The Covenant of Circumcision

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old,^(A) the Lord appeared to him^(B) and said, “I am God Almighty^[a];^(C) walk before me faithfully and be blameless.^{(D) 2} Then I will make my covenant between me and you^(E) and will greatly increase your numbers.”^(F)

³ Abram fell facedown,^(G) and God said to him, ⁴ “As for me, this is my covenant with you:^(H) You will be the father of many nations.^{(I) 5} No longer will you be called Abram^[b]; your name will be Abraham,^[c](J) for I have made you a father of many nations.^{(K) 6} I will make you very fruitful;^(L) I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.^{(M) 7} I will establish my covenant^(N) as an everlasting covenant^(O) between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God^(P) and the God of your descendants after you.^{(Q) 8} The whole land of Canaan,^(R) where you now reside as a foreigner,^(S) I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you;^(T) and I will be their God.^(U)”

Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[a](A) and hate your enemy.’^{(B) 44} But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,^{(C) 45} that you may be children^(D) of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.^{(E) 46} If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?^(F) Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.^(G)

¹³ for it is God who works in you^(A) to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.^(B)

¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal,^(A) but I press on to take hold^(B) of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.^(C)

Following Paul’s Example

¹⁵ All of us, then, who are mature^(A) should take such a view of things.^(B) And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.^(C)

²⁶ the mystery^(A) that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. ²⁷ To them God has chosen to make known^(B) among the Gentiles the glorious riches^(C) of this mystery, which is Christ in you,^(D) the hope of glory.

²⁸ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing^(E) and teaching everyone with all wisdom,^(F) so that we may present everyone fully mature^(G) in Christ. ²⁹ To this end I strenuously^(H) contend^(I) with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.^(J)

⁹ Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant,^(A) you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.^{(B) 10} This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.^{(C) 11} You are to undergo circumcision,^(D) and it will be the sign of the covenant^(E) between me and you. ¹² For the generations to come^(F) every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised,^(G) including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. ¹³ Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised.^(H) My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.^{(I) 14} Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised^(J) in the flesh, will be cut off from his people;^(K) he has broken my covenant.^(L)”

²³ On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household^(A) or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.^{(B) 24} Abraham was ninety-nine years old^(C) when he was circumcised,^{(D) 25} and his son Ishmael^(E) was thirteen; ²⁶ Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day. ²⁷ And every male in Abraham’s household^(F), including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.

⁸ By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,^(A) obeyed and went,^(B) even though he did not know where he was going. ⁹ By faith he made his home in the promised land^(C) like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents,^(D) as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.^{(E) 10} For he was looking forward to the city^(F) with foundations,^(G) whose architect and builder is God.^{(H) 11} And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age,^(I) was enabled to bear children^(J) because she^[a] considered him faithful^(K) who had made the promise. ¹² And so from this one man, and he as good as dead,^(L) came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.^(M)