The Child Immanuel

¹⁰ Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, ¹¹ “Ask a ^(A)sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ^[a]make it deep as Sheol or high as ^[b]heaven.” ¹² But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!” ¹³ Then he said, “Listen now, O ^(B)house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will ^(C)try the patience of ^(D)my God as well? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, ^(E)a ^[c]virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name ^[d](F)Immanuel.

²³ But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, ^(A)being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. ²⁴ Therefore the Law has become our ^(B)tutor to lead us to Christ, so that ^(C)we may be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a ^[a](D)tutor. ²⁶ For you are all ^(E)sons of God through faith in ^(F)Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For all of you who were ^(G)baptized into Christ have ^(H)clothed yourselves with Christ. ^28 (I)There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is ^[b]neither male nor female; for ^(J)you are all one in ^(K)Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if ^(L)you ^[c]belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s ^[d]descendants, heirs according to ^(M)promise.

Sonship in Christ

4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a ^[e]child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is ^[f]owner of everything, ² but he is under guardians and ^[g]managers until the date set by the father. ³ So also we, while we were children, were held ^(N)in bondage under the ^[h](O)elemental things of the world.

Walk by the Spirit

5 ^[a](A)It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore ^(B)keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a ^(C)yoke of slavery.

² Behold I, ^(D)Paul, say to you that if you receive ^(E)circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. ³ And I ^(F)testify again to every man who receives ^(G)circumcision, that he is under obligation to ^(H)keep the whole Law. ⁴ You have been severed from Christ, you who ^[b]are seeking to be justified by law; you have ^(I)fallen from grace. ⁵ For we ^[c]through the Spirit, ^[d]by faith, are ^(J)waiting for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in ^(K)Christ Jesus ^(L)neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but ^(M)faith working through love.

⁷ You were ^(N)running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸ This persuasion did not come from ^(O)Him who calls you. ^9 (P)A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. ^10 (Q)I have confidence ^[e]in you in the Lord that you ^(R)will adopt no other view; but the one who is ^(S)disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. ¹¹ But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still ^(T)persecuted? Then ^(U)the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. ¹² I wish that ^(V)those who are troubling you would even ^[f](W)mutilate themselves.

¹³ For you were called to ^(X)freedom, brethren; ^(Y)only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love ^(Z)serve one another. ¹⁴ For ^(AA)the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “^(AB)You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you ^(AC)bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

¹⁶ But I say, ^(AD)walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out ^(AE)the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For ^(AF)the flesh ^[g]sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, ^(AG)so that you may not do the things that you ^[h]please. ¹⁸ But if you are ^(AH)led by the Spirit, ^(AI)you are not under the Law. ¹⁹ Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: ^[i](AJ)immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, ^(AK)sorcery, enmities, ^(AL)strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, ^(AM)disputes, dissensions, ^[j](AN)factions, ²¹ envying, ^(AO)drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not ^(AP)inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But ^(AQ)the fruit of the Spirit is ^(AR)love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, ^(AS)self-control; against such things ^(AT)there is no law. ²⁴ Now those who ^[k]belong to ^(AU)Christ Jesus have ^(AV)crucified the flesh with its passions and ^(AW)desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also ^[l]walk ^(AX)by the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become ^(AY)boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.