Galatians 4:24 Meaning and Explanation
“Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →These things are an allegory: the two women stand for two covenants, one from Mount Sinai bearing children into slavery, which is Hagar.
What Does Galatians 4:24 Mean?
Paul tells the readers plainly that he is drawing an extended comparison from the account. The two women represent two covenants. Hagar corresponds to the covenant given at Mount Sinai, the covenant of the law, which brings forth children into bondage.
The point lands with force. The Sinai covenant, for all its glory, could only produce a kind of servitude when treated as the way of righteousness. Like Hagar the slave, it bears children who are slaves. Paul is showing the Galatians where the road of law-righteousness actually leads.
Galatians 4:24 in the Original Language
allegoreo (ἀλληγορέω), 'allegory' -- a comparison in which one thing stands for another.
Frequently Asked Questions About Galatians 4:24
What does Galatians 4:24 mean?
These things are an allegory: the two women stand for two covenants, one from Mount Sinai bearing children into slavery, which is Hagar.