Galatians 4:23

Read in context

Galatians 4:21–25 · Berean Standard Bible

21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?

22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.

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

24 These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar.

25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.

Greek words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Study Galatians 4:23

Read the commentary on Galatians 4

Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Romans 9:7

Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”

Romans 9:8

So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring.

Genesis 17:15

Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah.

Genesis 17:16

And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”

Genesis 17:17

Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?”

Genesis 17:18

And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live under Your blessing!”

Genesis 17:19

But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

Genesis 18:10

Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent.

Genesis 18:11

And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

Genesis 18:12

So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

Genesis 18:13

And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’

Genesis 18:14

Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”

Genesis 21:1

Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised.

Genesis 21:2

So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised.

Romans 4:18

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”

Romans 4:19

Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb.

Romans 4:20

Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,

Romans 4:21

being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.

Romans 10:8

But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming:

Hebrews 11:11

By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.