21 Are you all who are under the law, telling me that you’re not even hearing what the law is? 22 It’s written in the scriptures[ref] that Abraham had two sons: one son of the slave girl Hagar, and one from the free woman. 23 The son of the slave girl was born from human actions, but in contrast, the son of the free woman was a result of God’s promise. 24 So if we use this as an illustration, there are two agreements: one from Mt. Sinai which relates to Hagar and give birth to enslaved people. 25 Hagar’s Mt. Sinai is in Arabia and corresponds to the present earthly Yerusalem in slavery along with her children. 26 However the heavenly Yerusalem which is our mother is free 27 because it’s been written in the scriptures:[ref]

‘Be glad barren woman,

you who have never born a child.

Be bold and shout,

you who have never been in labour,

because the lonely woman now has many children,

even more than the woman with a husband.’

28 And all of you, brothers and sisters, are children of the promise like Isaac, 29 but back then the one born from human actions persecuted[ref] the one born from the spirit, and so too it continues now. 30 But what do the scriptures say? ‘Send away the slave girl and her son because the son of the slave girl won’t be getting the inheritance alongside the son of the free woman.’[ref] 31 So, brothers and sisters, we’re not descendants of the slave girl, but of the free woman.