Galatians 4:26 kjv
But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Galatians 4:26 nkjv
but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Galatians 4:26 niv
But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.
Galatians 4:26 esv
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
Galatians 4:26 nlt
But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother.
Galatians 4 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gal 4:21 | tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? | Freedom vs. Bondage to Law |
| Gal 4:22-23 | for it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by a bondwoman, and one by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. | Allegory of Hagar and Sarah |
| Gal 4:24 | Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants... | Two Covenants |
| Gal 4:25 | For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. | Earthly vs. Heavenly Jerusalem |
| Gal 4:27 | For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. | Promise to the Barren Mother |
| Gen 17:15-16 | And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. | Sarah the Freewoman |
| Gen 21:1-2 | And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken unto him. | Isaac the Son of Promise |
| Isa 54:1-3 | Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. Thy raiment shall be for ever and the fruit of thy loins shall not be defiled. Then I will open all the gates of heaven, the heavenly Jerusalem will rise, with no enemies or wars... | Prophecy of New Jerusalem |
| Isa 26:1 | In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and ramparts. | Fortress of Salvation |
| Rev 3:12 | Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. | The New Jerusalem Mentioned |
| Rev 21:2 | And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. | Heavenly Jerusalem Described |
| Heb 12:22-23 | But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, | Believers' Heavenly City |
| John 8:36 | If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. | Freedom in Christ |
| Rom 8:14-16 | For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. | Sons of God by the Spirit |
| 1 Cor 15:45 | And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. | Adam vs. Christ |
| 2 Cor 3:6 | who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. | Spirit vs. Letter |
| Gal 5:1 | Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. | Christian Liberty |
| 1 John 3:1 | Behold, what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. | Children of God |
Galatians 4 verses
Galatians 4 26 Meaning
The Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. This verse signifies spiritual birth and freedom found in Christ, contrasted with bondage to the law. It highlights the covenantal relationship believers have with God through grace, not through earthly lineage or adherence to the Mosaic Law. The heavenly Jerusalem represents the new reality in Christ, the community of the redeemed, characterized by liberty and spiritual maternity.
Galatians 4 26 Context
Galatians 4:21-31 presents an allegory contrasting two covenants. Paul uses the story of Abraham's sons, Ishmael (born of Hagar, a slave) and Isaac (born of Sarah, a free woman), to illustrate the difference between those under the Mosaic Law (symbolized by Hagar and the earthly Jerusalem) and those under grace through faith in Christ (symbolized by Sarah and the heavenly Jerusalem). This chapter aims to free the Galatian believers from the pressure to submit to the Law, reminding them that their true identity and inheritance are in the freedom of Christ, which transcends physical lineage and legalistic observance. The verse Galatians 4:26 directly connects this freedom to their identity as children of the "Jerusalem above," who is the spiritual mother of believers.
Galatians 4 26 Word Analysis
- νυνι (nyuni): Now, at this present time. Indicates a present reality for believers.
- δὲ (de): But, and. A conjunctive particle.
- ἡ (he): The. Definite article.
- ἄνω (ano): Above, upwards. Refers to a place of superiority and divine origin.
- Ἱερουσαλὴμ (Hierousalēm): Jerusalem. In this context, it signifies the spiritual, heavenly Jerusalem.
- ἐστιν (estin): Is. Verb "to be," third person singular present active indicative.
- ἐλευθέρα (eleuthera): Free. Feminine nominative singular adjective. Denotes freedom from bondage, sin, and the law.
- αὕτη (hautē): This. Demonstrative pronoun, feminine nominative singular.
- μήτηρ (mētēr): Mother. Nominative singular. Refers to the spiritual source and origin of believers.
- ἡμῖν (hēmin): To us, for us. Dative pronoun, first person plural.
- ὑπάρχει (uparchei): Is, exists, subsists. Verb "to be," third person singular present active indicative. Often used to emphasize essential being or existing status.
Words Group Analysis
- "ἡ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἐστιν ἐλευθέρα": "the Jerusalem above is free." This phrase encapsulates the core of the new covenant reality in Christ. The "heavenly Jerusalem" represents the people of God in their redeemed state, a community characterized by spiritual freedom, liberated from the bondage of sin and the old covenant's requirements. It signifies the spiritual inheritance of believers.
- "αὕτη μήτηρ ἡμῖν ὑπάρχει": "this is mother to us." This identifies the heavenly Jerusalem not just as a place, but as the source and nurturer of believers, their spiritual mother. It echoes the covenantal mother-child relationship, but now on a spiritual plane, linking believers to God through His promises and the new birth.
Galatians 4 26 Bonus Section
The concept of a "heavenly Jerusalem" is a rich theological theme found throughout Scripture, often symbolizing God's ultimate dwelling place with His redeemed people and the perfected covenant community. It represents perfection, holiness, and the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan, standing in stark contrast to the bondage of the old covenant. This verse directly links believers' freedom and identity to this glorious, unassailable, and divinely appointed reality, positioning them as children born into God's eternal family, heirs through promise and Spirit, not through works or lineage under the old covenant.
Galatians 4 26 Commentary
This verse provides a profound declaration of the believer's identity. It shifts the focus from earthly, physical heritage and legalistic adherence to a heavenly, spiritual reality. The "Jerusalem above" is the capital of God's eternal kingdom, a symbol of God's people set free from sin and law through Christ. This heavenly city is the spiritual mother of all who are born of the Spirit, reflecting a new genesis. It underscores that true freedom and sonship are not derived from the old covenant (Hagar, the slave) but from the new covenant (Sarah, the free woman), which is initiated and sustained by God's grace. Believers are not part of an earthly, bondage-prone system, but children born into a liberated spiritual family. This truth encourages believers to stand firm in their liberty in Christ and to reject any attempt to return to a state of spiritual bondage through legalism.