Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Bigotry » Paul's argument against
What, then, is the superiority of the Jew? or what the profit of the circumcision? much in every way; for first, indeed, that they were intrusted with the oracles of God; for what, if certain were faithless? shall their faithlessness the faithfulness of god make useless? read more.
let it not be! and let God become true, and every man false, according as it hath been written, 'That Thou mayest be declared righteous in Thy words, and mayest overcome in Thy being judged.' And, if our unrighteousness God's righteousness doth establish, what shall we say? is God unrighteous who is inflicting the wrath? (after the manner of a man I speak) let it not be! since how shall God judge the world? for if the truth of God in my falsehood did more abound to His glory, why yet am I also as a sinner judged? and not, as we are evil spoken of, and as certain affirm us to say -- 'We may do the evil things, that the good ones may come?' whose judgment is righteous. What, then? are we better? not at all! for we did before charge both Jews and Greeks with being all under sin, according as it hath been written -- 'There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who is understanding, there is none who is seeking after God. All did go out of the way, together they became unprofitable, there is none doing good, there is not even one. A sepulchre opened is their throat; with their tongues they used deceit; poison of asps is under their lips. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Swift are their feet to shed blood. Ruin and misery are in their ways. And a way of peace they did not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes.' And we have known that as many things as the law saith, to those in the law it doth speak, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may come under judgment to God; wherefore by works of law shall no flesh be declared righteous before Him, for through law is a knowledge of sin. And now apart from law hath the righteousness of God been manifested, testified to by the law and the prophets, and the righteousness of God is through the faith of Jesus Christ to all, and upon all those believing, -- for there is no difference, for all did sin, and are come short of the glory of God --
let it not be! and let God become true, and every man false, according as it hath been written, 'That Thou mayest be declared righteous in Thy words, and mayest overcome in Thy being judged.' And, if our unrighteousness God's righteousness doth establish, what shall we say? is God unrighteous who is inflicting the wrath? (after the manner of a man I speak) let it not be! since how shall God judge the world? for if the truth of God in my falsehood did more abound to His glory, why yet am I also as a sinner judged? and not, as we are evil spoken of, and as certain affirm us to say -- 'We may do the evil things, that the good ones may come?' whose judgment is righteous. What, then? are we better? not at all! for we did before charge both Jews and Greeks with being all under sin, according as it hath been written -- 'There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who is understanding, there is none who is seeking after God. All did go out of the way, together they became unprofitable, there is none doing good, there is not even one. A sepulchre opened is their throat; with their tongues they used deceit; poison of asps is under their lips. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Swift are their feet to shed blood. Ruin and misery are in their ways. And a way of peace they did not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes.' And we have known that as many things as the law saith, to those in the law it doth speak, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may come under judgment to God; wherefore by works of law shall no flesh be declared righteous before Him, for through law is a knowledge of sin. And now apart from law hath the righteousness of God been manifested, testified to by the law and the prophets, and the righteousness of God is through the faith of Jesus Christ to all, and upon all those believing, -- for there is no difference, for all did sin, and are come short of the glory of God --
What, then, shall we say Abraham our father, to have found, according to flesh? for if Abraham by works was declared righteous, he hath to boast -- but not before God; for what doth the writing say? 'And Abraham did believe God, and it was reckoned to him -- to righteousness;' read more.
