Study Desk

I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.

Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

Now in the same way in exchange—I am speaking as to children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.

Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

So we too, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elementary principles of the world.

My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—

This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from Mount Sinai giving birth to children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.

Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children.

For it is written: "REJOICE, INFERTILE ONE, YOU WHO DO NOT GIVE BIRTH; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE ONE ARE MORE NUMEROUS THAN THOSE OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND."

And you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.

So then, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave woman, but of the free woman.

Among them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest.

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of people, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;

for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.