Galatians 4 Cross References - LEB

¹ Now I say, for as long a time as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he* is master of everything, ² but he is under guardians and managers until the time set by his father. ³ So also we, when we were children, we were enslaved under the elemental spirits of the world. ⁴ But when the fullness of time came, God sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ in order that he might redeem those under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption. ⁶ And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba!* (Father!)," ⁷ so that you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir through God. ⁸ But at that time when you* did not know God, you were enslaved to the things which by nature are not gods. ⁹ But now, because you have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to be enslaved to them* all over again? ¹⁰ You carefully observe days and months and seasons and years. ¹¹ I am afraid for you, lest perhaps I have labored for you in vain! ¹² I ask you, brothers, become like me, because I also have become like you. You have done me no wrong! ¹³ But you know that because of an illness of the flesh I proclaimed the gospel to you the first time. ¹⁴ And you did not despise or disdain what was a trial for you in my flesh, but you welcomed me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ So where is your blessing? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me! ¹⁶ So then, have I become your enemy by* being truthful to you? ¹⁷ They zealously seek you, not commendably, but they want to exclude you, in order that you may seek them zealously. ¹⁸ But it is good to be sought zealously in good at all times, and not only when I am present with you. ¹⁹ My children, for whom I am having birth pains again, until Christ is formed in you! ²⁰ But I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone because I am perplexed about you. ²¹ Tell me, you who are wanting to be under the law, do you not understand* the law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the female slave and one by the free woman. ²³ But the one by the female slave was born according to human descent, and the one by the free woman through the promise, ²⁴ which things are spoken allegorically, for these women are two covenants, one from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery, who is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is a slave with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written,
"Rejoice, O barren woman, who does not give birth to children; burst out and shout, you who do not have birth pains, because many are the children of the desolate woman, even more than those of the one who has a husband."* ²⁸ But you, brothers, are children of the promise, just as Isaac. ²⁹ But just as at that time the child born according to human descent persecuted the child born according to the Spirit, so also now. ³⁰ But what does the scripture say? "Drive out the female slave and her son, for the son of the female slave will never inherit with the son"* of the free woman. ³¹ Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the female slave but of the free woman.

² And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his house, who had charge of all he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh ³ that I may make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose midst I am dwelling,

¹ Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria, and Jehu wrote letters, and he sent them to Samaria to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders and to the guardians of Ahab, saying, ² "Now, when this letter comes to you and your master's sons are with you, the chariots are with you, the horses, a fortified city, and weapons,

¹² Then he brought out the son of the king, put the crown on him with the testimony, and they made him king, anointed him, clapped their hands, and said, "Long live the king!"

² Jehoash did right in the eyes of Yahweh all of his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

²³ But the one by the female slave was born according to human descent, and the one by the free woman through the promise,

²⁹ But just as at that time the child born according to human descent persecuted the child born according to the Spirit, so also now.

²⁸ Come to me, all of you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

³¹ Then Jesus said to those Jews who had believed him, "If you continue in my word you are truly my disciples,

¹⁰ So now why are you putting God to the test by* placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

¹⁵ For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, "Abba!* Father!"

⁴ Now this was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, in order that they might enslave us,

¹⁹ Why then the law? It was added on account of transgressions, until the descendant should come to whom it had been promised, having been ordered through angels by the hand of a mediator.

²³ But before faith came, we were detained under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. ²⁴ So then, the law became our guardian until Christ, in order that we could be justified by faith. ²⁵ But after* faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

⁹ But now, because you have come to know God, or rather have come to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental spirits? Do you want to be enslaved to them* all over again?

²⁵ Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is a slave with her children.

³¹ Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the female slave but of the free woman.

⁸ Beware lest _⌊anyone take you captive_⌋* through philosophy and empty deceit, according to _⌊human tradition_⌋*, according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ,

²⁰ If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as if living in the world?

¹⁶ who has become a priest not according to a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life.

¹⁵ And I will put hostility between you and between the woman, and between your offspring* and between her offspring;* he will strike you on the head, and you will strike him on the heel."

¹⁰ The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff between his feet, until Shiloh comes. And to him shall be the obedience of nations.

¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you* a sign. Look! the virgin* is with child and she is about to give birth to a son, and she shall call his name 'God with us.'

⁶ For a child has been born for us; a son has been given to us. And the dominion will be on his shoulder, and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. ⁷ _⌊His dominion will grow continually, and to peace there will be no end_⌋* on* the throne of David and over* his kingdom, to establish it* and sustain it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.

¹⁶ Draw near to me; hear this! I have not spoken in secrecy from the _⌊beginning_⌋;* from the time _⌊it came to be_⌋,* there I have been; And now the Lord Yahweh has sent me and his Spirit."

²² _⌊How long_⌋* will you waver, O unfaithful daughter? For Yahweh has created a new thing on the earth, a woman, she shelters a man."

²⁴ "Seventy weeks is decreed for your people and _⌊for your holy city_⌋,* to put an end to the transgression and to seal up sin* and to make atonement for guilt and to bring in everlasting righteousness and to seal vision and prophet and to anoint _⌊the most holy place_⌋.* ²⁵ And you must know and you must understand* that from the time of the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem until an anointed* one—a leader—will be _⌊seven weeks and sixty-two weeks_⌋;* it will be restored and will be built with streets and a moat, but _⌊in a time of oppression_⌋.* ²⁶ "And after the sixty and two weeks an anointed one* shall be cut off, and _⌊he shall have nothing_⌋,* and the people of the coming leader will destroy the city and the sanctuary,* and its end will be with the flood and on to the end there shall be war; these desolations are determined.

² But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you one will go out for me, to be ruler in Israel; and his origins are from of old, from ancient days. ³ Therefore he will give them up until the time of she who is with child has given birth. And the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel.

⁸ For thus said Yahweh of hosts, after glory* he sent me against the nations plundering you: Truly, the one touching you is touching the apple* of his eye. ⁹ "Yes, look! I am going to wave my hand against them, and they will become plunder for their servants, and you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me. ¹⁰ Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for look, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh. ¹¹ "Many nations will join themselves to Yahweh on that day, and they will be my people, and I will dwell in your midst. And you will know that Yahweh of hosts has sent me to you.

¹² And say to him, 'Thus says Yahweh of hosts: "Look, here is a man whose name is Branch,* and from his place he will sprout, and he will build the temple of Yahweh.

¹ "Look! I am going to send my messenger,* and he will prepare* the way _⌊before me_⌋.* And the Lord whom you are seeking will come suddenly to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you are taking pleasure—look!—he is about to come," says Yahweh of hosts.

²³ "Behold, the virgin _⌊will become pregnant_⌋* and will give birth to a son, and they will call his name Emmanuel,"*
which is translated, "God with us."*

¹⁵ But Jesus answered and* said to him, "Permit it now, for in this way it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted him.

¹⁷ "Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy them but to fulfill them.

¹⁵ and saying, "The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the gospel!"

³¹ And behold, you will conceive in the womb and will give birth to a son, and you will call his name Jesus.

³⁵ And the angel answered and* said to her,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the one to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

¹⁰ And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring good news to you of great joy which will be for all the people: ¹¹ that today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, was born for you in the city of David.

²¹ And when eight days were completed _⌊so that he could be circumcised_⌋,* he was named Jesus, his name that he was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. ²² And when the days of their purification were completed according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him* to the Lord ²³ (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb will be called holy to the Lord")* ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what was stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."* ²⁵ And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem _⌊whose name was_⌋* Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he would see the Lord's Christ.* ²⁷ And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus so that they could do for him according to what was customary under the law,

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and took up residence among us, and we saw his glory, glory as of the one and only from the Father, full of grace and truth.

¹⁶ For in this way God loved the world, so that he gave his one and only Son, in order that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but will have eternal life.

³⁸ because I have come down from heaven not that I should do my will, but the will of the one who sent me.

⁴² Jesus said to them, "If God were your father, you would love me, for I have come forth from God and have come. For I have not come from myself, but that one sent me.

³⁶ do you say about he whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?

⁷ But he said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority.

³ concerning his Son, who was born _⌊a descendant_⌋* of David according to the flesh,

³ For what was impossible for the law, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did. By* sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

⁵ to whom belong the patriarchs, and from whom is the Christ according to human descent, who is God over all, blessed _⌊forever_⌋*! Amen.

⁸ For I say, Christ has become a servant of the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God, in order to confirm the promises to the fathers,

¹⁰ for the administration of the fullness of times, to bring together all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth, in him

⁶ who, existing in the form of God, did not consider being equal with God something to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself by* taking the form of a slave, by* becoming in the likeness of people. And being found in appearance like a man, ⁸ he humbled himself by* becoming obedient to the point of death, that is, death on a cross.

¹⁴ having destroyed the certificate of indebtedness in ordinances against us, which was hostile to us, and removed it out of the way by* nailing it to the cross.

