Galatians 4 · Verse 26

Galatians 4:26

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Galatians 4:26, King James Version

Galatians 4:26 in other translations

BSBBut the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
WEBBut the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
ASVBut the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother.
YLTand the Jerusalem above is the free-woman, which is mother of us all,
DARBYbut the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother.
BBEBut the Jerusalem on high is free, which is our mother.
WebsterBut Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

What does Galatians 4:26 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
26. This verse stands instead of the sentence which we should expect, to correspond to Ga 4:24, "One from Mount Sinai," namely, the other covenant from the heavenly mount above, which is (answers in the allegory to) Sarah. Jerusalem ... above--(He 12:22), "the heavenly Jerusalem." "New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God" (Re 3:12; 21:2). Here "the Messianic theocracy, which before Christ's second appearing is the Church, and after it, Christ's kingdom of glory" [Meyer]. free--as Sarah was; opposed to "she is in bondage" (Ga 4:25). all--omitted in many of the oldest manuscripts, though supported by some. "Mother of us," namely, believers who are already members of the invisible Church, the heavenly Jerusalem, hereafter to be manifested (He 12:22).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 26. But Jerusalem which is above. The spiritual Jerusalem; the true church of God. Jerusalem was the place where God was worshipped, and hence it became synonymous with the word church, or is used to represent the people of God. The word rendered "above" (ανω) means, properly, up above, that which is above; and hence heavenly, celestial, Col 3:1,2, Jn 8:23. Here it means, the heavenly or celestial Jerusalem. Rev 21:2: "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God, out of heaven." He 12:22: "Ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." Here it is used to denote the church, as being of heavenly origin.

Is free. The spirit of the gospel is that of freedom. It is freedom from sin, freedom from the bondage of rites and customs, and it tends to promote universal freedom. Gal 4:7. Comp. Jn 8:32, Jn 8:36; 2Cor 3:17.

Which is the mother of us all. Of all who are true Christians, whether we are by birth Jews or Gentiles. We should not, therefore, yield ourselves to any degrading and abasing servitude of any kind. Comp. 1Cor 6:12.

(a) "Jerusalem" He 12:22, Rev 21:2,10

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 But Jerusalem which is above - The apostle still follows the Jewish allegory, showing not only how the story of Hagar and Sarah, Ishmael and Isaac, was allegorized, but pointing out also that even Jerusalem was the subject of allegory; for it was a maxim among the rabbins, that "whatsoever was in the earth, the same was also found in heaven for there is no matter, howsoever small, in this world, that has not something similar to it in the spiritual world." On this maxim, the Jews imagine that every earthly thing has its representative in heaven; and especially whatever concerns Jerusalem, the law, and its ordinances. Rab. Kimchi, speaking of Melchizedec, king of Salem, says: זו ירושלם של מעלה zu Yerushalem shel malah, "This is the Jerusalem that is from above." This phrase frequently occurs among these writers, as may be seen in Schoettgen, who has written an express dissertation upon the subject. Hor. Hebr., vol. i. page 1205. Is free, which is the mother of us all - There is a spiritual Jerusalem, of which this is the type; and this Jerusalem, in which the souls of all the righteous are, is free from all bondage and sin: or by this, probably, the kingdom of the Messiah was intended; and this certainly answers best to the apostle's meaning, as the subsequent verse shows. There is an earthly Jerusalem, but this earthly Jerusalem typifies a heavenly Jerusalem: the former, with all her citizens, is in bondage; the latter is a free city, and all her inhabitants are free also. And this Jerusalem is our mother; it signifies the Church of Christ, the metropolis of Christianity, or rather the state of liberty into which all true believers are brought. The word παντων, of all, is omitted by almost every MS. and version of antiquity and importance, and by the most eminent of the fathers who quote this place; it is undoubtedly spurious, and the text should be read thus: But Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is our mother.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 4:21-27

The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal and historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two different dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from…

Read the full comment on Galatians 4:21-27 →

Galatians 4:26 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἡhē<the>G3588
δὲdeButG1161
ἄνωanōthe aboveG507
ἸερουσαλὴμIerousalēmJerusalemG2419
ἐλευθέραeleutherafreeG1658
ἐστὶνestinisG1510
ἥτιςhētiswhoG3748
ἐστὶνestinisG1510
μήτηρmētērmotherG3384
πάντωνpantōnof allG3956
ἡμῶν·hēmōnof us;G3165

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Galatians 4:26

  • Hebrews 12:22

    But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

  • Revelation 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.

  • Philippians 3:20

    For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

  • Micah 4:1-2

    But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

  • Revelation 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 city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

  • Isaiah 66:10

    Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

  • Isaiah 65:18

    But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

  • Psalms 87:3-6

    Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.

  • Romans 6:14

    For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

  • Joel 3:17

    So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

  • Romans 6:18

    Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

  • Isaiah 62:1-2

    For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jerusalem.
Ps 87:3-6; Isa 2:2,3; 52:9; 62:1,2; 65:18; 66:10; Joe 3:17; Mic 4:1,2
Php 3:20; Heb 12:22; Re 3:12; 21:2,10-27
free.
22; 5:1; Joh 8:36; Ro 6:14,18; 1Pe 2:16
mother.
So 8:1,2; Isa 50:1; Ho 2:2,5; 4:5; Re 17:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Galatians 4:25

    For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

  • Galatians 4:26

    But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

  • Galatians 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.

Read all of Galatians 4

Galatians 4:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas la Jerusalem de arriba libre es; la cual es la madre de todos nosotros.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais la Jérusalem d’en haut est la femme libre qui est notre mère.
German
Elberfelder 1871		aber das Jerusalem droben ist frei, welches unsere Mutter ist.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Illa autem, quæ sursum est Jerusalem, libera est, quæ est mater nostra.