Galatians 4:23

Easy-to-Read Version

Abraham's son from the slave woman was born in the normal human way. But the son from the free woman was born because of the promise God made to Abraham.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But the one by the slave was born as a result of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born through promise.

King James Version (1611)
But he who was of the bondwoman, was borne after the flesh: but hee of the freewoman, was by promise.

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

English Standard Version
But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise.

New American Standard Bible
But the son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.

New Century Version
Abraham's son from the slave woman was born in the normal human way. But the son from the free woman was born because of the promise God made to Abraham.

Amplified Bible
But the child of the slave woman was born according to the flesh and had an ordinary birth, while the son of the free woman was born in fulfillment of the promise.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.

Legacy Standard Bible
But the son by the servant-woman had been born according to the flesh, while the son by the free woman through the promise.

Berean Standard Bible
His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born because of the promise.

Contemporary English Version
The son of the slave woman was born in the usual way. But the son of the free woman was born because of God's promise.

Complete Jewish Bible
The one by the slave woman was born according to the limited capabilities of human beings, but the one by the free woman was born through the miracle-working power of God fulfilling his promise.

Darby Translation
But he [that was] of the maid servant was born according to flesh, and he [that was] of the free woman through the promise.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But he which was of the seruant, was borne after the flesh: and he which was of the free woman, was borne by promes.

George Lamsa Translation
But he who was born of the bondmaid was born after the flesh; but he who was born of the freewoman was born by promise.

Good News Translation
His son by the slave woman was born in the usual way, but his son by the free woman was born as a result of God's promise.

Lexham English Bible
But the one by the female slave was born according to human descent, and the one by the free woman through the promise,

Literal Translation
But, indeed, he of the slave woman has been born according to flesh, and he out of the free woman through the promise,

American Standard Version
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.

Hebrew Names Version
However, the son by the handmaid was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.

International Standard Version
Now the son of the slave woman was conceived according to the flesh, but the son of the free woman was conceived through a promise.Genesis 18:10,14; 21:1-2; Romans 9:7-8; Hebrews 11:11;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
But he who was of the bondmaid was born according to the flesh, and he who was of the free was by the promise.

Murdock Translation
But he that was by the bond maid, was born after the flesh; and he that was by the free woman, was by the promise.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But he which was of the bonde woman, was borne after the fleshe: but he which was of the free woman, [was borne] by promise.

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

World English Bible
However, the son by the handmaid was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And he of the bond-woman was born after the flesh, but he of the free-woman by promise.

Weymouth's New Testament
But we see that the child of the slave-girl was born in the common course of nature; but the child of the free woman in fulfilment of the promise.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But he that was of the seruaunt, was borun after the flesh; but he that was of the fre womman, by a biheeste.

Update Bible Version
Nevertheless the [son] by the slave woman is born after the flesh; but the [son] by the free woman [is born] through promise.

Webster's Bible Translation
But he [who was] of the bond-woman, was born according to the flesh; but he of the free-woman [was] by promise.

New English Translation
But one, the son by the slave woman, was born by natural descent, while the other, the son by the free woman, was born through the promise.

New King James Version
But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise,

New Living Translation
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.

New Life Bible
The son born from the woman servant who was owned by someone was like any other birth. The son born from the free woman was different. That son had been promised by God.

New Revised Standard
One, the child of the slave, was born according to the flesh; the other, the child of the free woman, was born through the promise.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, he that was of the bondmaid, after the flesh, had been born, whereas, he that was of the free woman, through means of a promise.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh: but he of the free woman was by promise.

Revised Standard Version
But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Yee and he which was of the bonde woman was borne after the flesshe: but he which was of the fre woman was borne by promes.

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;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
As for him that was of the bode mayde, he was borne after ye flesh: but he which was of the fre woman, was borne by promes.

Mace New Testament (1729)
he, who was of the bond-woman, was born according to the ordinary course of nature; but he, who was of the free-woman, was born by virtue of the promise.

Simplified Cowboy Version
His first son was born like any other kid. But his second son wasn't the result of normal human birth. Isaac was the result of a promise from God.

