Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Bigotry » Paul's argument against
Then what advantage has the Jew, or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way! To begin with, they are entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some did not have faith? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? read more.
Certainly not! Let God be true, though every man a liar. As it is written: "That you may be justified in your words and prevail when you are judged." But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) Certainly not! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my falsehood God's truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? Why not say as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say "Let us do evil that good may come"? Their condemnation is just. What then? Are we Jews any better off? Certainly not; for we have already charged that all men, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin. As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to practice deceit." "The poison of asps is under their lips." "Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their ways are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they do not know." "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held accountable to God. Therefore no flesh will be justified in his sight by works of the law, for through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been revealed apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. For there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Certainly not! Let God be true, though every man a liar. As it is written: "That you may be justified in your words and prevail when you are judged." But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) Certainly not! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my falsehood God's truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? Why not say as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say "Let us do evil that good may come"? Their condemnation is just. What then? Are we Jews any better off? Certainly not; for we have already charged that all men, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin. As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks for God. All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to practice deceit." "The poison of asps is under their lips." "Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their ways are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they do not know." "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world may be held accountable to God. Therefore no flesh will be justified in his sight by works of the law, for through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been revealed apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. For there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." read more.
Now to him who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due. And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness. So also David describes the blessedness of the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin." Is this blessedness only upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it reckoned to him? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be reckoned to them. And he is also the father of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith which our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that he would be heir of the world, was not through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are to be the heirs, faith has no value and the promise is void, because the law brings wrath, for where there is no law there is no transgression. Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all his descendantsnot only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all
Now to him who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due. And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness. So also David describes the blessedness of the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin." Is this blessedness only upon the circumcised, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it reckoned to him? Was it after he had been circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be reckoned to them. And he is also the father of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith which our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that he would be heir of the world, was not through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are to be the heirs, faith has no value and the promise is void, because the law brings wrath, for where there is no law there is no transgression. Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all his descendantsnot only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all
But the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, but for us also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered to death for our sins and was raised for our justification.
Circumcision » Covenant promises of
And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be reckoned to them.
nor are they all children of Abraham because they are his descendants; but, "Through Isaac shall your descendants be named." In other words, it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are reckoned as descendants. For this is what the promise said: "About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son." read more.
And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our father Isaac, though the twins were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad, in order that God's purpose of election might stand, not because of works but because of his call, she was told, "The older will serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our father Isaac, though the twins were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad, in order that God's purpose of election might stand, not because of works but because of his call, she was told, "The older will serve the younger." As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.