Book of Common Prayer

¹⁹ Yea and we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that all mouths may be stopped, and all the world be subdued to God, ²⁰ because no flesh can be justified in the sight of God by the deeds of the law. For by the law comes the knowledge of sin.

²¹ But now is declared the righteousness that comes of God without the fulfilling of the law, yet having the witness of the law and of the prophets. ²² Without doubt, the righteousness which is good before God comes by the faith of Jesus Christ, to all and upon all who believe.

There is no difference. ²³ For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ but are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ Him God has made a seat of mercy, through faith in his blood, to show the righteousness that is of value before him, in that he forgives the sins that are past. ²⁶ These God suffered in order to show at this time the righteousness that is granted by him, so that he may be counted just, and a justifier of the person who believes on Jesus.

²⁷ Where then is self-righteousness? It is excluded. By what law? By the law of works? No, but by the law of faith.

²⁸ Therefore we hold that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. ²⁹ Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, even of the Gentiles also. ³⁰ For there is one God, who justifies circumcision which is of faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

³¹ Do we then destroy the law through faith? God forbid. But we rather maintain the law.

Jesus comes to Jerusalem at the feast, teaches the Jews, and reproves them. There are different opinions of him among the people. The Pharisees rebuke the temple officers because they have not seized him, and chide Nicodemus for taking his part.

7 After that, Jesus went about in Galilee, and would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. ² The Jews’ tabernacle feast was at hand. ³ His brethren therefore said to him, Go on, and go into Judea, so that your disciples can see the works that you do. ⁴ For there is no man who does anything secretly when he himself seeks to be known openly. If you do such things, show yourself to the world. ⁵ (For as yet his brethren did not believe in him.)

⁶ Then Jesus said to them, My time is not yet come, but your time is always at hand. ⁷ The world cannot hate you, but me it hates, because I testify of it that its works are evil. ⁸ You go up to this feast. I will not go up yet to this feast, for my time is not yet full come.

⁹ These words he said to them, and remained still in Galilee. ¹⁰ But as soon as his brethren had gone up, then he also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were, privately.

¹¹ Then the Jews were looking for him at the feast, and said, Where is he? ¹² And there was much murmuring concerning him among the people. Some said, He is good, and others said, No, but he deceives the people. ¹³ However no one spoke openly about him, for fear of the Jews.