21 Are you people 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 with the slave girl Hagar, and one with the free woman. 23 The slave girl’s son was born because of human actions, but in contrast, the free woman’s son was a result of God’s promise. 24 So if we use this as an illustration, there are two agreements: one is from Mt. Sinai which relates to Hagar and gives birth to enslaved people. 25 Hagar’s Mt. Sinai is in Arabia and corresponds to the present earthly Yerushalem in slavery along with her children. 26 However, the heavenly Yerushalem, which is our mother, is free, 27 because it’s been written in the scriptures:[ref]

‘Be glad barren woman,

you who have never borne 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 you, brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, like Isaac, 29 but back then the one born because of human actions persecuted[ref] the one born because of the spirit, and that’s how it continues now. 30 But what do the scriptures say? ‘Send away the slave girl and her son, because the slave girl’s son won’t be getting the inheritance alongside the free woman’s son.’[ref] 31 So, brothers and sisters, we’re not descendants of the slave girl, but of the free woman.