The Righteous Branch

23 “Woe to the shepherds^(A) who are destroying and scattering^(B) the sheep of my pasture!”^(C) declares the Lord. ² Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds^(D) who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock^(E) and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil^(F) you have done,” declares the Lord. ³ “I myself will gather the remnant^(G) of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture,^(H) where they will be fruitful and increase in number. ⁴ I will place shepherds^(I) over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid^(J) or terrified, nor will any be missing,^(K)” declares the Lord.

²⁷ Where, then, is boasting?^(A) It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. ²⁸ For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.^{(B) 29} Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,^{(C) 30} since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.^{(D) 31} Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then shall we say^(E) that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh,^(F) discovered in this matter? ² If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God.^{(G) 3} What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[a](H)

⁴ Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift^(I) but as an obligation. ⁵ However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.^{(J) 6} David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: