The Law and the Promise
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y To give a human example, brothers: z even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.
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Now a the promises were made b to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to offsprings," referring to many, but referring to one, c "And to your offspring," who is Christ.
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This is what I mean: the law, which came d 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as e to make the promise void.
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For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but f God gave it to Abraham by a promise.
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Why then the law? g It was added because of transgressions, h until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was i put in place through angels j by an intermediary.
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Now k an intermediary implies more than one, but l God is one.
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Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For m if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.
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But the Scripture n imprisoned everything under sin, so that o the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given p to those who believe.
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Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, q imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.
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So then, r the law was our s guardian until Christ came, t in order that we might be justified by faith.
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But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,
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for in Christ Jesus u you are all sons of God, through faith.
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For as many of you as v were baptized w into Christ have x put on Christ.
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y There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, z there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
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And a if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, b heirs according to promise.
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Cross References
Romans 3:5
But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? ( I speak in a human way.)
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Cross References
Hebrews 9:17
For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.
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Cross References
Romans 4:13
For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
Romans 4:16
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring - not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
Luke 1:55
As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.
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Cross References
Genesis 12:7
Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
Acts 13:32
And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers.
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Cross References
Acts 3:25
You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
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Cross References
Exodus 12:40 - 41
The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years.
Genesis 15:13
Then the Lord said to Abram, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.
Acts 7:6
And God spoke to this effect - that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years.
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Cross References
Romans 4:14
For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
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Cross References
Hebrews 6:13 - 14
For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself.
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Romans 4:15
For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
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Cross References
Galatians 3:16
Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to offsprings," referring to many, but referring to one, "And to your offspring," who is Christ.
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Cross References
Acts 7:53
You who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.
Hebrews 2:2
For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution.
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Cross References
Exodus 20:19
And said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we wil...
Exodus 20:21 - 22
The people stood far off, while Moses drew near...
Deuteronomy 5:5
While I stood between the Lord and you at that ...
Deuteronomy 5:22 - 23
These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly...
Deuteronomy 5:27
Go near and hear all that the Lord our God will...
Deuteronomy 5:31
But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you ...
Acts 7:38
This is the one who was in the congregation in ...
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Cross References
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 8:6
But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
Hebrews 9:15
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
Hebrews 12:24
And to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Hebrews 6:17
So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath.
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Cross References
Romans 3:30
Since God is one - who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
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Cross References
Galatians 2:21
I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
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Cross References
Romans 11:32
For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
Romans 3:9
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin.
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Cross References
Romans 4:16
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring - not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
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Cross References
Acts 10:43
To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
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Cross References
1 Peter 1:5
Who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
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Cross References
Matthew 5:17
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Romans 10:4
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Colossians 2:17
These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
Hebrews 9:9 - 10
(which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 4:15
For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
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Cross References
Galatians 3:11
Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith.
Galatians 2:16
Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
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Cross References
Galatians 4:5 - 6
To redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
John 1:12
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Romans 8:14 - 16
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
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Cross References
Romans 6:3
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
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Cross References
Acts 8:16
For he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
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Cross References
Romans 13:14
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
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Cross References
Galatians 3:14
So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Galatians 6:15
For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Romans 3:30
Since God is one - who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
1 Corinthians 12:13
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
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Cross References
1 Corinthians 11:11
Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman.
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Cross References
Romans 9:7
And not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.
1 Corinthians 3:23
And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
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Cross References
Galatians 4:1
I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child,...
Galatians 4:7
So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if...
Romans 8:17
And if children, then heirs - heirs of God and ...
Ephesians 3:6
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow he...
Galatians 4:28
Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of ...
2 Timothy 1:1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of...
Titus 1:2
In hope of eternal life, which God, who never l...
Hebrews 9:15
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant,...
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.