Galatians 4:28-30
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The "children of promise" aren't just those who receive a promise, but those who are born because of a divine promise, just as Isaac was miraculously conceived beyond natural means. This highlights that our spiritual identity is a direct result of God's sovereign, life-giving word, not our own natural birth or effort.
Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is building on the allegorical comparison of Hagar and Sarah to the Old Covenant (law) and the New Covenant (promise/grace). Just as Sarah, through God's miraculous promise, bore Isaac, the true heir, so believers, through God's promise in Christ, are spiritual children of the "Jerusalem above" and heirs of God's promises, not by natural descent like Ishmael. This verse establishes believers' identity as children born not of mere flesh and blood, but of divine promise and the Spirit.
We all have a family tree, but in God's family, lineage is determined by something far more powerful than genetics. What makes Isaac different, and how does that make us different too?
Paul uses Isaac as a powerful example for the believers in Galatia. Isaac wasn't just Abraham's son; he was the son of a miracle, born because God promised he would be.
The Miracle of Isaac
Abraham and Sarah were far past the age of having children. Their situation was humanly impossible. Yet, God's promise to Abraham about having descendants, like stars in the sky, had to come true.
Isaac's birth was a direct result of that divine promise, a supernatural act of God. He was a living sign that God's promises are faithful, even when circumstances say otherwise.
Our Spiritual Lineage
Paul tells the Galatians, 'Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.' This means we, too, are not defined by our natural birth or heritage. Our identity as God's children comes from God's promise and His powerful work in our lives through faith in Jesus Christ. We are born 'not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God' (John 1:13).
The way Isaac was born sets a pattern for our spiritual lives. It's not just that we are children of promise, but how we relate to that promise that matters.
Ask a follow-up
The phrase 'like Isaac' (or 'after the manner of Isaac') is key here. It points to a resemblance, a way of being that mirrors Isaac's unique status.
A Life Shaped by Promise
Isaac's life was fundamentally shaped by the fact that he was a child of promise. He represented a future, a covenant, and a lineage that God Himself had ordained.
For believers, 'after the manner of Isaac' means our lives are to be lived in response to God's promises. We aren't just recipients of a title; we are called to live out the reality of belonging to God through faith, trusting His Word and His power.
More Than a Label
This isn't about having a special status that excludes others, but about understanding the foundational truth of our new identity. We are 'children of promise' because God promised salvation and a new life through Christ, and we are united to Him by faith.
Understand the original words
epangelia · Greek Noun
Refers to a divine declaration or guarantee given by God to His people, which is fulfilled by His power and grace rather than human works, as exemplified in the covenant with Abraham.
sarx · Greek Noun
Refers to human effort, natural biological birth, or reliance on self and the works of the Law, standing in direct opposition to the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit.
diōkō · Greek Verb
To harass, mistreat, or oppress, often specifically directed at those who are faithful to God or the Gospel, reflecting the hostility of the world or legalism toward the way of grace.
pneuma · Greek Noun
The third person of the Trinity, who gives new life, guides believers into truth, and empowers the Christian walk, distinct from and superior to the limitations of the flesh.
graphē · Greek Noun
The authoritative, inspired Word of God, serving as the final standard for doctrine, correction, and guidance for the life of the believer.
paidiskē · Greek Noun
One who is legally owned by another, used metaphorically to describe a person enslaved to the Mosaic Law or the power of sin, lacking the rights and standing of a child of God.
klēronomeō · Greek Verb
The act of receiving the blessings, promises, and eternal life that God has prepared for His people by grace, not earned by merit.
By contrasting the Galatian believers with Isaac, Paul emphasizes that their identity and inheritance come solely through God's promise and His Spirit, not through adherence to the Law or physical descent.
c. 2100 BC
Birth of Isaac
Isaac is miraculously born to Abraham and Sarah, fulfilling God's long-held promise to them, despite Sarah's advanced age.
c. 2080 BC
Isaac's Youth and Mockery
Ishmael, Abraham's son by Hagar, mocks young Isaac, leading to a conflict that results in Ishmael and Hagar's banishment.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
The Israelites are delivered from slavery in Egypt, a foundational event based on God's promises to Abraham's descendants.
c. 1000 BC
United Monarchy in Israel
The establishment of a unified kingdom under Saul, David, and Solomon solidifies Israel's national identity and religious practice.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Exile
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling many Israelites. This event highlights the consequences of disobedience to God's covenant promises.
c. AD 48
First Missionary Journey
Paul and Barnabas travel through Galatia, establishing churches and introducing the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles.
c. AD 50-55— this verse
Paul Writes Letter to Galatians
Paul addresses the churches in the region of Galatia, likely from Ephesus or Corinth, responding to the influence of 'Judaizers' who insisted on adherence to the Mosaic Law for salvation.
This passage directly speaks to the promise of Isaac's birth, highlighting that he was to be the child through whom God's covenant would continue, just as Paul explains believers are children of promise.
Romans 9:7-8Paul echoes this theme, explaining that 'not all who are from Israel are Israel,' and that Abraham's offspring are counted through the promise, distinguishing between natural descent and those who are children of promise.
Romans 9:11-13This passage further clarifies the principle that God's choice is based on promise, not works, demonstrated by the contrasting births of Jacob and Esau, mirroring the distinction between Isaac (promise) and Ishmael (natural birth).
Hebrews 11:11This verse connects Sarah's ability to conceive Isaac to faith in God's promise, reinforcing the idea that the 'children of promise' are born through faith and divine power, not mere human effort.
cambridgeGalatians 4:28: "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise."
28 . The previous verse is introduced parenthetically. The connexion is, ‘Jerusalem from above is our mother … and we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children, not according to the flesh, but of promise’. The same conclusion as that arrived at ch. Galatians 3:29 .
vincentGalatians 4:28: "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise."
As Isaac was (κατὰ Ἱσαὰκ)Lit. after the manner of Isaac. See Romans 9:7-9, and, for this use of κατὰ, 1 Peter 1:15; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10.Children of promise (ἐπαγγελίας τέκνα)Not promised children, nor children that have God's promise, but children who are not such by mere fleshly descent, as was Ishmael, but by promise, as was Isaac: children of the Jerusalem above, belonging to it in virtue of God…
The "children of promise" aren't just those who receive a promise, but those who are born because of a divine promise, just as Isaac was miraculously conceived beyond natural means. This highlights that our spiritual identity is a direct result of God's sovereign, life-giving word, not our own natural birth or effort.
Paul is building on the allegorical comparison of Hagar and Sarah to the Old Covenant (law) and the New Covenant (promise/grace). Just as Sarah, through God's miraculous promise, bore Isaac, the true heir, so believers, through God's promise in Christ, are spiritual children of the "Jerusalem above" and heirs of God's promises, not by natural descent like Ishmael. This verse establishes believers' identity as children born not of mere flesh and blood, but of divine promise and the Spirit.
Paul is building on the allegorical comparison of Hagar and Sarah to the Old Covenant (law) and the New Covenant (promise/grace). Just as Sarah, through God's miraculous promise, bore Isaac, the true heir, so believers, through God's promise in Christ, are spiritual children of the "Jerusalem above" and heirs of God's promises, not by natural descent like Ishmael. This verse establishes believers' identity as children born not of mere flesh and blood, but of divine promise and the Spirit.
"Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the…" — The "children of promise" aren't just those who receive a promise, but those who are born because of a divine promise, just as Isaac was miraculously conceived beyond natural means. This highligh…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
