"Do not suppose that I have come to do away with the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to do away with them but to enforce them.

"Do not suppose that I have come to do away with the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to do away with them but to enforce them.

Then law slipped in, and multiplied the offense. But greatly as sin multiplied, God's mercy has far surpassed it,

Then law slipped in, and multiplied the offense. But greatly as sin multiplied, God's mercy has far surpassed it,

You show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by me, written not in ink, but in the Spirit of the living God, and not on tablets of stone, but on the human heart.

You show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by me, written not in ink, but in the Spirit of the living God, and not on tablets of stone, but on the human heart. Such is the confidence that I have through Christ in my relations to God.

Such is the confidence that I have through Christ in my relations to God. Not that I am of myself qualified to claim anything as originating with me. My qualification is from God,

Not that I am of myself qualified to claim anything as originating with me. My qualification is from God, and he has qualified me to serve him in the interests of a new agreement, not in writing but of spirit. For what is written kills, but the Spirit gives life.

and he has qualified me to serve him in the interests of a new agreement, not in writing but of spirit. For what is written kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the religion of death, carved in letters of stone, was ushered in with such splendor, so that the Israelites could not look at Moses' face on account of the brightness that was fading from it,

But if the religion of death, carved in letters of stone, was ushered in with such splendor, so that the Israelites could not look at Moses' face on account of the brightness that was fading from it, why should not the religion of the Spirit be attended with much greater splendor?

why should not the religion of the Spirit be attended with much greater splendor? If there was splendor in the religion of condemnation, the religion of uprightness must far surpass it in splendor.

If there was splendor in the religion of condemnation, the religion of uprightness must far surpass it in splendor. For in comparison with its surpassing splendor, what was splendid has come to have no splendor at all.

For in comparison with its surpassing splendor, what was splendid has come to have no splendor at all. For if what faded away came with splendor, how much more splendid what is permanent must be!

For if what faded away came with splendor, how much more splendid what is permanent must be! So since I have such a hope, I speak with great frankness,

So since I have such a hope, I speak with great frankness, not like Moses, who used to wear a veil over his face, to keep the Israelites from gazing at the fading of the splendor from it.

not like Moses, who used to wear a veil over his face, to keep the Israelites from gazing at the fading of the splendor from it. Their minds were dulled. For to this day, that same veil remains unlifted, when they read the old agreement, for only through union with Christ is it removed.

Their minds were dulled. For to this day, that same veil remains unlifted, when they read the old agreement, for only through union with Christ is it removed. Why, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil hangs over their minds,

Why, to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil hangs over their minds, but "whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is removed."

but "whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is removed." Now the Lord here means the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Now the Lord here means the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, reflecting the splendor of the Lord in our unveiled faces, are being changed into likeness to him, from one degree of splendor to another, for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

And all of us, reflecting the splendor of the Lord in our unveiled faces, are being changed into likeness to him, from one degree of splendor to another, for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

The Scripture foresaw that God would accept the heathen as upright in consequence of their faith, and preached the good news in advance to Abraham in the words, "All the heathen will be blessed through you."

The Scripture foresaw that God would accept the heathen as upright in consequence of their faith, and preached the good news in advance to Abraham in the words, "All the heathen will be blessed through you." So the men of faith share the blessing of Abraham and his faith.

So the men of faith share the blessing of Abraham and his faith. For there is a curse upon all who rely on obedience to the Law, for the Scripture says, "Cursed be anyone who does not stand by everything that is written in the Book of the Law and obey it."

For there is a curse upon all who rely on obedience to the Law, for the Scripture says, "Cursed be anyone who does not stand by everything that is written in the Book of the Law and obey it." That no one is accepted as upright by God for obeying the Law is evident because the upright will have life because of his faith,

That no one is accepted as upright by God for obeying the Law is evident because the upright will have life because of his faith, and the Law has nothing to do with faith; it teaches that it is the man who does these things that will find life by doing them.

and the Law has nothing to do with faith; it teaches that it is the man who does these things that will find life by doing them. Christ ransomed us from the Law's curse by taking our curse upon himself (for the Scripture says, "Cursed be anyone who is hung on a tree")

Christ ransomed us from the Law's curse by taking our curse upon himself (for the Scripture says, "Cursed be anyone who is hung on a tree") in order that the blessing given to Abraham might through Jesus Christ reach the heathen, so that through faith we might receive the promised Spirit.

in order that the blessing given to Abraham might through Jesus Christ reach the heathen, so that through faith we might receive the promised Spirit. To take an illustration, brothers, from daily life: even a human agreement, once ratified, no one annuls or alters.

