³² not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when ^(A)I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, ^(B)though I was their husband, declares the Lord.

²⁴ Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two ^(A)covenants. ^(B)One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.

²³ And ^(A)he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when ^(B)he had ^(C)spit on his eyes and ^(D)laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?”

¹⁸ Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated ^(A)without blood. ¹⁹ For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took ^(B)the blood of calves and goats, ^(C)with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, ²⁰ saying, ^(D)“This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.”

The Law and the Promise

^15 (A)To give a human example, brothers:^{[a] (B)}even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. ¹⁶ Now ^(C)the promises were made ^(D)to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, ^(E)“And to your offspring,” who is Christ. ¹⁷ This is what I mean: the law, which came ^(F)430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as ^(G)to make the promise void. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but ^(H)God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

¹⁹ Why then the law? ^(I)It was added because of transgressions, ^(J)until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was ^(K)put in place through angels ^(L)by an intermediary.

¹¹ And now, behold, ^(A)the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking ^(B)people to lead him by the hand.

⁸ Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, ^(A)he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

¹³ And this second thing you do. ^(A)You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand.