¹⁸ The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”^(A)

¹⁹ Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals^(B) and all the birds in the sky.^(C) He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called^(D) each living creature,^(E) that was its name. ²⁰ So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.

But for Adam^[a] no suitable helper^(F) was found. ²¹ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep;^(G) and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs^[b] and then closed up the place with flesh. ²² Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib^[c](H) he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

²³ The man said,

²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united^(L) to his wife, and they become one flesh.^(M)

²⁵ Adam and his wife were both naked,^(N) and they felt no shame.

¹⁸ if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; ¹⁹ if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, ²⁰ an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— ²¹ you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?^{(A) 22} You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?^{(B) 23} You who boast in the law,^(C) do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴ As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”^[a](D)

²⁵ Circumcision has value if you observe the law,^(E) but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.^{(F) 26} So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements,^(G) will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?^{(H) 27} The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you^(I) who, even though you have the^[b] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

²⁸ A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly,^(J) nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.^{(K) 29} No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart,^(L) by the Spirit,^(M) not by the written code.^(N) Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.^(O)