Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible




What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he has reason to glory in himself, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. read more.
But unto him that works, the reward is not reckoned as grace, but as debt. But to him that does not work, but believes in him that justifies the ungodly, the faith is counted as righteousness. Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man unto whom God doth attribute righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute sin. Is this blessedness, therefore, only upon the circumcision or also upon the uncircumcision? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness, that he be the father of the circumcision: not only to those who are of the circumcision, but also unto those who walk in the steps of the faith that was in our father Abraham before he was circumcised. For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are the heirs, faith is in vain, and the promise annulled, because the law works wrath; for where there is no law, there is no rebellion either. Therefore by faith, that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to that which is of the law, but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, As a father of many Gentiles have I placed thee before God, whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which are not as those that are. Who believed to wait against all hope, that he might become the father of many Gentiles, according to that which had been spoken unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he did not weaken in faith: he considered not his own body now dead when he was about one hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb; he doubted not the promise of God, with unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, being fully persuaded that he was also powerful to do all that he had promised; therefore, his faith was also attributed unto him as righteousness.

Even as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that those who are of faith, the same are the sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles through faith, evangelized Abraham in advance, saying, In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed. read more.
So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

By faith Abraham, being called, hearkened to go out into the place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he went. By faith he sojourned in the promised land, as in a strange country, dwelling in booths with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac, and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called, accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence he also received him in a figure.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? Dost thou not see how the faith worked together with his works, and the faith was complete by the works? And that the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, and he was called the Friend of God. read more.
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.


What advantage then has the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much in every way: first, certainly, that the oracles of God have been entrusted unto them. For what if some of them did not believe? Shall their unbelief have made the truth of God without effect? read more.
No, in no wise: for God is true, and every man a liar; as it is written, That thou might be justified in thy words and might overcome when thou dost judge. And if our iniquity commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Shall for this reason God be unjust who sends punishment? (I speak as a man.) No, in no wise: for then how shall God judge the world? For if the truth of God has more abounded through my lie unto his glory, why even so am I also judged as a sinner? And why not say (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? The condemnation of whom is just. What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise; for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is no one righteous, no, not one; there is no one that understands; there is no one that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way; they are together become unprofitable; there is no one that does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace they have not known; there is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that all that the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may submit themselves unto God. For by the deeds of the law, no flesh shall be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now, without the law, the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets: the righteousness, that is, of God by the faith of Jesus, the Christ, for all and upon all those that believe in him, for there is no difference; for all have sinned and are made destitute of the glory of God,

What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he has reason to glory in himself, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. read more.
But unto him that works, the reward is not reckoned as grace, but as debt. But to him that does not work, but believes in him that justifies the ungodly, the faith is counted as righteousness. Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man unto whom God doth attribute righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute sin. Is this blessedness, therefore, only upon the circumcision or also upon the uncircumcision? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness, that he be the father of the circumcision: not only to those who are of the circumcision, but also unto those who walk in the steps of the faith that was in our father Abraham before he was circumcised. For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are the heirs, faith is in vain, and the promise annulled, because the law works wrath; for where there is no law, there is no rebellion either. Therefore by faith, that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to that which is of the law, but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

Now it is not written for his sake alone that it was so reckoned to him, but for us also to whom it shall be so reckoned, that is, to those that believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification.


abolishing in his flesh the enmity, which was the law of commandments in the order of rites, to edify in himself the two in one new man, making peace,


As many as desire to please in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised, only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of the Christ.

But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God chose that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe. read more.
And God, who knows the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us, and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, putting a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? For we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Then all the multitude kept silence and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what great miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon has declared how God first visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return and will restore the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will repair its ruins, and I will set it up again, that the men that are left might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who does all these things. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Therefore my sentence is that those from among the Gentiles who are converted to God not be troubled, but that we write unto them that they abstain from pollutions of idols and from fornication and from things strangled and from blood. For Moses of old time has in every city those that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole congregation , to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, principal men among the brethren; and they wrote letters by them after this manner: The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia; forasmuch as we have heard that certain ones who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised and keep the law, to whom we gave no such commandment, it seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that ye abstain from foods offered to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.


Is this blessedness, therefore, only upon the circumcision or also upon the uncircumcision? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness,

Is anyone called being circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Is anyone called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandments of God.

But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised, And that in spite of the false brethren, who entered secretly to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into bondage;

Behold, I, Paul, say unto you that if ye become circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Ye are empty of the Christ, whosoever of you that justify yourselves by the law; ye are fallen from grace. read more.
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything nor uncircumcision, but faith which works by charity. Ye did run well; who hindered you that ye should not trust in the truth? This persuasion does not come of him that called you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in you through the Lord that ye will not be otherwise minded, but he that troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offence of the cross ceased.

Therefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who were called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh, which is made by hands,

In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of the Christ;


Behold my covenant with thee: Thou shalt be a father of many Gentiles. Neither shall thy name any longer be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many Gentiles have I made thee. And I will multiply thee exceeding, and I will make Gentiles of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. read more.
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee, the land in which thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting inheritance; and I will be their God. And God said again unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou and thy seed after thee in their generations. This shall be my covenant, which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee: Every male among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male in your generations, he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger, who is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised; and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised male whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has annulled my covenant.

And he gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

What advantage then has the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness,

neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are all sons, but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, Those who are sons of the flesh, these are not the sons of God; but those who are sons of the promise are counted in the generation. For the word of the promise is this, At this time I will come, and Sara shall have a son. read more.
And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac (for the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand: not of works, but of him that calls), it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

For I testify again to every man that becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to do the whole law.


This shall be my covenant, which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee: Every male among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male in your generations, he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger, who is not of thy seed. read more.
He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised; and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised male whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has annulled my covenant.

And he gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness,


Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.


And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness,

And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you.


And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness,

For circumcision verily profits if thou keep the law, but if thou art a rebel to the law, thy circumcision is made into a foreskin. Therefore if the uncircumcised keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his foreskin be counted for circumcision? And that which is by nature foreskin, but keeps the law perfectly, shall judge thee who with the letter and with the circumcision art rebellious to the law. read more.
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is circumcision that which is done outwardly in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God.


For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.


Is this blessedness, therefore, only upon the circumcision or also upon the uncircumcision? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.

And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness,


For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

But to him that does not work, but believes in him that justifies the ungodly, the faith is counted as righteousness.

therefore, his faith was also attributed unto him as righteousness.

but for us also to whom it shall be so reckoned, that is, to those that believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,


And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness,

therefore, his faith was also attributed unto him as righteousness.


And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness,

But to him that does not work, but believes in him that justifies the ungodly, the faith is counted as righteousness.

but for us also to whom it shall be so reckoned, that is, to those that believe in him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,


And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness,


And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness,


And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness,


And he received the circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all the uncircumcised believers, that it might be counted unto them also as righteousness,

And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you.