¹⁶ And most certainly, great is the mystery of godliness:
Who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated by* the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the Gentiles*, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

¹⁴ Therefore, since the children share in blood and flesh, he also in like manner shared in these same things, in order that through death he could destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

¹⁰ concerning instead only food and drink and different washings, regulations of outward things imposed until the time of setting things right.

⁵ Therefore, when he* came into the world, he said,
"Sacrifice and offering you did not want, but a body you prepared for me; ⁶ you did not delight in whole burnt offerings and offerings for sins. ⁷ Then I said, 'Behold, I have come— in the roll of the book it is written about me— to do your will, O God.'

² By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ* has come in the flesh is from God,

⁹ By this the love of God is revealed in us: that God sent his one and only Son into the world in order that we may live through him. ¹⁰ In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation* for our sins.

¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

⁶⁸ "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited to help and _⌊has redeemed_⌋* his people,

¹² But as many as received him—to those who believe in his name—he gave to them authority to become children of God,

²⁸ Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God which he obtained through the blood of his own Son.*

¹⁹ For the eagerly expecting creation awaits eagerly the revelation of the sons of God.

²³ Not only this, but we ourselves also, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves while we* await eagerly our adoption, the redemption of our body.

⁴ who are Israelites, to whom belong the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the temple service, and the promises,

¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by* becoming a curse for us, because it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,"*

²⁶ For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,*

⁷ so that you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, also an heir through God.

²¹ Tell me, you who are wanting to be under the law, do you not understand* the law?

⁵ having predestined us to adoption through Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will,

⁷ in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace,

² and live in love, just as also Christ loved us, and gave himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a fragrant smell.*

¹³ who has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us* to the kingdom of the Son _⌊he loves_⌋*, ¹⁴ in whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of sins, ¹⁵ who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all* creation, ¹⁶ because all things in the heavens and on the earth were created by him, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers, all things were created through him and for him, ¹⁷ and he himself is before all things, and in him all things are held together, ¹⁸ and he himself is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he himself may become first in everything, ¹⁹ because he was well pleased for all the fullness to dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by* making peace through the blood of his cross, through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

¹⁴ who gave himself for us, in order that he might redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds.

³ who is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, sustaining all things by the word of power.* When he* had made purification for sins through him, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

¹² and not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered once for all into the most holy place, obtaining eternal redemption.

¹⁵ And because of this, he is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that, because* a death has taken place for the redemption of transgressions committed during the first covenant, those who are the called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

¹⁸ because you* know that you were redeemed from your futile way of life inherited from your ancestors not with perishable things like silver or gold, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb ²⁰ who was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has been revealed in these last times for you

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, in order that he could bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,

⁹ And they were singing a new song, saying,
"You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slaughtered, and bought people for God by your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation,

³ And they were singing something like a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who had been bought from the earth.

³ For I will pour out water on a thirsty land and streams on dry ground. I will pour my spirit out on your descendants* and my blessing on your offspring. ⁴ And they shall sprout _⌊among_⌋* the grass like willows by a watercourse of water. ⁵ This one will say, 'I belong to Yahweh!' And that one will be called by the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand 'Yahweh's' and _⌊take the name_⌋* of Israel."

⁴ Have you not just now called to me, 'My father, you are the close friend of my youth?

¹⁹ Then I thought, 'How I would set you among the children, and I would give you a land of desire, an inheritance of the glory of the hosts of nations.' And I thought, 'You would call me, "My father," and you would not turn back from _⌊behind_⌋* me.'

⁶ But whenever you pray, enter into your inner room and shut your door and* pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ⁷ "But when you* pray, do not babble repetitiously like the pagans, for they think that because of their many words they will be heard. ⁸ Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows _⌊what you need_⌋* before you ask him. ⁹ Therefore you pray in this way:
"Our Father who is in heaven, may your name be treated as holy.

² And he said to them, "When you pray, say,
"Father, may your name be treated as holy. May your kingdom come.

¹³ Therefore if you, although you* are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father from heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

³⁴ For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit by measure.

³⁹ Now he said this concerning the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were about to receive. For the Spirit was not yet given,* because Jesus had not yet been glorified.)

¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, in order that he may be with you _⌊forever_⌋*—

²⁶ "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father—that one will testify about me.

⁷ But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

⁷ And when they* came to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, and the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them.

⁵ and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person _⌊does not belong to him_⌋*.

¹⁵ For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, "Abba!* Father!" ¹⁶ The Spirit himself confirms to our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer together with him so that we may also be glorified together with him.

²⁶ And likewise also, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as one ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unexpressed groanings. ²⁷ And the one who searches our hearts knows what the mindset of the Spirit is, because he intercedes on behalf of the saints according to the will of God.

⁴⁵ Thus also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul";* the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

²² who also sealed us and gave the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.

¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

¹³ in whom also you, when you heard* the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom also when you believed you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

¹⁸ because through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

³⁰ and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

¹⁸ with all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and to this end being alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,

¹⁹ for I know that this will turn out to me for deliverance through your prayer and the support of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

¹⁴ Therefore, because we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is not able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but who has been tempted in all things in the same way, without sin. ¹⁶ Therefore let us approach with confidence to the throne of grace, in order that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

¹¹ investigating for what person or which time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he* testified beforehand to the sufferings with reference to Christ and the glories after these things,

²⁰ But you, dear friends, by* building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by* praying in the Holy Spirit,

¹⁰ And I fell down before his feet to worship him, and he said to me, "_⌊Do not do that!_⌋* I am a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

¹ After these things the word of Yahweh came* to Abram in a vision, saying: "Do not be afraid, Abram; I am your shield, and your reward shall be very great."

⁷ And I will establish my covenant between me and you, and between your offspring after you, throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant to be as God for you and to your offspring after you. ⁸ And I will give to you and to your offspring after you _⌊the land in which you are living as an alien_⌋,* all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting property. And I will be to them as God."

⁵ Yahweh is the portion which is my share and my cup. You hold my lot.

²⁶ My flesh and heart failed, but God is the _⌊strength_⌋* of my heart and my reward forever.

¹⁶ The portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the creator of everything, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance, Yahweh of hosts is his name.

³³ "But this is the covenant that I will _⌊make_⌋* with the house of Israel after those days," _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh: "I will put my law in their inward parts and on their hearts* I will write it, and I will be to them God, and they themselves will be to me people.

³⁸ And they will be for me a people, and I will be for them God. ³⁹ And I will give to them one heart and one way, to revere me _⌊forever_⌋,* for good to them, and to their children after them. ⁴⁰ And I will _⌊make_⌋* with them _⌊an everlasting covenant_⌋* that I will not turn away from them, my doing good to them, and my reverence I will put in their hearts* so that they will not turn aside from me. ⁴¹ And I will rejoice over them to do good to them, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness with all my heart, and with all my inner self."*

²⁴ "Yahweh is my portion," says my soul, "Thus I will hope on him."

²¹ So then, let no one boast in people. For all things are yours, ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come, all things are yours, ²³ and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

¹⁶ And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God, just as God said,
"I will live in* them and will walk about among them, and I will be their God and they will be my people."* ¹⁷ Therefore "come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord, "and do not touch what is unclean,* and I will welcome you,* ¹⁸ and I will be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me,"* says the all-powerful Lord.

²⁹ And if you are Christ's, then you are descendants of Abraham, heirs according to the promise.

⁵ in order that he might redeem those under the law, in order that we might receive the adoption. ⁶ And because you are sons, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba!* (Father!),"

⁷ The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be _⌊his God_⌋* and he will be _⌊my son_⌋*.

² And Pharaoh said, "Who is Yahweh that I should listen to his voice to release Israel? I do not know Yahweh, and also I will not release Israel."

² And Joshua said to all the people, "Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel: '_⌊Long ago_⌋* your ancestors*—Terah the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor—lived beyond the river,* and they served other gods.

¹⁵ But if it is bad in your eyes to serve Yahweh, choose for yourselves today whom you want to serve, whether it is the gods that your ancestors* served beyond the river,* or the gods of the Amorites* in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve Yahweh."

⁹ Did you not drive out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, the Levites? Have you not made for yourselves priests like all the peoples of the lands? All who come _⌊to be consecrated for priestly service_⌋* with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what is not a god.

⁴ Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. ⁵ They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; ⁶ they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; ⁷ they have their hands, but they cannot feel, their feet, but they cannot walk; they cannot utter a sound in their throats. ⁸ Those who make them become like them, as does everyone who trusts in them.

¹⁵ The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of the hands of humankind. ¹⁶ They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; ¹⁷ they have ears, but cannot hear; there is not even breath in their mouths. ¹⁸ Those who make them become like them, as does everyone who trusts in them.

¹⁹ to _⌊set_⌋* their gods in the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of human hands, wood and stone, and they destroyed them.