To take an illustration, brothers, from daily life: even a human agreement, once ratified, no one annuls or alters. Now the promises were made to Abraham and his line. It does not say, "and to your lines," in the plural, but in the singular, "and to your line," that is, Christ.

Now the promises were made to Abraham and his line. It does not say, "and to your lines," in the plural, but in the singular, "and to your line," that is, Christ. My point is this: An agreement already ratified by God cannot be annulled and its promise canceled by the Law, which arose four hundred and thirty years later.

My point is this: An agreement already ratified by God cannot be annulled and its promise canceled by the Law, which arose four hundred and thirty years later. If our inheritance rests on the Law, it has nothing to do with the promise. Yet it was as a promise that God bestowed it upon Abraham.

If our inheritance rests on the Law, it has nothing to do with the promise. Yet it was as a promise that God bestowed it upon Abraham. Then what about the Law? It was a later addition, designed to produce transgressions, until the descendant to which the promise was made should come, and it was enacted by means of angels, through an intermediary;

Then what about the Law? It was a later addition, designed to produce transgressions, until the descendant to which the promise was made should come, and it was enacted by means of angels, through an intermediary; though an intermediary implies more than one party, while God is but one.

though an intermediary implies more than one party, while God is but one. Is the Law then contrary to God's promises? By no means. For if a law had been given that could have brought life, uprightness would really have come through law.

Is the Law then contrary to God's promises? By no means. For if a law had been given that could have brought life, uprightness would really have come through law. But the Scripture describes all mankind as the prisoners of sin, so that the promised blessing might on the ground of faith in Jesus Christ be given to those who have faith.

But the Scripture describes all mankind as the prisoners of sin, so that the promised blessing might on the ground of faith in Jesus Christ be given to those who have faith. But before this faith came, we were kept shut up under the Law, in order to obtain the faith that was to be revealed.

But before this faith came, we were kept shut up under the Law, in order to obtain the faith that was to be revealed. So the Law has been our attendant on our way to Christ, so that we might be made upright through faith.

So the Law has been our attendant on our way to Christ, so that we might be made upright through faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer in the charge of the attendant.

But now that faith has come, we are no longer in the charge of the attendant.

Further, if he were still on earth, he would not be a priest at all, for there are priests enough provided to offer the gifts the Law prescribes??5 though the service they engage in is only a shadow and imitation of that in heaven. For when Moses was going to make the tent of worship he was warned, "Be sure to make it all just like the pattern you were shown on the mountain."

Further, if he were still on earth, he would not be a priest at all, for there are priests enough provided to offer the gifts the Law prescribes??5 though the service they engage in is only a shadow and imitation of that in heaven. For when Moses was going to make the tent of worship he was warned, "Be sure to make it all just like the pattern you were shown on the mountain."

But, as it is, the priestly service to which Christ has been appointed is as much better than the old as the agreement established by him and the promises on which it is based are superior to the former ones.

But, as it is, the priestly service to which Christ has been appointed is as much better than the old as the agreement established by him and the promises on which it is based are superior to the former ones. For if that first agreement had been perfect, there would have been no occasion for a second one.

For if that first agreement had been perfect, there would have been no occasion for a second one. But in his dissatisfaction with them he says, " 'See! the time is coming,' says the Lord, 'When I will conclude a new agreement with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,

But in his dissatisfaction with them he says, " 'See! the time is coming,' says the Lord, 'When I will conclude a new agreement with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, Not like the one that I made with their forefathers, On the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out from the land of Egypt, For they would not abide by their agreement with me, So I paid no attention to them,' says the Lord.

Not like the one that I made with their forefathers, On the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out from the land of Egypt, For they would not abide by their agreement with me, So I paid no attention to them,' says the Lord. 'For this is the agreement that I will make with the house of Israel, In those later days,' says the Lord; 'I will put my laws into their minds, And write them on their hearts, And they will have me for their God, And I will have them for my people.

'For this is the agreement that I will make with the house of Israel, In those later days,' says the Lord; 'I will put my laws into their minds, And write them on their hearts, And they will have me for their God, And I will have them for my people. And they will not have to teach their townsmen and their brothers to know the Lord, For they will all know me, From the lowest to the highest.

And they will not have to teach their townsmen and their brothers to know the Lord, For they will all know me, From the lowest to the highest. For I will be merciful to their misdeeds, And I will no longer remember their sins.' "

For I will be merciful to their misdeeds, And I will no longer remember their sins.' " Now when he speaks of a new agreement, he is treating the first one as obsolete; but whatever is obsolete and antiquated is almost ready to disappear.