Contextual Overview

²¹ Some of you people want to be under the law. Tell me, do you know what the law says? ²² The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons. The mother of one son was a slave woman, and the mother of the other son was a free woman. ²³ Abraham's son from the slave woman was born in the normal human way. But the son from the free woman was born because of the promise God made to Abraham. ²⁴ This true story makes a picture for us. The two women are like the two agreements between God and his people. One agreement is the law that God made on Mount Sinai. The people who are under this agreement are like slaves. The mother named Hagar is like that agreement. ²⁵ So Hagar is like Mount Sinai in Arabia. She is a picture of the earthly Jewish city of Jerusalem. This city is a slave, and all its people are slaves to the law. ²⁶ But the heavenly Jerusalem that is above is like the free woman, who is our mother. ²⁷ The Scriptures say, "Be happy, woman—you who cannot have children. Be glad you never gave birth. Shout and cry with joy! You never felt those labor pains. The woman who is alone will have more children than the woman who has a husband." ²⁸ My brothers and sisters, you are children who were born because of God's promise, just as Isaac was. ²⁹ But the other son of Abraham, who was born in the normal way, caused trouble for the one who was born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same today. ³⁰ But what do the Scriptures say? "Throw out the slave woman and her son! The son of the free woman will receive everything his father has, but the son of the slave woman will receive nothing."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

born: Romans 9:7, Romans 9:8

but: Genesis 17:15-19, Genesis 18:10-14, Genesis 21:1, Genesis 21:2, Romans 4:18-21, Romans 10:8, Hebrews 11:11

Reciprocal: Genesis 16:15 - Hagar Genesis 21:14 - wandered Galatians 4:1 - That Galatians 4:28 - General

Cross-References

Exodus 20:13
"You must not murder anyone.

Leviticus 19:18
Forget about the wrong things people do to you. Don't try to get even. Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord .

Numbers 23:18
Then Balaam said this: "Stand up, Balak, and listen to me. Hear me, Balak son of Zippor.

Judges 9:7
Jotham heard that the leaders of the city of Shechem had made Abimelech king. When he heard this, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted out this story to the people: "Listen to me you leaders of the city of Shechem. Then let God listen to you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But he who was of the bondwoman,.... Ishmael, who was begotten and born of Hagar,

was born after the flesh; after the common order and course of nature, through the copulation of two persons, the one able to procreate, and the other fit for the conception of children; and was typical of the Jews, the natural descendants of Abraham, who, as such, and upon that account, were not the children of God, nor heirs of the eternal inheritance:

but he of the free woman was by promise; by a previous promise made by God to Abraham, that he should have a son in his old age, when his body was now dead, and when Sarah his wife, who had always been barren, was now grown old, and past the time of bearing children; so that Isaac was born out of the common order and course of nature; his conception and birth were owing to the promise and power of God, and to his free grace and favour to Abraham. This son of promise was a type of the spiritual seed of Abraham, whether Jews or Gentiles, the children of the promise that are counted for the seed; who are born again of the will, power, and grace of God, and are heirs, according to the promise, both of grace and glory, when they that are of the law, and the works of it, are not. All which is further illustrated in the following verses.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh - In the ordinary course of nature, without any special promise, or any unusual divine interposition, as in the case of Isaac.

But he of the free woman ... - The birth of Isaac was in accordance with a special promise, and by a remarkable divine interposition; see Genesis 18:10; Genesis 21:1-2; Hebrews 11:11-12; compare the notes at Romans 4:19-21. The idea here of Paul is, that the son of the slave was in a humble and inferior condition from his very birth. There was no special promise attending him. He was born into a state of inferiority and servitude which attended him through his whole life. Isaac, however, was met with promises as soon as he was born, and was under the benefit of those promises as long as he lived. The object of Paul is, to state the truth in regard to a condition of servitude and slavery. It is attended with evils from beginning to end; from the birth to the grave. By this illustration he means to show them the folly of becoming the voluntary slaves of the Law after they had once been made free.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 23. 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.