Adultery

²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’^{[a](A) 28} But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.^(B)

²⁵ David said about him:

²⁹ “Fellow Israelites,^(C) I can tell you confidently that the patriarch^(D) David died and was buried,^(E) and his tomb is here^(F) to this day. ³⁰ But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.^{(G) 31} Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.^(H)

¹⁶ Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace^(A) and may be guaranteed^(B) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.^{(C) 17} As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”^[a](D) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life^(E) to the dead and calls^(F) into being things that were not.^(G)

⁸ Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”^[a](A) Is it about oxen that God is concerned?^{(B) 10} Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us,^(C) because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.^(D)

Final Warnings

13 This will be my third visit to you.^(A) “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”^[a](B)

Hagar and Sarah

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under the law,^(A) are you not aware of what the law says? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman^(B) and the other by the free woman.^{(C) 23} His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh,^(D) but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.^(E)

²⁴ These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above^(F) is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written:

²⁸ Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise.^{(H) 29} At that time the son born according to the flesh^(I) persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit.^(J) It is the same now. ³⁰ But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”^{[b](K) 31} Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman,^(L) but of the free woman.^(M)

¹⁷ The elders^(A) who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor,^(B) especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. ¹⁸ For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”^[a](C) and “The worker deserves his wages.”^[b](D)

¹¹ Both the one who makes people holy^(A) and those who are made holy^(B) are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.^{[a](C) 12} He says,

¹³ And again,

And again he says,

⁷ God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:

⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest,^(B) God would not have spoken^(C) later about another day.