Galatians 4:23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

◄ Galatians 4:23 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine 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 bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But the one by the slave was born according to the impulse of the flesh, while the one by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.

International Standard Version
Now the slave woman's son was conceived through human means, while the free woman's son was conceived through divine 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.

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.

Darby Bible 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.

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;

Cross References

Genesis 17:16
And I will bless her, and give you a son also of her: yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

Genesis 18:10
And he said, I will certainly return to you according to the time of life; and, see, Sarah your wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

Genesis 21:1
And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had spoken.

Romans 9:7
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall your seed be called.

Galatians 4:22
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a female slave, the other by a free woman.

Galatians 4:28
Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Galatians 4:29
But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

Hebrews 11:11
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

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Bondwoman Bond-Woman Born Child Common Course Flesh Free Freewoman Free-Woman Fulfilment Handmaid Howbeit However Maid Maid-Servant Nature Ordinary Promise Result Servant Servant-Woman Slave Slave-Girl Undertaking Way

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

4:21-27 The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal and historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two different dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from above, represented by Sarah, is in a state of freedom, and is the mother of all believers, who are born of the Holy Spirit. They were by regeneration and true faith, made a part of the true seed of Abraham, according to the promise made to him.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

23. after the flesh—born according to the usual course of nature: in contrast to Isaac, who was born "by virtue of the promise" (so the Greek), as the efficient cause of Sarah's becoming pregnant out of the course of nature (Ro 4:19). Abraham was to lay aside all confidence in the flesh (after which Ishmael was born), and to live by faith alone in the promise (according to which Isaac was miraculously born, contrary to all calculations of flesh and blood).