Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



When Abram [was] ninety-nine years old Yahweh appeared to Abram. And he said to him, "I [am] El-Shaddai; walk before me and be blameless so that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you {exceedingly}." Then Abram fell upon his face and God spoke with him, saying, read more.
"[As for] me, behold, my covenant [shall be] with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. Your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I will make you the father of a multitude of nations. And I will make you {exceedingly} fruitful. I will make you a nation, and kings shall go out from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you, and between your offspring after you, throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant to be as God for you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you {the land in which you are living as an alien}, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting property. And I will be to them as God." And God said to Abraham, "Now [as for] you, you must keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you, throughout their generations. This [is] my covenant which you shall keep, between me and you, and [also] with your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. And {at eight days of age} you shall yourselves circumcise every male [belonging] to your generations [and] {the servant born in your house and the one bought from any foreigner} who is not from your offspring. {You must certainly circumcise} {the servant born in your house and the one bought from any foreigner}. And my covenant shall be with your flesh as an everlasting covenant. And [as for any] uncircumcised male who has not circumcised the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant. And God said to Abraham, "[as for] Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, for Sarah [shall be] her name. And I will bless her; moreover, I give to you from her a son. And I will bless her, and {she shall give rise to nations}. Kings of peoples shall come from her." And Abraham fell upon his face and laughed. And he said in his heart, "{Can a child be born to a man a hundred years old}, or {can Sarah bear a child at ninety}?" And Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!" And God said, "No, but Sarah your wife shall bear a son for you, and you shall call his name Isaac. And I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant to his offspring after him. And [as for] Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I will bless him and I will make him fruitful, and I will multiply him {exceedingly}. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this appointed time next year." When he finished speaking with him, God went up from Abraham.

You will show faithfulness to Jacob, and loyal love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old.

the oath that he swore to Abraham our father, to grant us

For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.

For I say, Christ has become a servant of the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God, in order to confirm the promises to the fathers,

For [when] God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "Surely {I will greatly bless} you, and {I will greatly multiply} you."

Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, then understand that the ones {who have faith}, these are sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the good news in advance to Abraham: "In you all the nations will be blessed." read more.
So then, the ones [who have] faith are blessed together with Abraham who believed. For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed [is] everyone who does not abide by all [the things] that are written in the book of the law to do them." Now [it is] clear that no one is justified in the sight of God by the law, because "the one who is righteous will live by faith." But the law is not from faith, but "the one who does these [things] will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law [by] becoming a curse for us, because it is written, "Cursed [is] everyone who hangs on a tree," in order that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brothers, I am speaking according to a human perspective. Nevertheless, [when] the covenant of a man has been ratified, no one declares [it] invalid or adds additional provisions [to it]. Now to Abraham and to his descendant the promises were spoken. It does not say, "and to descendants," as concerning many, but as concerning one, "and to your descendant," who is Christ. Now I am saying this: the law, that came after four hundred and thirty years, does not revoke a covenant previously ratified by God, in order to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance [is] from the law, [it is] no longer from the promise, but God graciously gave [it] to Abraham through the promise.


For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the female slave and one by the free woman. But the one by the female slave was born according to human descent, and the one by the free woman through the promise, which [things] are spoken allegorically, for these [women] are two covenants, one from Mount Sinai, bearing [children] for slavery, who is Hagar. read more.
Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is a slave with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren woman, who does not give birth to [children]; burst out and shout, [you] who do not have birth pains, because many [are] the children of the desolate [woman], even more than [those of] the one who has a husband." But you, brothers, are children of the promise, just as Isaac. But just as at that time the [child] born according to human descent persecuted the [child born] according to the Spirit, so also now. But what does the scripture say? "Drive out the female slave and her son, for the son of the female slave will never inherit with the son" of the free woman. Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the female slave but of the free woman.



What then shall we say [that] Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness." read more.
Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited according to grace, but according to his due. But to the one who does not work, but who believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness, just as David also speaks about the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "Blessed [are they] whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins are covered over. Blessed [is] the person against whom the Lord will never count sin." Therefore, [is] this blessing for {those who are circumcised}, or also for {those who are uncircumcised}? For we say, "Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness." How then was it credited? [While he] was {circumcised} or {uncircumcised}? Not {while circumcised} but {while uncircumcised}! And he received the sign of circumcision [as] a seal of the righteousness by faith which [he had] {while uncircumcised}, so that he could be the father of all who believe {although they are uncircumcised}, so that righteousness could be credited to them, and the father {of those who are circumcised} to those who are not only from the circumcision, but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham {which he had while uncircumcised}. For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith. For if those of the law [are] heirs, faith is rendered void and the promise is nullified. For the law produces wrath, but where [there] is no law, neither [is there] transgression. Because of this, [it is] by faith, in order that [it may be] according to grace, so that the promise may be secure to all the descendants, not only to those of the law, but also to those of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (just as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations") before God, in whom he believed, the one who makes the dead alive and who calls the things that are not as [though] they are, who against hope believed in hope, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was said, "so will your descendants be." And not being weak in faith, he considered his own body as good as dead, [because he] was approximately a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb. And he did not waver in unbelief at the promise of God, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God and being fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also able to do. Therefore it was credited to him for righteousness.

Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, then understand that the ones {who have faith}, these are sons of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the good news in advance to Abraham: "In you all the nations will be blessed." read more.
So then, the ones [who have] faith are blessed together with Abraham who believed.

By faith Abraham, [when he] was called, obeyed to go out to a place that he was going to receive for an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived in the land of promise as a stranger, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise. For he was expecting the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder [is] God.

By faith Abraham, [when he] was tested, offered Isaac, and the one who received the promises was ready to offer his one and only [son], with reference to whom it was said, "In Isaac your descendants will be named," having reasoned that God [was] able even to raise [him] from the dead, from which he received him back also as a symbol.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works [when he] offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was working together with his works, and by the works the faith was perfected. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness," and he was called God's friend. read more.
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.


Therefore, what [is] the advantage of the Jew, or what [is] the use of circumcision? Much in every way. For first, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. {What is the result} if some refused to believe? Their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, [will it]? read more.
May it never be! But let God be true but every human being a liar, just as it is written, "In order that you may be justified in your words, and may prevail when you are judged." But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? God, who inflicts wrath, [is] not unjust, [is he]? (I am speaking according to a human perspective.) May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? But if by my lying, the truth of God abounded to his glory, why am I also still condemned as a sinner? And [why] not (as we are slandered, and as some affirm that we say), "Let us do evil, in order that good may come [of it]? Their condemnation is just! What then? Do we have an advantage? Not at all. For we have already charged both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, just as it is written, "[There] is no one righteous, not even one; [there] is no one who understands; [there] is no one who seeks God. All have turned aside together; they have become worthless; [There] is no one who practices kindness; [there] is not even one. Their throat [is] an opened grave; they deceive with their tongues; the venom of asps [is] under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet [are] swift to shed blood; destruction and distress [are] in their paths, and they have not known the way of peace. The fear of God is not before their eyes." Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, in order that every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable to God. For by the works of the law {no person will be declared righteous} before him, for through the law [comes] knowledge of sin. But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified about by the law and the prophets-- that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. For [there] is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

What then shall we say [that] Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness." read more.
Now to the one who works, his pay is not credited according to grace, but according to his due. But to the one who does not work, but who believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness, just as David also speaks about the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "Blessed [are they] whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins are covered over. Blessed [is] the person against whom the Lord will never count sin." Therefore, [is] this blessing for {those who are circumcised}, or also for {those who are uncircumcised}? For we say, "Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness." How then was it credited? [While he] was {circumcised} or {uncircumcised}? Not {while circumcised} but {while uncircumcised}! And he received the sign of circumcision [as] a seal of the righteousness by faith which [he had] {while uncircumcised}, so that he could be the father of all who believe {although they are uncircumcised}, so that righteousness could be credited to them, and the father {of those who are circumcised} to those who are not only from the circumcision, but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham {which he had while uncircumcised}. For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith. For if those of the law [are] heirs, faith is rendered void and the promise is nullified. For the law produces wrath, but where [there] is no law, neither [is there] transgression. Because of this, [it is] by faith, in order that [it may be] according to grace, so that the promise may be secure to all the descendants, not only to those of the law, but also to those of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

But it was not written for the sake of him alone that it was credited to him, but also for the sake of us to whom it is going to be credited, to those who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over on account of our trespasses, and was raised up in the interest of our justification.


For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.

Therefore, [is] this blessing for {those who are circumcised}, or also for {those who are uncircumcised}? For we say, "Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness."


For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.



For those blessed [by] him shall possess [the] land, but those cursed [by] him shall be cut off.

When {you cry}, let your collection deliver you, and [the] wind will carry all of them away; a breath will take [them] away. But he who takes refuge in me shall take possession [of] [the] land, and he shall inherit my {holy mountain}."


For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.










For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.



For those blessed [by] him shall possess [the] land, but those cursed [by] him shall be cut off.

When {you cry}, let your collection deliver you, and [the] wind will carry all of them away; a breath will take [them] away. But he who takes refuge in me shall take possession [of] [the] land, and he shall inherit my {holy mountain}."


For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.


For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.

For if the inheritance [is] from the law, [it is] no longer from the promise, but God graciously gave [it] to Abraham through the promise.


For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.

Because of this, [it is] by faith, in order that [it may be] according to grace, so that the promise may be secure to all the descendants, not only to those of the law, but also to those of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all


For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.


Therefore, [is] this blessing for {those who are circumcised}, or also for {those who are uncircumcised}? For we say, "Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness."

And he received the sign of circumcision [as] a seal of the righteousness by faith which [he had] {while uncircumcised}, so that he could be the father of all who believe {although they are uncircumcised}, so that righteousness could be credited to them,


For what does the scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness."

But to the one who does not work, but who believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness,

Therefore it was credited to him for righteousness.

but also for the sake of us to whom it is going to be credited, to those who believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,


For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness--even the righteousness [that is] by faith.

But the righteousness from faith speaks like this: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down),


For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.


For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants, [that] he would be heir of the world, [was] not through the law, but through the righteousness by faith.