⁹ All those who form an idol are nothing, and their delightful things do not profit. And their witnesses do not see or know, so they will be ashamed. ¹⁰ Who would form a god and cast an image of which he cannot profit? ¹¹ Look! all his companions shall be ashamed, and the artisans are human! Let all of them assemble; let them stand up. They shall tremble;* they shall be ashamed together. ¹² The _⌊ironsmith_⌋* works in the coals with his tool and forms it with hammers. And he makes it with _⌊his strong arm_⌋;* indeed, he becomes hungry, and _⌊he lacks_⌋* strength; he does not drink water, and he is faint. ¹³ The _⌊woodworker_⌋* stretches out a line; he makes an outline of it with a marker. He makes it with a knife and makes an outline of it with a compass. He makes it like the image of a man, like the beauty of a human, to dwell in a temple.* ¹⁴ Cutting down cedars for himself, he _⌊chooses_⌋* a holm tree and an oak, and he lets it grow strong for him among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar, and the rain makes it grow. ¹⁵ And it _⌊becomes fuel for a human_⌋,* and he takes some of it and grows warm; also, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also, he makes a god and bows in worship; he makes himself an image and bows down to it! ¹⁶ He burns half of it in the fire; he eats meat over half of it; he roasts a roast and is satisfied. Also he grows warm and says, "Ah! I am warm! I see the fire!" ¹⁷ And he makes the remainder of it into a god! He bows down to his idol, and he bows in worship and prays to him, and he says, "Save me, for you are my god!" ¹⁸ They do not know, and they do not understand, for their eyes are besmeared _⌊so that they cannot see_⌋,* their _⌊minds_⌋* _⌊so that they have no insight_⌋.* ¹⁹ And _⌊no one takes it to heart_⌋,* and there is no knowledge and no understanding to say, "I burned half of it in the fire and also I baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat, and I have eaten. And I shall make the rest of it into an abomination! I shall bow down to a block of wood!" ²⁰ He feeds on ashes; a _⌊deceived mind_⌋* misleads him. And he cannot save _⌊himself_⌋,* and he cannot say, "Is this not an illusion in my right hand?"

¹¹ Has a nation exchanged gods? And they are not gods! But my people have exchanged their glory for that which does not profit.

³ For the statutes of the peoples are vanity, for it is a tree cut down from the forest, the work of the hands of a craftsman with the tool. ⁴ He decorates it with silver and gold, they strengthen it with nails and hammers, so that it does not stagger. ⁵ They are like scarecrows* in a cucumber field, they cannot speak. Indeed, they must be carried, for they cannot march. You must not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil; furthermore, to do good is not in them." ⁶ There is none like you, O Yahweh, you are great and your name is great in might. ⁷ Who would not revere you, O king of the nations? For you it is fitting. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms,* there is none like you. ⁸ _⌊At the same time_⌋* they are stupid and foolish, in the instruction of idols, it is wood. ⁹ Silver beaten from Tarshish is brought, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the craftsman and the hands of the goldsmith. Blue and purple are their clothing, all of them are the work of skillful people. ¹⁰ But Yahweh is the true God, he is the living God, and _⌊an everlasting king_⌋.* Because of his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his anger. ¹¹ "_⌊Thus_⌋* you shall say to them,
'Gods who did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from under these heavens. ¹² He is the maker of the earth by his power, who created the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he stretched out heaven. ¹³ _⌊When he utters his voice_⌋* there is a noise of water in the heavens, and he causes the mist to rise from the ends* of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he causes the wind to go out from his storehouses. ¹⁴ _⌊Everyone_⌋* is stupid, _⌊without knowledge_⌋,* every goldsmith is ashamed by his divine image, for his cast image is an illusion, and there is no breath in them. ¹⁵ They are vanity, a work of mockery, at the time of their punishment, they will perish. ¹⁶ The portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the creator of everything, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance, Yahweh of hosts is his name.

²⁵ Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not know you, and on the peoples that do not call on your name, for they have devoured Jacob, they have devoured and consumed him, and they have caused his settlement to be desolate.

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, and the world did not recognize* him.

¹² And they began calling* Barnabas Zeus and Paul Hermes, because he was the _⌊principal speaker_⌋.*

²³ For as I* was passing through and observing carefully your objects of worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed, 'To an unknown God.' Therefore what you worship without knowing it,* this I proclaim to you—

²⁹ Therefore, because we* are offspring of God, we ought not to think the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. ³⁰ Therefore although* God has overlooked the times of ignorance, he now commands all people everywhere to repent,

²³ and exchanged the glory of the immortal God with the likeness of an image of mortal human beings and birds and quadrupeds and reptiles.

²⁸ And just as they did not see fit _⌊to recognize God_⌋*, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do the things that are not proper,

²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe.

⁴ Therefore, concerning the eating of food sacrificed to idols, we know that "an idol is nothing in the world" and that "there is no God except one."*

¹⁹ Therefore, what am I saying? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? ²⁰ No, but that the things which they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to become sharers with demons.

² You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the speechless idols, however you were led.

¹¹ Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, the so-called uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision in the flesh, made by hands, ¹² that you were at that time apart from Christ, alienated from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, not having hope, and without God in the world.

¹⁸ being darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart,

⁹ For they themselves report about us, what sort of welcome we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

⁵ not in lustful passion, just as also the Gentiles who do not know God;

⁸ with burning flame* giving punishment to those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus,

³ For the time that has passed was sufficient _⌊to do what the Gentiles desire to do_⌋*, having lived in licentiousness, evil desires, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and wanton idolatries,

¹ See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called children of God, and we are! Because of this the world does not know us: because it did not know him.

¹⁷ And Yahweh said to Moses, "Also I will do this thing that you have spoken, because you have found favor in my eyes and I have known you by name."

⁴³ you shall hear in heaven, the place of your dwelling, and act according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you as your people Israel, and to know that your name has been invoked over this house that I have built.

⁹ "And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for Yahweh searches all hearts and understands every plan and all thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will reject you forever.

⁶ for Yahweh knows the way of the righteous,* but the way of the wicked will perish.

¹⁰ And those who know your name will trust in you, for you do not forsake those who seek you, O Yahweh.

⁵ then you will understand the fear of Yahweh, and the knowledge of God you will find.

³⁴ And they will no longer teach each one his neighbor, or each one his brother, _⌊saying_⌋,* 'Know Yahweh,' for all of them will know me, from their _⌊smallest_⌋* and up to their _⌊greatest_⌋,"* _⌊declares_⌋* Yahweh, "for I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will no longer remember."

¹⁴ For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh, like the waters covering the sea.

²⁷ All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and _⌊anyone to whom_⌋* the Son wants to reveal him.*

¹⁴ "I am the good shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me,

²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

³ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

²⁹ because those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be the firstborn among many brothers.

³ But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him.

¹² For now we see through a mirror _⌊indirectly_⌋*, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know completely, just as I have also been completely known.

³⁴ Sober up correctly and _⌊stop sinning_⌋*, for some have no knowledge of God—I say this to your shame.

⁶ For God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness,"* is the one who has shined in our hearts for the enlightenment of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.*

³ Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now trying to be made complete by the flesh?

¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, _⌊the glorious Father_⌋*,* may give you a spirit of wisdom* and revelation in the knowledge of him

²⁰ If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits of the world, why do you submit to them as if living in the world? ²¹ "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch," ²² which things are all meant for destruction by consuming according to human commandments and teachings, ²³ which things _⌊although they have_⌋*,* to be sure, an appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and humility and unsparing treatment of the body, _⌊do not have any value_⌋* against the indulgence of the flesh.

¹⁹ However, the solid foundation of God stands firm, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his,"* and "Everyone who names the name of the Lord must abstain from unrighteousness."

¹⁸ For on the one hand a preceding commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness

³⁸ But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul is not well pleased with him."* ³⁹ But we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but among those who have faith to the preservation of our souls.

²⁰ For if, after they* have escaped from the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord* and Savior Jesus Christ, and they are again entangled in these things and succumb to them, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

³ And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. ⁴ The one who says "I have come to know him," and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in this person.

²⁰ And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, in order that we may know the one who is true, and we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This one is the true God and eternal life.

