²² Are they Hebrews? So am I.^(A) Are they Israelites? So am I.^(B) Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I.^(C)

⁵ circumcised^(A) on the eighth day, of the people of Israel,^(B) of the tribe of Benjamin,^(C) a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;^(D)

The Remnant of Israel

11 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means!^(A) I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham,^(B) from the tribe of Benjamin.^(C)

⁴ the people of Israel.^(A) Theirs is the adoption to sonship;^(B) theirs the divine glory,^(C) the covenants,^(D) the receiving of the law,^(E) the temple worship^(F) and the promises.^(G)

¹³ It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise^(A) that he would be heir of the world,^(B) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.^{(C) 14} For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,^{(D) 15} because the law brings wrath.^(E) And where there is no law there is no transgression.^(F)

¹⁶ Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace^(G) and may be guaranteed^(H) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.^{(I) 17} As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”^[a](J) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life^(K) to the dead and calls^(L) into being things that were not.^(M)

¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,^(N) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”^[b](O)

³ “I am a Jew,^(A) born in Tarsus^(B) of Cilicia,^(C) but brought up in this city. I studied under^(D) Gamaliel^(E) and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.^(F) I was just as zealous^(G) for God as any of you are today.

³³ They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants^(A) and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

³⁴ Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.^{(B) 35} Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.^{(C) 36} So if the Son sets you free,^(D) you will be free indeed. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me,^(E) because you have no room for my word. ³⁸ I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence,^(F) and you are doing what you have heard from your father.^[a]”^(G)

³⁹ “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,”^(H) said Jesus, “then you would^[b] do what Abraham did.

⁹ And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’^(A) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.