Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible






















And, certain persons, coming down from Judea, began to teach the brethren - Except ye be circumcised according to the custom of Moses, ye cannot be saved. And, when Paul and Barnabas had had no little dissension and discussion with them, it was arranged that Paul and Barnabas and certain others from among them should go up unto the Apostles and Elders in Jerusalem concerning this question, They, therefore, being set forward by the Assembly, began passing through Phoenicia and Samaria, fully relating the conversion of them of the nations, and were causing great joy unto all the brethren. read more.
And, having arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Assembly and the Apostles and the Elders; and they recounted all things God had done with them. But there had stood forth some of those who, from the sect of Pharisees, had believed, saying - It is needful to be circumcising them, also to charge them to be keeping the law of Moses. And the Apostles and Elders were gathered together to see about this matter. And, when much discussion had arisen, Peter standing up, said unto them - Brethren! Ye yourselves, well know that, in days long past, amongst you, God chose that, through my mouth, the nations should hear the word of the glad tidings, and believe. And, the heart-observing God, bare witness, - unto them, giving the Holy Spirit, just as, even unto us; and made no distinction at all betwixt us and them, by their faith, purifying their hearts. Now, therefore, why are ye proving God, that ye should put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which, neither our fathers, nor we, have been able to bear. But, through the favour of the Lord Jesus, we believe we shall be saved, in like manner as, even they. And all the throng held their peace, and began to hearken unto Barnabas and Paul relating how many signs and wonders God had done among the nations, through them. And, after they held their peace, James answered, saying - Brethren! hearken unto me. Symeon, hath fully told how God, first visited, to take out of the nations, a people for his name. And, with this, agree the words of the prophets, according as it is written - After these things, will I return, and will rebuild the tent of David that hath fallen, and, the ruins thereof, will I rebuild, and will set it up again: That the residues of men may seek out the Lord, and all the nations upon whom my name hath been called, saith the Lord that doeth these things, Known from age-past times. Wherefore, I, judge, not to be troubling them who, from the nations, are turning unto God; but to write unto them, to abstain from the pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from what is strangled, and from blood. For, Moses, out of ancient generation, hath, in every city, them who proclaim him; seeing, that in the synagogues, every sabbath, he is read. Then, seemed it good unto the Apostles and the Elders with the whole Assembly to send chosen men from among them unto Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, - even Judas who is called Barsabbas, and Silas, men taking a lead among the brethren: writing through their hand - The Apostles and the Elder Brethren, unto the brethren throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, who are from among the nations, wish joy! Inasmuch as we had heard that, certain from among us, had troubled you with words, dismantling your souls, - unto whom we had given no instructions, It seemed good unto us, coming to be of one accord, that we should choose men and send them unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, - men who have given up their lives in behalf of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, who also, themselves, by word of mouth, can tell you the same things. For it hath seemed good unto the Holy Spirit and unto us, no greater burden, to be laying upon you, than these necessary things: - To be abstaining from idol sacrifices, and from blood, and from what is strangled, and from fornication, - From which, if ye keep yourselves, ye shall prosper. Fare ye well.



But, when I saw that they were not walking with straightforwardness as regardeth the truth of the glad-message, I said unto Cephas, before all: If, thou, although, a Jew, like them of the nations, and not like the Jews, dost live, how dost thou compel, them of the nations, to live like Jews? We, by nature Jews, and not sinners from among the nations, Knowing, however, that a man is not declared righteous by works of law, nor at all save through faith in Christ Jesus; even we, on Christ Jesus, believed, that we might be declared righteous - by faith in Christ, and not by works of law; because, by works of law, shall no flesh be declared righteous. read more.
Now, if in seeking to be declared righteous in Christ we, ourselves also, were found sinners, - is Christ, therefore, a minister, of sin? Far be it! For, if, the things that I pulled down, these, again, I build, a transgressor, I prove, myself, to be. For, I, through means of law, unto law, died, that, unto God, I might live: - With Christ, have I been crucified; and, living no longer, am, I, but, living in me, is, Christ, - while, so far as I now do live in flesh, by faith, I live - The faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up in my behalf. I do not set aside the favour of God; for, if, through law, is righteousness, then, Christ, without cause, died.


But their thoughts were turned into stone: for, until this very day, the same veil, upon the reading of the old covenant, abideth, not to be removed, because, in Christ, it is to be done away; But, until this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil upon their heart, doth lie; Howbeit, whensoever he turneth unto the Lord, he taketh off the veil:


Hence there is now, no, condemnation unto them who are in Christ Jesus; For, the-law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath set thee free from the law of sin and of death; - For, what was impossible by the law in that it was weak through the flesh, God, by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh, read more.
In order that, the righteous requirement of the law, might be fulfilled in us - who, not according to flesh, do walk, but according to spirit;