¹ Then* Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ² "Speak to the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* and say to them, 'The festivals of Yahweh that you shall proclaim are holy assemblies; these are my appointed times. ³ " 'For six days work is to be done, and on the seventh day shall be _⌊a Sabbath of complete rest_⌋,* a holy assembly; you shall not do any work; it shall be a Sabbath for Yahweh in all your dwellings. ⁴ " 'These are Yahweh's appointed times, holy assemblies, which you shall proclaim at* their appointed time. ⁵ In the first month, on the fourteenth of the month at the evening is Yahweh's Passover. ⁶ And on the fifteenth day of this month is Yahweh's Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. ⁷ On the first day there shall be a holy assembly for you; you shall not do _⌊any regular work_⌋.* ⁸ And you shall present an offering for Yahweh made by fire for seven days; on the seventh day there shall be a holy assembly; you shall not do _⌊any regular work_⌋.'"* ⁹ Then* Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ¹⁰ "Speak to the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* and say to them, 'When you come to the land that I am about to give to you and you reap its harvest, then* you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruit of your harvest to the priest. ¹¹ And he shall wave the sheaf _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh for your acceptance; the priest shall wave it _⌊on the day after_⌋* the Sabbath. ¹² And on the day of your waving the sheaf you shall _⌊offer_⌋* a _⌊yearling_⌋* male lamb without defect as a burnt offering to Yahweh. ¹³ And its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah* of finely milled flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire for Yahweh, an appeasing fragrance; and its libation shall be a fourth of a hin* of wine. ¹⁴ And you shall not eat bread or* roasted grain or* ripe grain until _⌊this very same day_⌋,* until you present your God's offering. This must be _⌊a lasting statute_⌋* for your generations in all your dwellings. ¹⁵ " 'And you shall count for yourselves _⌊from the day after_⌋* the Sabbath, from the day of your bringing the wave offering's sheaf—there shall be seven full weeks. ¹⁶ Until _⌊the day after_⌋* the seventh Sabbath you shall count fifty days; then* you shall present a new grain offering for Yahweh. ¹⁷ You shall bring from your dwellings for a wave offering two loaves of bread _⌊made with_⌋* two-tenths of an ephah* of finely milled flour; they must be baked with leaven—the firstfruits _⌊belonging to_⌋* Yahweh. ¹⁸ And, in addition to the bread, you shall present seven _⌊yearling_⌋* male lambs without defects and one _⌊young bull_⌋* and two rams—they shall be a burnt offering for Yahweh with* their grain offering and their libations, an offering made by fire, an appeasing fragrance for Yahweh. ¹⁹ And you shall _⌊offer_⌋* one he-goat as a sin offering and two _⌊yearling_⌋* male lambs as a sacrifice of fellowship offerings. ²⁰ And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh; in addition to the two male lambs, they shall be holy for Yahweh for the priest. ²¹ And _⌊you shall make a proclamation_⌋* on _⌊this very same day_⌋;* it shall be a holy assembly for you; you shall not do _⌊any regular work_⌋;* this is a _⌊lasting statute_⌋* in all your dwellings throughout* your generations. ²² And when you* reap the harvest of your* land, you* must not finish the edge of your* field at your reaping, and you* must not glean the remnants of your* harvest—you* shall leave them behind for the needy and for the alien; I am Yahweh your* God.'" ²³ Then* Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁴ "Speak to the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* saying, 'In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, _⌊you must have_⌋* a rest period, a remembrance of the trumpet blast, a holy assembly. ²⁵ You must not do _⌊any regular work_⌋,* and you shall present an offering made by fire to Yahweh.'" ²⁶ Then* Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁷ "Surely the Day of Atonement is on the tenth day of the seventh month; it shall be a holy assembly for you, and you shall deny yourselves, and you shall present an offering made by fire to Yahweh. ²⁸ And you must not do _⌊any regular work_⌋* on _⌊this very same day_⌋,* because it is the Day of Atonement to make atonement for you _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh your God. ²⁹ If there is any person who does not deny himself on _⌊this very same day_⌋,* then* he shall be cut off from his people. ³⁰ As for* any person who does any work on _⌊this very same day_⌋,* I will exterminate that person from the midst of his people. ³¹ You must not do any work; it is a _⌊lasting statute_⌋* throughout your generations in all your dwellings. ³² It is _⌊a Sabbath of complete rest_⌋* for you, and you shall deny yourselves on the ninth day of the month in the evening—from evening to evening you must observe your extraordinary* Sabbath." ³³ Then* Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ³⁴ "Speak to the _⌊Israelites_⌋,* saying, 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, this shall be the Feast of Booths for seven days for Yahweh. ³⁵ On the first day there shall be a holy assembly; you must not do any _⌊regular work_⌋.* ³⁶ For seven days you must present an offering made by fire to Yahweh. On the eighth day it shall be a holy assembly for you, and you shall present an offering made by fire to Yahweh; it is a celebration; you must not do _⌊any regular work_⌋.* ³⁷ " 'These are Yahweh's festivals, which you must proclaim, holy assemblies to present an offering made by fire to Yahweh—burnt offering and grain offering, sacrifice and libations, _⌊each on its proper day_⌋*— ³⁸ _⌊besides_⌋* Yahweh's Sabbaths and _⌊besides_⌋* your gifts and _⌊besides_⌋* your vows and _⌊besides_⌋* all your freewill offerings that you give to Yahweh. ³⁹ " 'Surely on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, at your gathering the land's produce, you shall hold Yahweh's festival for seven days; on the first day there shall be a rest period and on the eighth day a rest period. ⁴⁰ And on the first day you shall take for yourselves the first fruit of majestic trees, branches of palm trees and branches* of a leafy tree and of a brook's poplar trees, and you shall rejoice _⌊before_⌋* Yahweh your God for seven days. ⁴¹ And you must hold it as a festival for Yahweh for seven days in the year; it shall be a _⌊lasting statute_⌋* throughout your generations; in the seventh month you must hold it. ⁴² You must live in the booths for seven days; all the natives in Israel must live in the booths, ⁴³ so that your generations shall know that I made the _⌊Israelites_⌋* live in booths when I brought them from the land of Egypt; I am Yahweh your God.'" ⁴⁴ Thus* Moses announced to the _⌊Israelites_⌋* Yahweh's appointed times.

¹ Then* Yahweh spoke to Moses on _⌊Mount Sinai_⌋,* saying,

¹³ " 'In this Year of Jubilee _⌊each of you* shall return_⌋* to his property.

¹ Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, ² "Command the _⌊Israelites_⌋* and say to them, '_⌊You will be careful to present_⌋* my offering, my food of my offerings made by fire, of a fragrance of appeasement to me, at its appointed time.' ³ You will say to them, 'This is the offering made by fire that you will offer to Yahweh: two male lambs without defect _⌊in their first year_⌋* as a continual burnt offering each day. ⁴ You will offer one male lamb in the morning, and the second male lamb you will offer _⌊at twilight_⌋,* ⁵ and a tenth of an ephah of finely milled flour as a grain offering, mixed with a fourth of a measure of beaten oil. ⁶ It is a continual burnt offering that was _⌊ordained_⌋* on Mount Sinai as a fragrance of appeasement, an offering made by fire for Yahweh. ⁷ The libation with it will be a fourth of a liquid measure for each male lamb; in the sanctuary you will pour out the libation of fermented drink for Yahweh. ⁸ And the second male lamb you will offer _⌊at twilight_⌋;* as the grain offering of the morning and as its libation you will offer it, an offering made by fire, a fragrance of appeasement for Yahweh. ⁹ " 'On the day of the Sabbath, two male lambs without defect _⌊in their first year_⌋,* and two-tenths of finely milled flour mixed with oil for a grain offering and its libation. ¹⁰ This is the burnt offering every Sabbath in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation. ¹¹ " 'And at the beginning of each of your months, you will present a burnt offering for Yahweh: two bulls and one ram, seven male lambs without defect _⌊in their first year_⌋;* ¹² and three-tenths of finely milled flour mixed with oil for a grain offering, for each bull; and two-tenths of finely milled flour mixed with oil for a grain offering for the one ram; ¹³ and a tenth of finely milled flour mixed with oil as a grain offering for each male lamb, for a burnt offering of a fragrance of appeasement, an offering of fire for Yahweh. ¹⁴ Their libations will be half a liquid measure of wine for the bull and a third of a liquid measure of wine for the ram and a fourth of a liquid measure of wine for the male lamb; this is the burnt offering for every month for the months of the year. ¹⁵ And one male goat as a sin offering for Yahweh; it will be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation. ¹⁶ " 'On the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover for Yahweh. ¹⁷ On the fifteenth day of this month is a religious feast, unleavened bread must be eaten for seven days. ¹⁸ On the first day there will be a holy convocation; _⌊you will not do any regular work_⌋.* ¹⁹ You will present an offering by fire, a burnt offering for Yahweh: two bulls and one ram and seven male lambs _⌊in their first year_⌋;* they will be for you without defect. ²⁰ For their grain offering, you will offer finely milled flour mixed with oil: three-tenths for the bull and two-tenths for the ram. ²¹ You will offer a tenth for each of the seven male lambs; ²² and a goat for one sin offering to make atonement for you. ²³ You will offer these besides the burnt offering of the morning, which is for the continual burnt offering. ²⁴ Like this you will offer daily, for seven days, the food of the offering made by fire, a fragrance of appeasement for Yahweh; it will be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering and its libation. ²⁵ On the seventh day you will have a holy convocation; _⌊you will not do any regular work_⌋.* ²⁶ " 'And on the day of firstfruits, when you are presenting a new offering for Yahweh during your Festival of Weeks, you will have a holy convocation; _⌊you will not do any regular work_⌋.* ²⁷ You will present a burnt offering for a fragrance of appeasement for Yahweh: two bulls, one ram, seven male lambs _⌊in their first year_⌋;* ²⁸ and their grain offering will be finely milled flour mixed with oil: three-tenths for each bull, two-tenths for one ram, ²⁹ a tenth for each of the male lambs;

⁵ One person* prefers one day over another day, and another person regards every day alike. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind.

¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone judge you with reference to eating or* drinking or participation in a feast or a new moon or a Sabbath, ¹⁷ which are a shadow of what is to come, but the reality is Christ.

⁴ But* I myself said, "I have labored in* vain; I have used up my strength for nothing and vanity! Nevertheless, my justice is with Yahweh, and my reward is with my God."

⁶ And they traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been prevented by the Holy Spirit from speaking the message in Asia.*

⁵⁸ So then, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, because you* know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

² For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. ³ But I am afraid lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds may be led astray from the sincerity and the purity of devotion to Christ.

²⁰ For I am afraid lest somehow when I* arrive, I will not find you as I want, and I may be found by you as you do not want. I am afraid* lest somehow there will be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, pride, disorder. ²¹ I am afraid lest when I* come again my God will humiliate me _⌊in your presence_⌋*, and I will grieve over many of those who sinned previously and have not repented because of their impurity and sexual immorality and licentiousness that they have practiced.

² Now I went up there because of a revelation and laid out to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles, but in private to the influential people, lest somehow I was running, or had run, in vain.

²⁰ But I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone because I am perplexed about you.

² Look! I, Paul, tell you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing! ³ And again I testify to every man who becomes circumcised, that he is under obligation to keep the whole law. ⁴ You are estranged from Christ, you who are attempting to be justified* by the law; you have fallen from grace.

¹⁶ holding fast to the word of life, for a source of pride* to me in the day of Christ, that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

⁵ Because of this, I also, when I* could endure it no longer, sent in order to know your faith, lest somehow the tempter tempted you and our labor should be in vain.

⁸ Watch yourselves that you do not lose what we have worked for, but receive a full reward.

¹⁵ Only on this condition will we give consent to you; if you will become like us—every male among you to be circumcised.

⁴ Then he said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to the battle for Ramoth-Gilead?" Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "_⌊I am like you_⌋;* _⌊my people are like your people_⌋;* _⌊my horses are like your horses_⌋."*

²¹ And they have been informed about you that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles the abandonment of Moses, telling them not to circumcise their* children or to live according to our* customs.

²⁰ I have become like a Jew to the Jews, in order that I may gain the Jews. To those under the law I became as under the law (although I* myself am not under the law) in order that I may gain those under the law. ²¹ To those outside the law I became as outside the law (although I* am not outside the law of God, but subject to the law of Christ) in order that I may gain those outside the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, in order that I may gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, in order that by all means I may save some. ²³ I do all this for the sake of the gospel, in order that I may become a participant with it.

⁵ But if anyone has caused sorrow, he has not caused me sorrow, but _⌊to some degree_⌋*—_⌊in order not to say too much_⌋*—to all of you.

¹³ Now the same way in exchange (I am speaking as to children), you open wide your hearts also.

¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not being straightforward with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of them all, "If you, although you* are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?"

¹⁴ But as for me, may it never be that I boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

⁷ But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have considered loss because of Christ. ⁸ _⌊More than that_⌋*, I even consider all things to be loss because of the surpassing greatness of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for the sake of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and consider them* dung, in order that I may gain Christ

³ And I came to you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling,

¹⁰ because it is said, "His letters are severe and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech is of no account."

⁶ But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not in knowledge; certainly in everything we have made this clear to you in every way.

³⁰ If it is necessary to boast, I will boast about _⌊the things related to my weakness_⌋*.

⁷ even because of the extraordinary degree of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, in order that it would torment me so that I would not exalt myself. ⁸ Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. ⁹ And he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, because the* power is perfected in weakness." Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me. ¹⁰ Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in calamities, in persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

⁴ For indeed, he was crucified because of weakness, but he lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live together with him because of the power of God toward you.

⁶ I am astonished that you are turning away so quickly from the one who called you by the grace of Christ to a different gospel,

¹⁷ Your servant also thought, 'May the word of my lord the king _⌊bring rest_⌋,* for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king, _⌊to sense what is good and what is bad_⌋.'* May Yahweh your God be with you."

²⁷ But he slandered against your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like the angel of God; _⌊do as you see fit._⌋."*

⁵ _⌊Those at ease have contempt_⌋* for the thought of _⌊disaster_⌋,* but it is ready for those unstable of foot.

¹⁴¹ I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts.

¹⁶ So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, yet the wisdom of the poor is despised, and his words are not heard.

² For* he went* up like a shoot before him, and like a root from dry ground. He had no form and no majesty that* we should see him, and no appearance that* we should take pleasure in him. ³ He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering, and acquainted with* sickness, and like _⌊one from whom others hide their faces_⌋,* he was despised, and we did not hold him in high regard.

⁸ On that day Yahweh will put a shield around the inhabitants* of Jerusalem, and the one who stumbles among them on that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of Yahweh, _⌊before them_⌋.*

⁷ For the lips of the priest should guard knowledge, and they should seek instruction* from his mouth, for he is the messenger of Yahweh of hosts.

⁴⁰ "The one who receives you receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me.

⁵ and whoever welcomes one child such as this in my name welcomes me.

⁴⁰ And the king will answer and* say to them, 'Truly I say to you, in as much as you did it* to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it* to me.'

¹⁶ The one who listens to you listens to me, and the one who rejects you rejects me. But the one who rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

²⁰ Truly, truly I say to you, the one who receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me."

²⁸ and the insignificant of the world, and the despised, God chose, the things that are not, in order that he might abolish the things that are,

¹⁰ We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are prudent in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, but we are dishonored!

²⁰ Therefore we are ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as if* God were imploring you through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

¹³ But you know that because of an illness of the flesh I proclaimed the gospel to you the first time.

¹³ And because of this we also give thanks to God constantly, that when you* received God's word _⌊that you heard_⌋* from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.

⁸ Therefore the one who rejects this is not rejecting man, but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.

² Do not neglect hospitality, because through this some have received angels as guests without knowing it.

¹³ And those on the rock are those who receive the word with joy when they hear it,* and these do not have enough root, who believe for a time and in a time of testing fall away.

⁶ just as David also speaks about the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: ⁷ "Blessed are they whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins are covered over. ⁸ Blessed is the person against whom the Lord will never count sin."* ⁹ Therefore, is this blessing for _⌊those who are circumcised_⌋*, or also for _⌊those who are uncircumcised_⌋*? For we say, "Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness."*

² through whom also we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

³ For I could wish myself to be accursed from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my fellow countrymen according to the flesh,

² For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

³ I testify that they gave* according to their ability, and beyond their ability, by their own choice,

¹⁴ in order that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

¹⁹ My children, for whom I am having birth pains again, until Christ is formed in you!

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

⁴ But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have a reason for boasting in himself alone, and not in someone else.

¹³ For I testify to him that _⌊he is working hard_⌋* on behalf of you and those in Laodicea and those in Hierapolis.

⁸ Longing for you in this way, we determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own souls, because you had become dear to us.

¹³ and to esteem them beyond all measure in love, because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

¹⁶ We have come to know love by this: that _⌊he_⌋* laid down his life on behalf of us, and we ought to lay down our lives on behalf of the brothers. ¹⁷ But whoever has the world's material possessions and observes his brother _⌊in need_⌋* and shuts his heart against him, how does the love of God reside in him? ¹⁸ Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

¹⁷ When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, "Is this you who throws Israel into confusion?" ¹⁸ He said, "I did not throw Israel into confusion; rather you and the house of your father have by forsaking the commands of Yahweh when you went after the Baals!

²⁰ Then Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, my enemy?" He said, "I have found you because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of Yahweh.

⁸ Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man to inquire from Yahweh, but I despise him, for he never prophesies anything good concerning me, but only bad: Micaiah the son of Imlah." Then Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say so."

²⁷ and say, 'Thus says the king: "Put this fellow in the house of imprisonment and feed him reduced rations of food and water until I come in peace." '"

²⁰ Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people and said to them, "Thus says God: 'Why are you transgressing the commandments of Yahweh so that you will not succeed? For you have forsaken Yahweh, so he will forsake you.'" ²¹ Then they conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the command of the king in the courtyard of the house of Yahweh. ²² So King Joash did not remember the loyal love that Jehoiada had shown to him, and he killed his son. And as he was dying he said, "May Yahweh see and avenge!"

¹⁶ And it happened that while he was speaking to him, he said to him, "Have we appointed you as a counselor to the king? Stop—_⌊why should you be killed_⌋?"* So the prophet stopped and said, "I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my advice."