Now when he speaks of a new agreement, he is treating the first one as obsolete; but whatever is obsolete and antiquated is almost ready to disappear.

For while the Law foreshadowed the blessings that were to come, it did not fully express them, and so the priests by offering the same sacrifices endlessly year after year cannot wholly free those who come to worship from their sins.

For while the Law foreshadowed the blessings that were to come, it did not fully express them, and so the priests by offering the same sacrifices endlessly year after year cannot wholly free those who come to worship from their sins. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to offer these sacrifices, because those who offered them, having once been purified, would have had no further consciousness of sin?

Otherwise, would they not have ceased to offer these sacrifices, because those who offered them, having once been purified, would have had no further consciousness of sin? They really only serve to remind the people annually of the sins they have committed,

They really only serve to remind the people annually of the sins they have committed, for bulls' and goats' blood is powerless to remove sin.

for bulls' and goats' blood is powerless to remove sin. That is why the Christ, when he was coming into the world, said, "You have not wished sacrifice or offering, but you have provided a body for me.

That is why the Christ, when he was coming into the world, said, "You have not wished sacrifice or offering, but you have provided a body for me. You never cared for burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin!

You never cared for burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin! So I said, 'See, I have come! as the Book of the Law says of me, O God, to do your will!' "

So I said, 'See, I have come! as the Book of the Law says of me, O God, to do your will!' " At first he says, "You never wished or cared for sacrifices or offerings, or burnt-offerings or sacrifices for sin"??ll of which the Law prescribes??9 and then he adds, "See, I have come to do your will!" He is taking away the old to put the new in its place.

At first he says, "You never wished or cared for sacrifices or offerings, or burnt-offerings or sacrifices for sin"??ll of which the Law prescribes??9 and then he adds, "See, I have come to do your will!" He is taking away the old to put the new in its place.

And it is through his doing of God's will that we have been once for all purified from sin through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ in sacrifice.

And it is through his doing of God's will that we have been once for all purified from sin through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ in sacrifice.

And we have the testimony of the holy Spirit to this, for after saying,

And we have the testimony of the holy Spirit to this, for after saying, " 'This is the agreement that I will make with them In those later days,' says the Lord, 'I will put my laws into their minds, And write them upon their hearts,' " he goes on,

" 'This is the agreement that I will make with them In those later days,' says the Lord, 'I will put my laws into their minds, And write them upon their hearts,' " he goes on, " 'And their sins and their misdeeds I will no longer remember.' "

" 'And their sins and their misdeeds I will no longer remember.' " But when these are forgiven, there is no more need of offerings for sin.

But when these are forgiven, there is no more need of offerings for sin.

She will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for it is he who is to save his people from their sins."

Then he went all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing any disease or sickness among the people.

"Do not suppose that I have come to do away with the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to do away with them but to enforce them.

"You have heard that the men of old were told 'You shall not murder,' and 'Whoever murders will have to answer to the court.'

"You have heard that the men of old were told 'You shall not murder,' and 'Whoever murders will have to answer to the court.'

"You have heard that men were told 'You shall not commit adultery.'

"You have heard that men were told 'You shall not commit adultery.'

"Again, you have heard that the men of old were told, 'You shall not swear falsely, but you must fulfil your oaths to the Lord.'

"You have heard that they were told, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'

"You have heard that they were told, 'You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

"You have heard that they were told, 'You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

"You have heard that they were told, 'You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

So you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is.

So you can tell them by their fruit. It is not everyone who says to me 'Lord! Lord!' who will get into the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father in heaven.

When Jesus had finished this discourse, the crowds were astounded at his teaching,

Jesus went round among all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing any disease or illness.

The queen of the south will rise with this age at the judgment and condemn it, for she came from the very ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and there is more than Solomon here!

the Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather up out of his kingdom all the causes of sin and the wrongdoers

But I tell you, your name is Peter, a rock, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not subdue it.

If he refuses to listen to them, tell the congregation. And if he refuses to listen to it, treat him as a heathen or a tax-collector.

They said to him, "Then why did Moses command us to draw up a written divorce-notice and give it to her?"

"Master, Moses said, 'If a man dies without children his brother shall marry his widow, and raise up a family for him.'

While the Pharisees were still gathered there, Jesus asked them,

After John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the good news from God,

For the Son of Man has come to search for what was lost and to save it."

The real light, which sheds light upon everyone, was just coming into the world.

You worship something you know nothing about; we know what we worship, for salvation comes from the Jews.

Jesus said to them, "I tell you, Moses did not give you the bread out of heaven, but my Father gives you the bread out of heaven,

Then Jesus spoke to them again and said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not have to walk in darkness but will have the light of life."

