True Relationships

⁴⁶ While he^(A) was still speaking with the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to him.^{(B) 47} Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”^[a]

⁴⁸ He replied to the one who was speaking to him, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Stretching out his hand toward his disciples,^(C) he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”^(D)

Jesus and Humanity

⁵ For he has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about. ⁶ But someone somewhere has testified:

For in subjecting everything to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subjected to him.^{(A) 9} But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace he might taste death^(B) for everyone—crowned with glory and honor^(C) because he suffered death.^(D)

¹⁰ For in bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—for whom and through whom all things exist—should make the pioneer^[c] of their salvation perfect through sufferings.^{(E) 11} For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father.^[d] That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,^{(F) 12} saying:

¹³ Again, I will trust in him.^[f] And again, Here I am with the children God gave me.^[g](H)

¹⁴ Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil^(I)— ¹⁵ and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.^{(J) 16} For it is clear that he does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring.^{(K) 17} Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters^[h] pertaining to God, to make atonement^[i](L) for the sins of the people.^{(M) 18} For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

The Promise Granted through Faith

¹³ For the promise to Abraham^(A) or to his descendants that he would inherit the world^(B) was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. ¹⁴ If those who are of the law are heirs,^(C) faith is made empty and the promise nullified, ¹⁵ because the law produces wrath.^(D) And where there is no law,^(E) there is no transgression.

¹⁶ This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace,^(F) to guarantee it to all the descendants^(G)—not only to the one who is of the law^[a] but also to the one who is of Abraham’s faith. He is the father of us all.

Sons and Heirs

²⁷ For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.^{(A) 28} There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free,^(B) male and female;^(C) since you are all one^(D) in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs^(E) according to the promise.^(F)

The Holy Spirit’s Ministries

¹² So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, ¹³ because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,^(A) you will live. ¹⁴ For all those led by God’s Spirit^(B) are God’s sons.^{(C) 15} For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear.^(D) Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption,^(E) by whom we cry out, “Abba,^[a] Father!” ^{(F) 16} The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit^(G) that we are God’s children, ¹⁷ and if children, also heirs^(H)—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him^(I) so that we may also be glorified with him.

Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles

3 For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner^(A) of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— ² assuming you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that he gave me for you. ³ The mystery was made known to me by revelation,^(B) as I have briefly written above. ⁴ By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.^{(C) 5} This was not made known to people^[a] in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets^(D) by the Spirit: ⁶ The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise^(E) in Christ Jesus through the gospel. ⁷ I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power.^(F)

⁸ This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches^(G) of Christ, ⁹ and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created^(H) all things. ¹⁰ This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom^(I) may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.^{(J) 11} This is according to his eternal purpose^(K) accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. ¹² In him we have boldness and confident access^(L) through faith in him.^[b]

Death through Adam and Life through Christ

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,^(A) and death through sin,^(B) in this way death spread to all people,^(C) because all sinned.^{[a] 13} In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law.^{(D) 14} Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression.^(E) He is a type of the Coming One.^(F)

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift which comes through the grace of the one man^(G) Jesus Christ overflowed to the many. ¹⁶ And the gift is not like the one man’s sin, because from one sin came the judgment,^(H) resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification.^{[b] 17} If by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life^(I) through the one man, Jesus Christ.