Or are ye ignorant, brethren, - for unto them that understand the law am I speaking, that, the law, hath lordship over a men as long as he liveth? For, the married woman, unto her living husband is bound by law; but, if her husband have died, she hath received a full release from the law of her husband. Hence then, her husband being alive, an adulteress, shall she be called - if she become another man's, but, if the husband have died, she is free from the law; so that she is not an adulteress, though she become another man's. read more.
So, then, my brethren, ye also, were made dead unto the law through the body of the Christ, to the end ye might become another's - his who from among the dead was raised, in order that we might bring forth fruit unto God. For, when we were in the flesh, the susceptibilities of sins which were through the law, used to be energized in our members unto the bringing forth of fruit unto death; But, now, we have received full release from the law, by dying in that wherein we used to be held fast, so that we should be doing service - in newness of spirit and not in obsoleteness of letter. What, then, shall we say? Is the law sin? Far be it! On the contrary, I had not discovered, sin, save through law, for even, of coveting, I had not been aware if, the law, had not kept on saying - Thou shall not covet; Howbeit sin taking, occasion - through the commandment, wrought out in me all manner of coveting; for, apart from law, sin is dead; - And, I, was alive, apart from law, at one time, but, the commandment coming, sin sprang up to life, Whereas, I, died, - and the commandment which was unto life was found by me to be, itself, unto death; For, sin, - taking occasion - through the commandment, completely deceived me and, through it, slew me: So that, the law, indeed, is holy, and the commandment, holy, and righteous and good. Did, then, that which is good, unto me become death? Far be it! But it was sin, that it might appear sin, through that which was good unto me working out death, in order that, exceeding sinful, might sin become through the commandment. For we know that, the law, is spiritual, - I, however, am a creature of flesh, sold under sin; For, that which I am working out, I do not approve, - for not, what I wish, the same I practise, but, what I hate, the same I do: Now, if what I wish not the same I do, I consent unto the law that it is right. Now, however, no longer am, I, working it out, but the, sin, that dwelleth in me: I know, in fact, that there dwelleth not in me, that is, in my flesh, anything good; for, the wishing, lieth near me, but, the working out of what is right, not! For not, the good that I wish, I do, but, the evil that I do not wish, the same I practise. Now, if what I wish not, the same, I do, no longer am, I, working it out, but the, sin, that dwelleth in me. Hence, I find the law, to me who wish to be doing the right, that, unto me, the wrong lieth near: I have, in fact, a sympathetic pleasure in the law of God; according to the inner man. But I behold a diverse law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and taking me captive in the law of sin which existeth in my members: - Wretched, man am, I! Who shall rescue me out of this body doomed to death? Butthanks be unto God! - Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Hence, then, - I myself, with the mind, indeed, am in servitude unto a law of God; but; with the flesh; unto a law of sin.

Knowing, however, that a man is not declared righteous by works of law, nor at all save through faith in Christ Jesus; even we, on Christ Jesus, believed, that we might be declared righteous - by faith in Christ, and not by works of law; because, by works of law, shall no flesh be declared righteous. Now, if in seeking to be declared righteous in Christ we, ourselves also, were found sinners, - is Christ, therefore, a minister, of sin? Far be it! For, if, the things that I pulled down, these, again, I build, a transgressor, I prove, myself, to be. read more.
For, I, through means of law, unto law, died, that, unto God, I might live: - With Christ, have I been crucified; and, living no longer, am, I, but, living in me, is, Christ, - while, so far as I now do live in flesh, by faith, I live - The faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up in my behalf. I do not set aside the favour of God; for, if, through law, is righteousness, then, Christ, without cause, died.

For, as many as are of works of law, are, under a curse, - for it is written - Accursed, is everyone that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them. Moreover, that, in law, no one, is declared righteous with God, is evident, - because, The righteous one, by faith, shall live; And, the law, is not of faith, but - he that hath done them, shall live in them, read more.
Christ, hath redeemed, us, out of the curse of the law, having become, in our behalf, a curse; - because it is written - Cursed, is every one that hangeth upon a tree; - In order that, unto the nations, the blessing of Abraham, might come about in Jesus Christ, - in order that, the promise of the Spirit, we might receive through means of the faith.

So also, we, when we were infants, under the elementary principles of the world, were held in servitude; But, when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, who came to be of a woman, who came to be under law, - That, them who were under law, he might redeem, that, the sonship, we might duly receive; - read more.
And, because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, exclaiming, Abba! Oh Father! So that, no longer, art thou a servant, but a son; and, if a son, an heir also, through God. But, at that time - not knowing God, ye were in servitude unto them who, by nature, are not Gods; Whereas, now, having acknowledged God, - or rather, having been acknowledged by God, how turn ye back again unto the weak and beggarly elementary principles, unto which, over again, ye are wishing, to come into servitude? Days, ye do narrowly observer, and months, and seasons, and years: - I am afraid of you - lest by any means, in vain, I should have toiled for you!

But, just now, in Christ Jesus, ye, who at one time were afar off, were made nigh in the blood of the Christ; He, in fact, is our peace - who made both one, and, the enclosing middle-wall, took down, The enmity, in his flesh - the law of commandments in decrees - bringing to nought, - that, the two, he might create in himself, into one man of new mould, making peace.



Is, the law, then, against the promises of God? Far be it! For, if a law had been given, which had been able to give life, verily, in law, would have been our righteousness;