⁵ Let a righteous one strike me in kindness, and let him chasten me. It is oil for my head;* let not my head refuse. For still my prayer is against their evil deeds.

⁸ Do not rebuke a scoffer, lest he hate you; rebuke the wise and he will love you.

¹⁰ They hate the one who reproves in the gate and they abhor the one who speaks honestly.

⁷ The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I am testifying about it, that its deeds are evil.

⁴⁵ But because I am telling the truth, you do not believe me.

⁵ to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection, in order that the truth of the gospel might remain continually with you.

¹ O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as having been crucified? ² I want only to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now trying to be made complete by the flesh? ⁴ Have you suffered so many things for nothing—if indeed also it was for nothing?

⁷ You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?

¹⁵ "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees—hypocrites!—because you travel around the sea and the dry land to make one convert, and when he becomes one,* you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are!

¹⁸ For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own stomach, and by smooth speech and flattery they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

⁸ Already you are satiated! Already you are rich! Apart from us you reign as kings! And would that indeed you reigned as kings, in order that we also might reign as kings with you!

¹⁸ But some have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.

² Now I praise you that you remember me in all things, and just as I handed over to you the traditions, you hold fast to them. ³ But I am afraid lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds may be led astray from the sincerity and the purity of devotion to Christ.

¹³ For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself disguises himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is not a great thing if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

¹² As many as are wanting to make a good showing in the flesh, these are attempting to compel* you to be circumcised, only so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³ For not even those who are circumcised observe the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised in order that they may boast in your flesh.

²¹ For they all seek _⌊their own interests_⌋*, not those of Jesus Christ.

³ And in greediness they will exploit you with false words, whose condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

¹⁸ _⌊For by speaking high-sounding but empty words_⌋*, they entice with desires of the flesh and with licentiousness those who are scarcely escaping from those who live in error,

¹¹ "Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, turned away my anger from among the _⌊Israelites_⌋* when he was jealous with my jealousy in their midst, and I did not destroy the _⌊Israelites_⌋* with my jealousy. ¹² Therefore say, 'Behold, I am giving to him my covenant of peace, ¹³ and it will be for him and his _⌊offspring_⌋* after him a covenant of an eternal priesthood because he was jealous for his God and made atonement for the _⌊Israelites_⌋.'"*

⁹ because the zeal for your house* has consumed me, and the reproaches of those reproaching you have fallen on me.

¹³⁹ My zeal consumes me, because my enemies have forgotten your words.

¹⁷ And he put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head, and he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and he wrapped himself in zeal as in a robe.

¹⁷ His disciples remembered that it is written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."*

²⁷ Only lead your lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent I hear _⌊your circumstances_⌋*, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,

¹² Therefore my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

¹⁹ As many as I love, I reprove and discipline. Be zealous, therefore, and repent!

¹¹ And Moses said to Yahweh, "Why have you brought trouble to your servant? Why have I not found favor in your eyes, that the burdens of all these people have been placed on me? ¹² Did I conceive all these people? If I have fathered them,* that you could say to me, 'Carry them* in your lap, just as a foster-father carries the suckling on the land that you swore an oath to their ancestors?'*

¹¹ From the trouble of his life* he will see;* he will be satisfied. In his knowledge, the righteous one, my servant, shall declare many righteous,* and he is the one who will bear their iniquities.

⁴⁴ And being in anguish, he began praying* more fervently and his sweat became like drops of blood falling down to the ground.*

¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and do not make provision for the desires of the flesh.

¹⁴ I am not writing these things to shame you, but admonishing you as my dear children. ¹⁵ For if you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I fathered you through the gospel.

¹³ until we all reach the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to a measure of the maturity of the fullness of Christ,

²⁴ and put on the new man (in accordance with God), who is created in righteousness and holiness from the truth.

⁸ For God is my witness, that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

⁵ Think this in* yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

¹⁷ But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and rejoice with all of you.

²⁷ to whom God wanted to make known what is the glorious wealth of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory,

¹ For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on behalf of you, and those in Laodicea, and all those who have not seen my face _⌊in person_⌋*,

¹⁰ and have put on the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created him,

¹² Epaphras, who is one of you, greets you, a slave of Christ* always struggling on behalf of you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured* in all the will of God.

² to Timothy, my true child in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

⁴ to Titus, my true child according to a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

¹⁰ I am appealing to you concerning my child whom I became the father of during my imprisonment, Onesimus.

¹⁹ I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will pay it back, lest I mention to you that _⌊you owe me even your very self besides_⌋*.

⁷ who in the days of his flesh offered up both prayers and supplications, with loud crying and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard as a result of his reverence.

¹⁸ By his* will he gave birth to us through the message of truth, so that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

¹ My little children, I am writing these things to you in order that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one,

¹² I am writing to you, little children, because* your sins have been forgiven you on account of his name.

²¹ Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

¹ And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars, ² and _⌊who was pregnant_⌋* and was crying out because she* was having birth pains, and was in torment to give birth.

¹⁹ But I am coming to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will know not the talk of the ones who have become arrogant, but the power. ²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not with talk, but with power. ²¹ What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

¹⁷ But when* we were made orphans by separation from you, brothers, for _⌊a short time_⌋* (in face, not in heart), we were even more eager with great desire to see your face, ¹⁸ because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, _⌊on more than one occasion_⌋*—and Satan hindered us.

⁹ For what thanks can we repay to God concerning you, because of all the joy with which we rejoice because of you before our God,

⁴² Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures,
'The stone which the builders rejected, this has become _⌊the cornerstone_⌋.* This came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?* ⁴³ For this reason, I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and will be given to a people* who produce its fruits. ⁴⁴ And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls—it will crush him!"

²⁹ But Jesus answered and* said to them, "You are mistaken, because* you do not know the scriptures or the power of God! ³⁰ For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God* in heaven. ³¹ Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, who said, ³² "I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob"?* He is not the God of the dead, but of the living!"

⁴⁶ For if you had believed Moses, you would believe me, for that one wrote about me. ⁴⁷ But if you do not believe that one's writings, how will you believe my words?"

³⁴ Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods" '?*

³⁴ Then the crowd replied to him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains _⌊forever_⌋!* And how do you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?"

²⁵ But this happened* so that the word that is written in their law would be fulfilled, 'They hated me without a reason.'

¹⁹ Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, in order that every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable to God.

¹⁴ For sin will not be master over you, because you are not under law, but under grace.

⁵ For when we were in the flesh, sinful desires were working through the law in our members, to bear fruit for death. ⁶ But now we have been released from the law, because we* have died to that by which we were bound, so that we may serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter of the law.

³⁰ What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness—even the righteousness that is by faith. ³¹ But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, did not attain to the law. ³² Why that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if by works. They stumbled over the _⌊stone that causes people to stumble_⌋*,

³ For ignoring the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own,* they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. ⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: "The person who does this* will live by it."** ⁶ But the righteousness from faith speaks like this: "Do not say in your heart,* 'Who will ascend into heaven?'"* (that is, to bring Christ down), ⁷ or "Who will descend into the abyss?"* (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? "The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart"* (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim), ⁹ that* if you confess with your mouth "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation.

¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all the things that are written in the book of the law to do them."*

²³ But before faith came, we were detained under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith was revealed. ²⁴ So then, the law became our guardian until Christ, in order that we could be justified by faith.

² And Sarai said to Abram, "Look, please, Yahweh has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my servant; perhaps _⌊I will have children by her_⌋."* And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. ³ Then* Sarai, the wife of Abram, took Hagar, her Egyptian servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband as his wife. ⁴ And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she* saw that she had conceived, then her mistress grew small in her eyes.

¹⁵ And Hagar had a child for Abram, a son. And Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore to him, Ishmael.

¹ And Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said. And Yahweh did to Sarah as he had promised. ² And she conceived, and Sarah bore to Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him.

¹⁰ Then she said to Abraham, "Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman will not be heir with my son, with Isaac."

¹⁵ And God said to Abraham, "as for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, for Sarah shall be her name. ¹⁶ And I will bless her; moreover, I give to you from her a son. And I will bless her, and _⌊she shall give rise to nations_⌋.* Kings of peoples shall come* from her." ¹⁷ And Abraham fell upon his face and laughed. And he said in his heart, "_⌊Can a child be born to a man a hundred years old_⌋,* or _⌊can Sarah bear a child at ninety_⌋?"* ¹⁸ And Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!" ¹⁹ And God said, "No, but Sarah your wife shall bear a son for you, and you shall call his name Isaac. And I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant to his offspring after him.

