And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world.

我们为孩童的时候，受管于世俗小学之下，也是如此。

我们也是一样，在未成年的时候，被世上粗浅的学说所奴役，也是如此。

我们也是一样，在未成年的时候，被世上粗浅的学说所奴役，也是如此。

我们也一样，当我们还是孩童的时候，我们受世界基本规条的辖制。

我们也是这样，作孩童的时候，被世俗的言论所奴役；

我们也是这样：我们还是小孩子的时候，在世界的原则下受奴役。

我們為孩童的時候，受管於世俗小學之下，也是如此。

我們也是一樣，在未成年的時候，被世上粗淺的學說所奴役，也是如此。

我們也是一樣，在未成年的時候，被世上粗淺的學說所奴役，也是如此。

我們也一樣，當我們還是孩童的時候，我們受世界基本規條的轄制。

我們也是這樣，作孩童的時候，被世俗的言論所奴役；

我們也是這樣：我們做孩童時，就是在世俗所信之「宇宙星質之靈」底下做奴僕。

我們也是這樣：我們還是小孩子的時候，在世界的原則下受奴役。

我儕童蒙時、亦役於斯世之小學、

我儕當未成人、亦為此世小學束縛、

我儕亦然、當未成人時、被此世賤質賤質或作虛文束縛、

吾人亦然、方吾人之尚屬幼稚、亦受制於世俗之蒙學；

So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world.

It is the same with us. When we were children, we were slaves to the basic spiritual powers of the world.

In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world.

In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elements of the world.

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

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:

In the same way we also, when we were children, were in slavery under the elemental forces of the world.

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

So also we, when we were minors, were enslaved under the basic forces of the world.

So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world.

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.

You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as,

So now that you know God( or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?

Even that question came up only because of some so called believers there— false ones, really— who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations.

So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?

So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman.So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed.Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith.And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.

Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed.

Then Jesus said,“ Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law.

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him,“ Abba, Father.”

Jesus said to the people who believed in him,“ You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.

Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people.