Book of Common Prayer

²¹ Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, have you not heard of the law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a free woman. ²³ Yea, and the son of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but the son of the free woman was born by promise, ²⁴ which things contain an allegory. For these women are two testaments. The one is from Mount Sinai, which engenders bondage, which is Hagar. ²⁵ For Mount Sinai is called Hagar in Arabia, and corresponds to the city that is now Jerusalem and is in bondage with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. ²⁷ For it is written: Rejoice, O barren, who bears no children! Break forth and shout, you who travail not! For the desolate has many more children than she who has a husband.

²⁸ Brethren, we are like Isaac: children of promise. ²⁹ But just as then he who was born carnally persecuted him who was born spiritually, so also is it now. ³⁰ Nevertheless, what does the scripture say? Put away the bondwoman and her son. For the son of the bondwoman will not be heir with the son of the free woman. ³¹ So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free woman.

He labours to draw them away from circumcision. He shows them the battle between the Spirit and the flesh, and the fruits of them both.

5 Stand fast therefore in the liberty whereby Christ has made us free, and do not wrap yourselves again in a yoke of bondage.

¹¹ And the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, and testing him. ¹² And he sighed in his spirit and said, Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly I say to you, there will be no sign given to this generation.

¹³ And he left them and went into the boat again, and departed over the water.

¹⁴ And the disciples had forgotten to take bread with them, and had in the boat with them no more than one loaf. ¹⁵ And he charged them, saying, Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. ¹⁶ And they deliberated among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.

¹⁷ And when Jesus knew this, he said to them, Why are you troubled because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts still blinded? ¹⁸ Do you have eyes, but not see? And do you have ears, and not hear? Do you not remember? ¹⁹ When I broke five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up? They said to him, Twelve.

²⁰ When I broke seven among four thousand, how many baskets of the leftover fragments did you take up? They said, Seven.

²¹ And he said to them, How is it that you do not understand?