p. 108, 109. (q) Pirke Eliezer, c. 41.

Galatians 4:23

Hagar and Sarah

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.

American Standard Version (1901)

Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise.

Bible in Basic English

Now the son by the servant-woman has his birth after the flesh; but the son by the free woman has his birth through the undertaking of God.

Douay-Rheims 1899

But he who was of the bondwoman, was born according to the flesh: but he of the free woman, was by promise.

Free Bible Version

However, the son from the servant girl was born following a human plan, while the son from the free woman was born as the result of the promise.

Geneva Bible 1599

But he which was of the seruant, was borne after the flesh: and he which was of the free woman, was borne by promise.

King James (Authorized) Version

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

Plain English Version

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

One was born by the slave girl according to the flesh, but the other was born by the free woman through promise.

Noah Webster Bible

But he who was of the bond-woman, was born according to the flesh; but he of the free-woman was by promise.

World English Bible

However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.

Young's Literal Translation

but he who [is] of the maid-servant, according to flesh hath been, and he who [is] of the free-woman, through the promise;

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Galatians 4:23

Verse

Context

Hagar and Sarah

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Galatians 4:23

Hagar and Sarah

Carnality

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary