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In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.

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Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God,(A) who raises the dead.(B)

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It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.

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Not that we are competent in ourselves(A) to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.(B)

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17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, “I have made you the father of many nations.”[a] This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing.

18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”[b] 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.

20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. 22 And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. 23 And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded 24 for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:17 Gen 17:5.
  2. 4:18 Gen 15:5.

17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”[a](A) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life(B) to the dead and calls(C) into being things that were not.(D)

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,(E) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”[b](F) 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead(G)—since he was about a hundred years old(H)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.(I) 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened(J) in his faith and gave glory to God,(K) 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.(L) 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”(M) 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us,(N) to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him(O) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.(P) 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins(Q) and was raised to life for our justification.(R)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 4:17 Gen. 17:5
  2. Romans 4:18 Gen. 15:5

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.[a] This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:7 Greek We now have this treasure in clay jars.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay(A) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God(B) and not from us.

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19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

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19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead,(A) and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

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even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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or because of these surpassingly great revelations.(A) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,(B) a messenger of Satan,(C) to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.(D) But he said to me, “My grace(E) is sufficient for you, for my power(F) is made perfect in weakness.(G)(H) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight(I) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,(J) in persecutions,(K) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.(L)

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14 Then even I would praise you,
    for your own strength would save you.

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14 Then I myself will admit to you
    that your own right hand can save you.(A)

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Only by your power can we push back our enemies;
    only in your name can we trample our foes.
I do not trust in my bow;
    I do not count on my sword to save me.
You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies;
    you disgrace those who hate us.

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Through you we push back(A) our enemies;
    through your name we trample(B) our foes.
I put no trust in my bow,(C)
    my sword does not bring me victory;
but you give us victory(D) over our enemies,
    you put our adversaries to shame.(E)

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Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:

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The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

To some who were confident of their own righteousness(A) and looked down on everyone else,(B) Jesus told this parable:

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26 Those who trust their own insight are foolish,
    but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.

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26 Those who trust in themselves are fools,(A)
    but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.(B)

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A Valley of Dry Bones

37 The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones. He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?”

“O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.”

Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.

Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”

10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the Lord has spoken!’”

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The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was on me,(A) and he brought me out by the Spirit(B) of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley;(C) it was full of bones.(D) He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.(E)

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!(F) This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath[a] enter you, and you will come to life.(G) I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.(H)’”

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath;(I) prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds(J) and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded(K) me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.(L)

11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’(M) 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.(N) 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord,(O) when I open your graves and bring you up from them.(P) 14 I will put my Spirit(Q) in you and you will live, and I will settle(R) you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.(S)’”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 37:5 The Hebrew for this word can also mean wind or spirit (see verses 6-14).

23 This is what the Lord says:
“Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom,
    or the powerful boast in their power,
    or the rich boast in their riches.
24 But those who wish to boast
    should boast in this alone:
that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord
    who demonstrates unfailing love
    and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth,
and that I delight in these things.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!

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23 This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom(A)
    or the strong boast of their strength(B)
    or the rich boast of their riches,(C)
24 but let the one who boasts boast(D) about this:
    that they have the understanding to know(E) me,
that I am the Lord,(F) who exercises kindness,(G)
    justice and righteousness(H) on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.

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13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.”[a] 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus,[b] will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:13 Ps 116:10.
  2. 4:14 Some manuscripts read who raised Jesus.

13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[a](A) Since we have that same spirit of[b] faith,(B) we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead(C) will also raise us with Jesus(D) and present us with you to himself.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 4:13 Psalm 116:10 (see Septuagint)
  2. 2 Corinthians 4:13 Or Spirit-given