²⁰ For since the creation of the world ^(A)His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and ^[a]Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

God’s Righteousness Through Faith

²¹ But now ^(A)the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, ^(B)being witnessed by the Law ^(C)and the Prophets, ²² even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all ^[a]and on all who believe. For ^(D)there is no difference; ²³ for ^(E)all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified ^[b]freely ^(F)by His grace ^(G)through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God set forth ^(H)as a ^[c]propitiation ^(I)by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over ^(J)the sins that were previously committed, ²⁶ to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

^20 (A)Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the ^[a]disputer of this age? ^(B)Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the ^(C)wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For ^(D)Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, ^(E)to the Jews a ^[b]stumbling block and to the ^[c]Greeks ^(F)foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ ^(G)the power of God and ^(H)the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

¹⁰ But ^(A)God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. ¹¹ For what man knows the things of a man except the ^(B)spirit of the man which is in him? ^(C)Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but ^(D)the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

¹³ These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the ^[a]Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ^14 (E)But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. ¹⁶ For ^(F)“who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” ^(G)But we have the mind of Christ.

Old Testament Examples

10 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under ^(A)the cloud, all passed through ^(B)the sea, ² all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³ all ate the same ^(C)spiritual food, ⁴ and all drank the same ^(D)spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

The Risen Christ, Faith’s Reality^(A)

15 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel ^(B)which I preached to you, which also you received and ^(C)in which you stand, ^2 (D)by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless ^(E)you believed in vain.

³ For ^(F)I delivered to you first of all that ^(G)which I also received: that Christ died for our sins ^(H)according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day ^(I)according to the Scriptures, ^5 (J)and that He was seen by ^[a]Cephas, then ^(K)by the twelve. ⁶ After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have ^[b]fallen asleep. ⁷ After that He was seen by James, then ^(L)by all the apostles.

⁷ But if we ^(A)walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and ^(B)the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we ^(C)confess our sins, He is ^(D)faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to ^(E)cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The Test of Knowing Christ

2 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, ^(A)we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ² And ^(B)He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but ^(C)also for the whole world.

The Test of Knowing Him

³ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

Walking in the Spirit

¹⁶ I say then: ^(A)Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For ^(B)the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, ^(C)so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But ^(D)if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now ^(E)the works of the flesh are evident, which are: ^[a]adultery, ^[b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, ^[c]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that ^(F)those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But ^(G)the fruit of the Spirit is ^(H)love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, ^(I)goodness, ^(J)faithfulness, ^23 [d]gentleness, self-control. ^(K)Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s ^(L)have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ^25 (M)If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ^26 (N)Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.