The Fulfillment of the Law

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.^(A)

⁴ Christ is the culmination of the law^(A) so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.^(B)

¹⁷ It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.^(A)

⁴ But when the set time had fully come,^(A) God sent his Son,^(B) born of a woman,^(C) born under the law,^{(D) 5} to redeem^(E) those under the law, that we might receive adoption^(F) to sonship.^[a](G)

⁴ in order that the righteous requirement^(A) of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.^(B)

³¹ Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

¹⁷ What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years^(A) 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;^(B) 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^(C) until the Seed^(D) to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels^(E) and entrusted to a mediator.^{(F) 20} A mediator,^(G) however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

²¹ Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!^(H) For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.^{(I) 22} But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin,^(J) 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^(K) under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.^{(L) 24} So the law was our guardian until Christ came^(M) that we might be justified by faith.^(N)

³ But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.^{(A) 4} It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats^(B) to take away sins.^(C)

⁵ Therefore, when Christ came into the world,^(D) he said:

⁸ First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”^(H)—though they were offered in accordance with the law. ⁹ Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.”^(I) He sets aside the first to establish the second. ¹⁰ And by that will, we have been made holy^(J) through the sacrifice of the body^(K) of Jesus Christ once for all.^(L)

¹¹ Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices,^(M) which can never take away sins.^{(N) 12} But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins,^(O) he sat down at the right hand of God,^(P)