King James Bible
"But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."
Paul contrasts the earthly Jerusalem (representing law-based religion) with a heavenly Jerusalem, symbolizing the spiritual realm of grace and promise. This "Jerusalem above" is free from the bondage of the Mosaic law, reflecting the new covenant reality where believers live in spiritual freedom through Christ. The heavenly Jerusalem is personified as a mother who births spiritual children—all believers regardless of Jewish or Gentile origin. This maternal metaphor emphasizes that Christians derive their spiritual identity and inheritance from this free, grace-based covenant community rather than from physical descent or law-keeping.