he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'You are my Son; today I have begotten you.'

"Men, why are you doing this? We also are men, of like nature with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are."

so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,'

Therefore it is my judgment that we should not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,

and they sent the following letter with them: "The apostles and the brethren who are elders, to the brethren in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles, greetings.

After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are."

She followed Paul and the rest of us, crying, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way of salvation."

and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, "These men are Jews and they are throwing our city into an uproar.

But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!"

But Paul said to them, "They have beaten us publicly, without trial, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now cast us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out."

and Jason has welcomed them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus."

For you are bringing some strange things to our ears; so we want to know what these things mean."

So Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.

'For in him we live and move and have our being,' as even some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'

But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?"

And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all.

Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.

For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.

If then Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another.

As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today's events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it."

And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed; they are all zealous for the law,

and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to walk according to the customs.

Therefore do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow;

Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?"

"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.

And I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'

When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen."

So the commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes."

You therefore, along with the council, give notice now to the commander to bring him down to you, as though you were going to determine his case more exactly. And we are ready to kill him before he comes near."

But do not yield to them; for more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him, having bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you."

And when Paul was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to Felix: "Since through you we have enjoyed much peace, and since by your provision, reforms are introduced on behalf of this nation,

Neither can they prove to you the charges they are now making against me.

But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, "Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?"

Festus said, "King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.

because you are especially familiar with all customs and controversies of the Jews; therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.

They have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion.

And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.

to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

And as he was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad."

But we desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against."

among whom you also are called to belong to Jesus Christ;

To all in Rome who are beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

so I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

For since the creation of the world his invisible nature, even his eternal power and deity, has been clearly seen, being understood by the things that have been made. So they are without excuse;

They were filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, depravity. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips,

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are who judge another; for in whatever point you pass judgment on him you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.

But by your hardness and your impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey wickedness, there will be wrath and fury.

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in the sight of God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

When Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing or else excusing them

and know his will and approve of what is excellent, because you are instructed in the law,

and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a breaker of the law.

Much in every way! To begin with, they are entrusted with the oracles 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."

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.

"Their feet are swift to shed blood;

in their ways are ruin and misery,

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.

and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Now to him who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due.

"Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;

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.

For if those who are of the law are to be the heirs, faith has no value and the promise is void,

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

For sin shall not have dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!

Do you not know that if you yield yourselves to any one to obey as slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, whether of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

But then what return did you get from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he does not belong to him.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtorsnot to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.

As it is written: "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.

Of them are the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, forever blessed. Amen.

But it is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel,

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.

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"

"And it will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' they will be called 'sons of the living God.'"

And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!"

Again I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, "I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; by a foolish nation I will make you angry."

If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole lump is holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

As regards the gospel they are enemies of God, for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.

For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

Oh, the depth of the riches and of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out!

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.