⁵² When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the Lord.^{(A) 53} Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing^(B) and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts^(C) to her brother and to her mother. ⁵⁴ Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.

When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way^(D) to my master.”

⁵⁵ But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the young woman remain with us ten days or so;^(E) then you^[a] may go.”

⁵⁶ But he said to them, “Do not detain me, now that the Lord has granted success^(F) to my journey. Send me on my way^(G) so I may go to my master.”

⁵⁷ Then they said, “Let’s call the young woman and ask her about it.”^{(H) 58} So they called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”

“I will go,”^(I) she said.

⁵⁹ So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way,^(J) along with her nurse^(K) and Abraham’s servant and his men. ⁶⁰ And they blessed^(L) Rebekah and said to her,

⁶¹ Then Rebekah and her attendants^(O) got ready and mounted the camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.

⁶² Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi,^(A) for he was living in the Negev.^{(B) 63} He went out to the field one evening to meditate,^[a](C) and as he looked up,^(D) he saw camels approaching. ⁶⁴ Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel^{(E) 65} and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”

“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil^(F) and covered herself.

⁶⁶ Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. ⁶⁷ Isaac brought her into the tent^(G) of his mother Sarah,^(H) and he married Rebekah.^(I) So she became his wife, and he loved her;^(J) and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.^(K)

The Death of Abraham^(A)

25 Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah. ² She bore him Zimran,^(B) Jokshan, Medan, Midian,^(C) Ishbak and Shuah.^{(D) 3} Jokshan was the father of Sheba^(E) and Dedan;^(F) the descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. ⁴ The sons of Midian were Ephah,^(G) Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.

⁵ Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac.^{(H) 6} But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines^(I) and sent them away from his son Isaac^(J) to the land of the east.^(K)

⁷ Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years.^{(L) 8} Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age,^(M) an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.^{(N) 9} His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him^(O) in the cave of Machpelah^(P) near Mamre,^(Q) in the field of Ephron^(R) son of Zohar the Hittite,^{(S) 10} the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites.^[a](T) There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. ¹¹ After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac,^(U) who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.^(V)

Faith or Works of the Law

3 You foolish^(A) Galatians!^(B) Who has bewitched you?^(C) Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.^{(D) 2} I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit^(E) by the works of the law,^(F) or by believing what you heard?^{(G) 3} Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?^{[a] 4} Have you experienced^[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? ⁵ So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles^(H) among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?^{(I) 6} So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[c](J)

⁷ Understand, then, that those who have faith^(K) are children of Abraham.^{(L) 8} Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”^{[d](M) 9} So those who rely on faith^(N) are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.^(O)

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law^(P) are under a curse,^(Q) as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”^{[e](R) 11} Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God,^(S) because “the righteous will live by faith.”^{[f](T) 12} The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”^{[g](U) 13} Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law^(V) by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”^{[h](W) 14} He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,^(X) so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.^(Y)

The Law and the Promise

¹⁵ Brothers and sisters,^(A) let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. ¹⁶ The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.^(B) Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”^[a](C) meaning one person, who is Christ. ¹⁷ What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years^(D) later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise;^(E) but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

¹⁹ Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions^(F) until the Seed^(G) to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels^(H) and entrusted to a mediator.^{(I) 20} A mediator,^(J) however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

²¹ Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!^(K) For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.^{(L) 22} But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin,^(M) so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

²² But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin,^(A) so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

Children of God

²³ Before the coming of this faith,^[a] we were held in custody^(B) under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.^{(C) 24} So the law was our guardian until Christ came^(D) that we might be justified by faith.^{(E) 25} Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.^(F)

²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God^(G) through faith, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ^(H) have clothed yourselves with Christ.^{(I) 28} There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,^(J) nor is there male and female,^(K) for you are all one in Christ Jesus.^{(L) 29} If you belong to Christ,^(M) then you are Abraham’s seed,^(N) and heirs^(O) according to the promise.^(P)