Galatians 4:24 (KJV)

What does Galatians 4:24 mean?

Galatians 4:24 says that the story of Hagar and Sarah is being used as an allegory, or symbolic illustration, to represent two different covenants. Paul explains that one covenant comes from Mount Sinai and leads to slavery, and he identifies this with Hagar.

Paul, writing to the Galatian Christians, is addressing confusion about whether followers of Jesus need to follow the Jewish law. He uses the story of Hagar (the servant) and Sarah (the free woman) to make a point about spiritual freedom and bondage. Here, Paul is setting up a contrast between the old covenant given at Sinai (associated with law and slavery) and a new way of relating to God.

The Greek behind Galatians 4:24

• ἀλληγορούμενα (allegoroumena, "allegory"): This word means to speak figuratively or symbolically. Paul is saying he is not reading the story of Hagar and Sarah as literal history here, but as a symbol for something deeper.
• διαθῆκαι (diathēkai, "covenants"): This word refers to formal agreements or arrangements. Paul is using the two women to represent two different covenants—one of law (Sinai) and one of promise.
• δουλείαν (douleian, "bondage"): This word means slavery or servitude. Paul uses it to describe the result of the Sinai covenant, emphasizing the lack of freedom under the law.

Why Galatians 4:24 matters

• Galatians 4:24 clarifies that Paul is intentionally using the Old Testament story as a symbolic lesson, not as a direct historical argument.
• This verse helps the reader see that Paul is contrasting two ways of relating to God: one based on law and human effort (bondage), and one based on promise and freedom.
• Understanding this allegory is key to following Paul’s larger argument in Galatians about why Gentile Christians do not need to become Jewish or follow the Mosaic law to belong to God’s family.