⁸ Jesus Christ is ^(A)the same yesterday and today and forever.

¹⁵ And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven ¹⁶ and said, ^(A)“By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷ I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring ^(B)as the stars of heaven and ^(C)as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess ^(D)the gate of his^[a] enemies, ¹⁸ and ^(E)in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, ^(F)because you have obeyed my voice.”

¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but ^(F)God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

¹⁹ 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.