Are you a greater man than our forefather Abraham? Yet he is dead and the prophets are dead. What do you claim to be?"

I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must love one another.

I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must love one another.

Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you, Philip, have not recognized me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Let us see the Father'?

You must remain united to me and I will remain united to you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains united to the vine, you cannot unless you remain united to me.

When you are very fruitful and show yourselves to be disciples of mine, my Father is honored.

The command that I give you is to love one another just as I have loved you.

The command that I give you is to love one another just as I have loved you.

"What I command you to do is to love one another.

"Therefore the whole nation of Israel must understand that God has declared this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ."

Peter said to them, "You must repent, and every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, in order to have your sins forgiven; then you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit,

and killed the very source of life. But God raised him from the dead, as we can testify.

and men and women in increasing numbers believed in the Lord and joined them. Signs and wonders in great numbers continued to be done among the people by the apostles,

OMITTED TEXT

The Jewish believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the holy Spirit had been showered upon the heathen too,

There were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene among them, however, who when they reached Antioch spoke to the Greeks also, and told them the good news about the Lord Jesus.

and found him and brought him to Antioch. The result was that for a whole year they met with the church, and taught large numbers of people, and it was at Antioch that the disciples first came to be known as Christians.

You must understand therefore, my brothers, that through him the forgiveness of your sins is announced to you,

But the Jews who refused their message stirred up the heathen and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

though he did not fail to give some evidence about himself, through his kindnesses to you, in sending you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, giving you food and happiness to your heart's content."

He went to Derbe and Lystra also. At Lystra there was a disciple named Timothy whose mother was a Jewish Christian while his father was a Greek,

He led them out of the jail and said to them, "Gentlemen, what must I do to be saved?" "Believe in the Lord Jesus," they said, "and you and your household will be saved!"

Then Paul stood up in the middle of the council and said, "Men of Athens, from every point of view I see that you are extremely religious.

so that they might search for God, and perhaps grope for him and find him, though he is never far from any of us. For it is through union with him that we live and move and exist, as some of your poets have said, " 'For we are also his offspring.'

Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible nature??is eternal power and divine character??ave been clearly perceptible through what he has made. So they have no excuse, for, though they knew God, they have not honored him as God or given thanks to him, but they have indulged in futile speculations, until their stupid minds have become dark.

for they show that what the Law demands is written on their hearts, and their consciences will testify for them, and with their thoughts they will either accuse or perhaps defend themselves,

But God proves his love for us by the fact that Christ died for us when we were still sinners.

If, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, it is far more certain that now that we are reconciled we shall be saved through sharing in his life!

so, many as we are, we form one body through union with Christ, and we are individually parts of one another.

Owe nobody anything??xcept the duty of mutual love, for whoever loves his fellow-men has fully satisfied the Law.

Love never wrongs a neighbor, and so love fully satisfies the Law.

For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in my heart, to give me the light of the knowledge of God's glory, that is on the face of Christ.

So the Law has been our attendant on our way to Christ, so that we might be made upright through faith.

but when the proper time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, and made subject to law, to ransom those who were subject to law, so that we might receive adoption.

For the whole Law is summed up in one saying: "You must love your neighbor as you do yourself."

It is through union with him and through his blood that we have been delivered and our offenses forgiven,

He has put everything under his feet and made him the indisputable head of the church,

and through your faith to let Christ in his love make his home in your hearts. Your roots must be deep and your foundations strong,

We must lovingly hold to the truth and grow up into perfect union with him who is the head??hrist himself.

for a husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the head of the church, which is his body, and is saved by him.

in order to bring the church to himself in all her beauty, without a flaw or a wrinkle or anything of the kind, but to be consecrated and faultless.

Have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

But when the goodness and kindness of God our Savior were revealed,

fixing our eyes upon Jesus, our leader and example in faith, who in place of the happiness that belonged to him, submitted to a cross, caring nothing for its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

He carried me away in a trance to a great, high mountain, and showed me Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God,

So they welcomed his message and were baptized, and about three thousand people joined them that day.

But many of those who had heard what they said believed it, and their number grew to be about five thousand.

So God's message continued to spread; the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a great many priests accepted the faith.

And Saul entirely approved of his being put to death. A great persecution of the church in Jerusalem broke out that day, and they were all scattered over Judea and Samaria except the apostles.

Now Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the Lord's disciples, went to the high priest,

and began at once to declare in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God.

About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church.

They praised God when they heard it, and they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousand believers there are among the Jews, all of them zealous upholders of the Law.