The Just Live by Faith

¹⁶ For ^(A)I am not ashamed of the gospel ^[a]of Christ, for ^(B)it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, ^(C)for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

God’s Righteous Judgment

2 Therefore you are ^(A)inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, ^(B)for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. ² But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. ³ And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you despise ^(C)the riches of His goodness, ^(D)forbearance, and ^(E)longsuffering, ^(F)not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? ⁵ But in accordance with your hardness and your ^[a]impenitent heart ^(G)you are ^[b]treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, ⁶ who ^(H)“will render to each one according to his deeds”: ⁷ eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; ⁸ but to those who are self-seeking and ^(I)do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, ⁹ tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew ^(J)first and also of the ^[c]Greek; ^10 (K)but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹¹ For ^(L)there is no partiality with God.

The Law Brings a Curse

¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, ^(A)“Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” ¹¹ But that no one is ^[a]justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ^(B)“the just shall live by faith.” ¹² Yet ^(C)the law is not of faith, but ^(D)“the man who does them shall live by them.”

^13 (E)Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ^(F)“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), ^14 (G)that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the ^(H)Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive ^(I)the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Changeless Promise^(J)

¹⁵ Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: ^(K)Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. ¹⁶ Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of ^(L)one, ^(M)“And to your Seed,” who is ^(N)Christ. ¹⁷ And this I say, that the law, ^(O)which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God ^[b]in Christ, ^(P)that it should make the promise of no effect. ¹⁸ For if ^(Q)the inheritance is of the law, ^(R)it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Purpose of the Law

¹⁹ What purpose then does the law serve? ^(S)It was added because of transgressions, till the ^(T)Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ^(U)appointed through angels by the hand ^(V)of a mediator. ²⁰ Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, ^(W)but God is one.

²¹ Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. ²² But the Scripture has confined ^(X)all under sin, ^(Y)that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. ²³ But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, ^[c]kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. ²⁴ Therefore ^(Z)the law was our ^[d]tutor to bring us to Christ, ^(AA)that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Sons and Heirs

²⁶ For you ^(AB)are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For ^(AC)as many of you as were baptized into Christ ^(AD)have put on Christ. ^28 (AE)There is neither Jew nor Greek, ^(AF)there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all ^(AG)one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And ^(AH)if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s ^(AI)seed, and ^(AJ)heirs according to the promise.

Brought Near by His Blood

¹¹ Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called ^(A)the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— ¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Christ Our Peace

¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵ having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one ^(B)new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might ^(C)reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby ^(D)putting to death the enmity. ¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. ¹⁸ For ^(E)through Him we both have access ^(F)by one Spirit to the Father.

Christ Our Cornerstone

¹⁹ Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been ^(G)built ^(H)on the foundation of the ^(I)apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being ^(J)the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into ^(K)a holy temple in the Lord, ^22 (L)in whom you also are being built together for a ^(M)dwelling place of God in the Spirit.