and to him who is working, the reward is not reckoned of grace, but of debt; and to him who is not working, and is believing upon Him who is declaring righteous the impious, his faith is reckoned -- to righteousness: even as David also doth speak of the happiness of the man to whom God doth reckon righteousness apart from works: 'Happy they whose lawless acts were forgiven, and whose sins were covered; happy the man to whom the Lord may not reckon sin.' Is this happiness, then, upon the circumcision, or also upon the uncircumcision -- for we say that the faith was reckoned to Abraham -- to righteousness? how then was it reckoned? he being in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision; and a sign he did receive of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith in the uncircumcision, for his being father of all those believing through uncircumcision, for the righteousness also being reckoned to them, and father of circumcision to those not of circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of the faith, that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham. For not through law is the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, of his being heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith; for if they who are of law are heirs, the faith hath been made void, and the promise hath been made useless; for the law doth work wrath; for where law is not, neither is transgression. Because of this it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, for the promise being sure to all the seed, not to that which is of the law only, but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham,
and to him who is working, the reward is not reckoned of grace, but of debt; and to him who is not working, and is believing upon Him who is declaring righteous the impious, his faith is reckoned -- to righteousness: even as David also doth speak of the happiness of the man to whom God doth reckon righteousness apart from works: 'Happy they whose lawless acts were forgiven, and whose sins were covered; happy the man to whom the Lord may not reckon sin.' Is this happiness, then, upon the circumcision, or also upon the uncircumcision -- for we say that the faith was reckoned to Abraham -- to righteousness? how then was it reckoned? he being in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision; and a sign he did receive of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith in the uncircumcision, for his being father of all those believing through uncircumcision, for the righteousness also being reckoned to them, and father of circumcision to those not of circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of the faith, that is in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham. For not through law is the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, of his being heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith; for if they who are of law are heirs, the faith hath been made void, and the promise hath been made useless; for the law doth work wrath; for where law is not, neither is transgression. Because of this it is of faith, that it may be according to grace, for the promise being sure to all the seed, not to that which is of the law only, but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham,
And it was not written on his account alone, that it was reckoned to him, but also on ours, to whom it is about to be reckoned -- to us believing on Him who did raise up Jesus our Lord out of the dead, who was delivered up because of our offences, and was raised up because of our being declared righteous.
Circumcision » Covenant promises of
I -- lo, My covenant is with thee, and thou hast become father of a multitude of nations; and thy name is no more called Abram, but thy name hath been Abraham, for father of a multitude of nations have I made thee; and I have made thee exceeding fruitful, and made thee become nations, and kings go out from thee. read more.
'And I have established My covenant between Me and thee, and thy seed after thee, to their generations, for a covenant age-during, to become God to thee, and to thy seed after thee; and I have given to thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, the whole land of Canaan, for a possession age-during, and I have become their God.' And God saith unto Abraham, 'And thou dost keep My covenant, thou and thy seed after thee, to their generations; this is My covenant which ye keep between Me and you, and thy seed after thee: Every male of you is to be circumcised; and ye have circumcised the flesh of your foreskin, and it hath become a token of a covenant between Me and you. 'And a son of eight days is circumcised by you; every male to your generations, born in the house, or bought with money from any son of a stranger, who is not of thy seed; he is certainly circumcised who is born in thine house, or bought with thy money; and My covenant hath become in your flesh a covenant age-during; and an uncircumcised one, a male, the flesh of whose foreskin is not circumcised, even that person hath been cut off from his people; My covenant he hath broken.'
'And I have established My covenant between Me and thee, and thy seed after thee, to their generations, for a covenant age-during, to become God to thee, and to thy seed after thee; and I have given to thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, the whole land of Canaan, for a possession age-during, and I have become their God.' And God saith unto Abraham, 'And thou dost keep My covenant, thou and thy seed after thee, to their generations; this is My covenant which ye keep between Me and you, and thy seed after thee: Every male of you is to be circumcised; and ye have circumcised the flesh of your foreskin, and it hath become a token of a covenant between Me and you. 'And a son of eight days is circumcised by you; every male to your generations, born in the house, or bought with money from any son of a stranger, who is not of thy seed; he is certainly circumcised who is born in thine house, or bought with thy money; and My covenant hath become in your flesh a covenant age-during; and an uncircumcised one, a male, the flesh of whose foreskin is not circumcised, even that person hath been cut off from his people; My covenant he hath broken.'
And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob -- the twelve patriarchs;
and a sign he did receive of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith in the uncircumcision, for his being father of all those believing through uncircumcision, for the righteousness also being reckoned to them,
nor because they are seed of Abraham are all children, but -- 'in Isaac shall a seed be called to thee;' that is, the children of the flesh -- these are not children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for seed; for the word of promise is this; 'According to this time I will come, and there shall be to Sarah a son.' read more.
And not only so, but also Rebecca, having conceived by one -- Isaac our father -- (for they being not yet born, neither having done anything good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to choice, might remain; not of works, but of Him who is calling,) it was said to her -- 'The greater shall serve the less;' according as it hath been written, 'Jacob I did love, and Esau I did hate.'
And not only so, but also Rebecca, having conceived by one -- Isaac our father -- (for they being not yet born, neither having done anything good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to choice, might remain; not of works, but of Him who is calling,) it was said to her -- 'The greater shall serve the less;' according as it hath been written, 'Jacob I did love, and Esau I did hate.'
and I testify again to every man circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law;