¹⁰ And he* said, "I will certainly return to you _⌊in the spring_⌋,* and look, Sarah your wife will have a son." Now Sarah was listening at the doorway of the tent, and which was behind him. ¹¹ Now Abraham and Sarah were old, _⌊advanced in age_⌋;* _⌊the way of women_⌋* had ceased to be for Sarah. ¹² So* Sarah laughed to herself saying, "After I am worn out and my husband is old, shall this pleasure be to me?" ¹³ Then Yahweh said to Abraham, "What is this that Sarah laughed, saying, 'Is it indeed true that I will bear a child, now that I have grown old?' ¹⁴ Is anything too difficult for Yahweh? At the appointed time I will return to you _⌊in the spring_⌋* and Sarah shall have a son."

¹⁸ who against hope believed in hope, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was said, "so will your descendants be."* ¹⁹ And not being weak in faith, he considered his own body as good as dead, * because he* was approximately a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb. ²⁰ And he did not waver in unbelief at the promise of God, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God ²¹ and being fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also able to do.

⁷ nor are they all children because they are descendants of Abraham, but "In Isaac will your descendants be named."* ⁸ That is, it is not the children _⌊by human descent_⌋* who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants.

⁸ But what does it say? "The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart"* (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim),

²⁸ But you, brothers, are children of the promise, just as Isaac. ²⁹ But just as at that time the child born according to human descent persecuted the child born according to the Spirit, so also now.

¹¹ By faith also, _⌊with Sarah_⌋*,* he received _⌊the ability to procreate_⌋* even _⌊past the normal age_⌋*, because he regarded the one who had promised to be faithful.

⁸ And he said to Hagar, the servant of Sarai, "_⌊From where_⌋* have you come, and where are you going?" And she said, "I am fleeing from the presence of Sarai my mistress."

¹⁵ And Hagar had a child for Abram, a son. And Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore to him, Ishmael. ¹⁶ And Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

⁹ And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne Abraham, mocking. ¹⁰ Then she said to Abraham, "Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman will not be heir with my son, with Isaac." ¹¹ And the matter _⌊displeased Abraham very much_⌋* on account of his son. ¹² Then God said to Abraham, "_⌊Do not be displeased_⌋* on account of the boy and on account of the slave woman. _⌊Listen to everything that Sarah said to you_⌋,* for through Isaac your offspring will be named. ¹³ And I will also make the son of the slave woman into a nation, for he is your offspring."

¹² Now these are the generations* of Ishmael, the son of Abraham, that Hagar the Egyptian, the maidservant of Sarah, bore to Abraham.

² Then* he said,
"Yahweh came from Sinai, and he dawned upon them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran, and he came with myriads of holy ones, at his right hand a fiery law for them.*

⁴⁹ Then I said, "Ah, Lord Yahweh, they are saying about me, 'Is he not posing a parable?'"

¹⁰ They will go after Yahweh; he roars like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the sea.*

³⁵ in order that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled, who said,
"I will open my mouth in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden since the creation."**

¹⁹ And he took bread, and* after* giving thanks, he broke it* and gave it* to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." ²⁰ And in the same way the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you.

⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.

¹¹ Now these things happened to those people as an example, but are written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.

¹⁵ Brothers, I am speaking according to a human perspective. Nevertheless, when* the covenant of a man has been ratified, no one declares it invalid or adds additional provisions to it. ¹⁶ Now to Abraham and to his descendant the promises were spoken. It does not say, "and to descendants," as concerning many, but as concerning one, "and to your descendant,"* who is Christ. ¹⁷ Now I am saying this: the law, that came after four hundred and thirty years, does not revoke a covenant previously ratified by God, in order to nullify the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from the promise, but God graciously gave it to Abraham through the promise. ¹⁹ Why then the law? It was added on account of transgressions, until the descendant should come to whom it had been promised, having been ordered through angels by the hand of a mediator. ²⁰ Now the mediator is not for one, but God is one. ²¹ Therefore is the law opposed to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, certainly righteousness would have been from the law.

¹ For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

²² by so much more* Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

⁶ But now he has attained a more excellent ministry, by as much as he is also mediator of a better covenant which has been enacted upon better promises. ⁷ For if that first covenant had been faultless, occasion would not have been sought for a second. ⁸ For in finding fault with them he says,
"Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, when I will complete a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, ⁹ not like the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day I took hold of them by my hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant and I disregarded them, says the Lord. ¹⁰ For this is the covenant that I will decree with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I am putting my laws in their minds and I will write them on their hearts, and I will be _⌊their_⌋* God and they will be _⌊my_⌋* people. ¹¹ And they will not teach each one his fellow citizen and each one his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. ¹² For I will be merciful toward their wrongdoings, and I will not remember their sins any longer." ¹³ In calling it new, he has declared the former to be old. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is near to disappearing.

¹⁵ And because of this, he is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that, because* a death has taken place for the redemption of transgressions committed during the first covenant, those who are the called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. ¹⁶ For where there is a will, it is a necessity for the death of the one who made the will to be established. ¹⁷ For a will is in force concerning those who are dead, since it is never in force when the one who made the will is alive. ¹⁸ Therefore not even the first covenant was ratified without blood. ¹⁹ For when* every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves* with water and scarlet wool and hyssop and sprinkled both the scroll itself and all the people, ²⁰ saying,
"This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded for you."* ²¹ And likewise he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the utensils of service with the blood. ²² Indeed, nearly everything is purified with blood according to the law, and apart from the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. ²³ Therefore it was necessary for the sketches of the things in heaven to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf,

¹⁵ And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying, ¹⁶ "This is the covenant that I will decree for them after those days, says the Lord: I am putting my laws on their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."* ¹⁷ He also says,
"Their sins and their lawless deeds I will never remember again."* ¹⁸ Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

¹⁹ having reasoned that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which he received him back also as a symbol.

²⁴ and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and _⌊to the sprinkled blood_⌋* that speaks better than Abel's does.

²⁰ Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,

⁵ The mountains trembled* before Yahweh, this Sinai, at the presence of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

⁸ the earth shook; the heavens also dripped rain at the presence of God who was at Sinai, at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

¹⁷ The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, with thousands doubled. The Lord is among them at Sinai, distinctive in victory.*

³⁷ "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How many times I wanted to gather your children together _⌊the way_⌋* a hen gathers her young together under her* wings, and you were not willing!

³⁴ "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How many times I wanted to gather your children together _⌊the way_⌋* a hen gathers* her own brood under her* wings, and you were not willing!

⁴⁴ And they will raze you to the ground, you and your children within you, and will not leave a stone upon a stone within you, _⌊because_⌋* you did not recognize the time of your visitation."

¹¹ who also said, "Men _⌊of Galilee_⌋,* why do you stand there looking* into the sky? This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven like this will come back in the same way you saw him departing into heaven!"

¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away to Arabia and I returned again to Damascus.

¹⁸ For you have not come to something that can be touched, and to a burning fire, and to darkness, and to gloom, and to a whirlwind,

³ Glorious things are spoken about* you, O city of God. Selah ⁴ I will record* those who know me in Rahab* and Babylon, behold in Philistia and Tyre with Cush, "This one was born there." ⁵ But with respect to Zion it shall be said, "_⌊Each one_⌋* was born in her," for the Most High himself will establish her. ⁶ Yahweh will record in writing the peoples, "This one was born there." Selah

¹ _⌊How I wish that you were my little brother_⌋,** who nursed _⌊upon my mother's breasts_⌋!* If _⌊I met you outside_⌋,* I would kiss you, _⌊and no one would despise me_⌋!* ² _⌊I would surely bring you_⌋** to the house of my mother, _⌊who would surely teach me_⌋;* _⌊I would give you spiced wine to drink_⌋,* the _⌊sweet wine_⌋* of my pomegranates.*

² And it shall happen in the future of the days the mountain of the house* of Yahweh shall be established; it will be among the highest* of the mountains, and it shall be raised from the hills. All of the nations shall travel to him; ³ many peoples shall come. And they shall say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house* of the God of Jacob, and may he teach us part of his ways, and let us walk in his paths." For instruction shall go out from Zion, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.

¹ Thus says Yahweh:
"Where is this divorce document of your mother's divorce, with which I dismissed her? or to whom of my creditors did I sell you? Look! you were sold because of your sin, and your mother was dismissed because of your transgressions.

⁹ Break forth, sing for joy together, ruins of Jerusalem, for Yahweh has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem.

¹ For the sake of Zion I will not be silent, and for the sake of Jerusalem I will not maintain a quiet attitude, until her righteousness goes out like the bright light, and her salvation burns like a torch. ² And the nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and _⌊you will be called_⌋* a new name that the mouth of Yahweh will designate.

¹⁸ But rejoice and shout in exultation forever and ever over what I am about to create! For look! I am about to create Jerusalem as a source of rejoicing, and her people as a source of joy.

¹⁰ "Rejoice with Jerusalem and shout in exultation with her, all those who love her! Rejoice with her in joy, all those who mourn over her,

² Plead with your mother, plead— because she is not my wife, and I am not her husband. Let her put away her whoring _⌊from before her_⌋,* and her adultery from between her breasts.

