Book of Common Prayer

¹⁵ My brothers, it is the same as when a man makes a promise. He makes it good and strong. Then no one can break it or add anything to it.

¹⁶ God made his promises to Abraham and to his Son. The promise does not have the words, `and to his sons,' for that means many sons. But it says, `and to his Son,' and that Son is Christ.

¹⁷ Here is what I mean. The law was given [to Moses] four hundred and thirty years after God gave that promise to Abraham. But it cannot break the strong promise which God made. And the law cannot change God's promise.

¹⁸ Do we get what God has promised us by obeying the law? If we do, then we are not getting it by his promise. But God gave it to Abraham by his promise.

¹⁹ Why then was the law made? God gave it after he made the promise, because so many people were doing what was wrong. The law was to be in power only until the Son came, the one to whom the promise was made. The law was handed down by God's angels with the help of a middle man.

²⁰ To need the help of a middle man there must be more than one person making the agreement. But God is the only one who made the promise.

²¹ Is the law against the promises of God? No, it is not! If a law had been given that could give people life, then surely people would have become good people by the law.

²² But the holy writings say it is like this. The whole world is in prison, kept there by the wrong things they have done. This was done so that people who believe in Jesus Christ would have the blessing. This blessing was promised to those who believe.

⁴⁷ In the evening the boat was far out on the water. Jesus was alone on the land.

⁴⁸ He saw the disciples working hard rowing the boat. The wind was blowing the wrong way. When it was almost morning, Jesus came to the disciples. He was walking on the water. He was going to pass by them.

⁴⁹ But when they saw him walking on the water, they thought it was a spirit. They shouted loudly.

⁵⁰ They all saw him and were very much afraid. He spoke to them right away. He said, `Be glad! It is I. Do not fear.'

⁵¹ Then he got in the boat with them. The wind stopped. They were very much surprised and did not know what to say.

⁵² They did not understand the lesson about the bread because their minds were too slow.

⁵³ They crossed over the sea and came to the land at Gennesaret. They came to shore.

⁵⁴ As soon as he got out of the boat, the people knew him.

⁵⁵ They went quickly to all the country around. They brought sick people in their beds to the place where they heard Jesus was.

⁵⁶ They laid sick people by the road in villages, towns, and farms and every place he went. They begged him to let them touch his clothes. And all the people who touched him were healed.