⁵ Because their mother was unfaithful;* she who conceived them has acted shamefully, for she said: "I will go after my lovers, the ones who give me my bread, my water, my wool, and my flax, my oil, and my drink."

⁵ You will stumble by day, and the priest also will stumble with you at night. And I will destroy your mother;

¹⁷ And you will know that I, Yahweh your God, am dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain. And Jerusalem will be a place of holiness, and strangers will pass through it no longer.

¹ And it will be that at the end of those days, the mountain of Yahweh will be established as the highest of the mountains, and it will be lifted up above the hills, and people will stream to it. ² And many nations will come and say, "Come! Let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, and to the _⌊temple_⌋* of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways, and that we may walk in his paths," for the law will go out from Zion, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.

³⁶ So if the son sets you free, you will be truly free.

¹⁸ and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness.

²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the female slave and one by the free woman.

²⁰ For our commonwealth exists in heaven, from which also we eagerly await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,

²² But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to tens of thousands of angels, to the festal gathering

¹⁶ Live as free persons, and not using your* freedom as a covering for evil, but as slaves of God.

¹² The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never go outside again, and I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God, and my new name.

⁵ And on her forehead a name was written, a mystery: "Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth."

² And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

¹⁰ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and lofty mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, ¹¹ that has the glory of God. Its radiance is like a precious stone, something like a jasper stone, shining like crystal. ¹² It has* a great and high wall that has twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written on the gates which are* of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel— ¹³ on the east, three gates, and on the north, three gates, and on the south, three gates, and on the west, three gates. ¹⁴ And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. ¹⁵ And the one who spoke with me was holding a golden measuring rod in order that he could measure the city and its gates and its wall. ¹⁶ And the city is laid out as a square, and its length is the same as its width. And he measured the city with the measuring rod at twelve thousand stadia;* the length and the width and the height of it are equal. ¹⁷ And he measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits* _⌊according to human measure_⌋*, which is the angel's. ¹⁸ And the material of its wall is jasper, and the city is pure gold, similar in appearance to pure glass. ¹⁹ The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every kind of precious stone: the first foundation jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. ²¹ And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each one of the gates was from a single pearl. And the street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass. ²² And I did not see a temple in it, for the Lord God All-Powerful is its temple, and the Lamb. ²³ And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon, that they shine on it, for the glory of God illuminates it, and its lamp is the Lamb. ²⁴ And the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. ²⁵ And its gates will never be shut by day (for there will be no night there), ²⁶ and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. ²⁷ And every unclean thing and one who practices* detestable things and falsehood will never enter into it, except those who are written in the book of life of the Lamb.

¹¹ And Naomi said, "Return, my daughters. _⌊Why do you still want to go with me_⌋?* Are there sons _⌊in my womb_⌋* that may be husbands for you? ¹² Turn back, my daughters! Go, for _⌊I am too old to have a husband_⌋.* If I should think there is hope for me, even if I should have a husband this night, and even if I should bear sons, ¹³ would you therefore wait until they were grown? Would you therefore _⌊refrain from marrying_⌋?* No, my daughters, for it is far more bitter to me than to you. For the hand of Yahweh has gone out against me."

¹⁴ And the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be Yahweh who today _⌊did not leave you without a redeemer_⌋!* And may his name be renowned in Israel! ¹⁵ He shall be for you a restorer of life and a sustainer in your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is better for you than seven sons, has borne him." ¹⁶ And Naomi took the child and she put him on her bosom and became his nurse.

⁵ Those who were full must hire themselves out for bread, but those who are hungry will become fat. As for the infertile, she will bear seven, but she who has many sons withers away.

²⁰ Absalom her brother said to her, "Was Amnon your brother with you? But now, my sister, be quiet; he is your brother. _⌊Do not take this matter to heart_⌋."* So Tamar remained a desolate woman in the house of Absalom her brother.

⁹ He causes the barren woman of the house to dwell as the happy mother of children. Praise Yah!*

²¹ Then* you will say in your heart,
"Who has borne me these?" And, "I was bereaved and barren, exiled and thrust away; so* who raised these? Look at me! I was left alone; _⌊where have these come from_⌋?"*

¹ "Sing for joy, barren woman; who has not borne! Burst forth into rejoicing and rejoice, she who has not been in labor! For the children of the desolate woman are more than the children of the married woman," says Yahweh. ² "Enlarge the site of your tent, and let them stretch out the tent curtains of your dwelling place. You must not spare; make your tent cords long and strengthen your pegs, ³ for you will spread out to the right and to the left. And your descendants* will be heir to the nations, and they will inhabit desolate towns. ⁴ You must not fear, for you will not be ashamed, and you must not be confounded, for you will not feel abashed, for you will forget the shame of your youth, and you will no longer remember the disgrace of your widowhood. ⁵ For your husband* is your maker,* his name is Yahweh of hosts; and your redeemer is the holy one of Israel, he is called the God of all of the earth.

⁵ But the widow who is one truly, and is left alone, has put her hope in God and continues in her petitions and prayers night and day.

²⁵ You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God ordained with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed.'*

¹³ For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, that he would be heir of the world, was not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith. ¹⁴ For if those of the law are heirs, faith is rendered void and the promise is nullified. ¹⁵ For the law produces wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there transgression. ¹⁶ Because of this, it is by faith, in order that it may be according to grace, so that the promise may be secure to all the descendants, not only to those of the law, but also to those of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all ¹⁷ (just as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations")* before God, in whom he believed, the one who makes the dead alive and who calls the things that are not as though they are, ¹⁸ who against hope believed in hope, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was said, "so will your descendants be."*

⁸ That is, it is not the children _⌊by human descent_⌋* who are children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. ⁹ For the statement of the promise is this: "At this time I will return and _⌊Sarah will have_⌋* a son."*

²⁹ And if you are Christ's, then you are descendants of Abraham, heirs according to the promise.

⁹ And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne Abraham, mocking.

³⁴ For this reason, behold, I am sending to you prophets and wise men and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and will pursue from town to town, ³⁵ so that upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on the earth from the blood of righteous Abel up to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. ³⁶ Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation! ³⁷ "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How many times I wanted to gather your children together _⌊the way_⌋* a hen gathers her young together under her* wings, and you were not willing!

⁵ Jesus answered, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless someone is born of water and spirit, he is not able to enter into the kingdom of God.

⁹ "Just as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love.

¹ Consequently, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

¹¹ Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.

¹² As many as are wanting to make a good showing in the flesh, these are attempting to compel* you to be circumcised, only so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³ For not even those who are circumcised observe the law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised in order that they may boast in your flesh. ¹⁴ But as for me, may it never be that I boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

¹⁴ For you became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, because you also suffered the same things at the hands of your own people, just as they themselves did also at the hands of the Jews, ¹⁵ who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and who persecuted us, and who are not pleasing to God and are opposed to all people,

³³ sometimes being publicly exposed both to insults and to afflictions, and sometimes becoming sharers with those who were treated in this way. ³⁴ For you both sympathized with the prisoners and put up with the seizure of your belongings with joy because you* knew that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.

¹⁰ Then she said to Abraham, "Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman will not be heir with my son, with Isaac." ¹¹ And the matter _⌊displeased Abraham very much_⌋* on account of his son. ¹² Then God said to Abraham, "_⌊Do not be displeased_⌋* on account of the boy and on account of the slave woman. _⌊Listen to everything that Sarah said to you_⌋,* for through Isaac your offspring will be named.

³⁵ And the slave does not remain in the household _⌊forever_⌋;* the son remains _⌊forever_⌋.*

³ For what does the scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness."*

² God has not rejected his people, whom he foreknew! Or do you not know, in the passage about* Elijah, what the scripture says—how he appeals to God against Israel?

⁷ What then? What Israel was searching for, this it did not obtain. But the elect obtained it, and the rest were hardened, ⁸ just as it is written,
"God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear, until this very day."* ⁹ And David says,
"Let their table become a snare and a trap, and a cause for stumbling and a retribution to them; ¹⁰ let their eyes be darkened so that they do not see, and cause their backs to bend _⌊continually_⌋*."* ¹¹ I say then, they did not stumble so that they fell, did they?* May it never be! But by their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles, in order to provoke them to jealousy.*

⁸ And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the good news in advance to Abraham: "In you all the nations* will be blessed."*

²² But the scripture imprisoned all under sin, in order that the promise could be given by faith* in Jesus Christ to those who believe.

⁵ Or do you think that in vain the scripture says, "The spirit which he caused to dwell in us desires jealously"?*

¹² But as many as received him—to those who believe in his name—he gave to them authority to become children of God, ¹³ who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a husband, but of God.

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

¹⁴ Therefore, since the children share in blood and flesh, he also in like manner shared in these same things, in order that through death he could destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and could set free these who through fear of death were subject to slavery throughout all their lives.

¹ See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called children of God, and we are! Because of this the world does not know us: because it did not know him. ² Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever he is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.