38 Bible Verses about Law, Letter And Spirit Of

One day the Pharisees came to him in a body with some Scribes who had come from Jerusalem. They had noticed that some of his disciples were eating with "common," that is to say, unwashed hands. For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat until they have ceremoniously washed their hands in obedience to the tradition of the elders;read more.
and when they come from the market-place they do not eat without bathing first. and they have many other customs which they have received and observe, such as the washing of cups and jugs and copper pans. So the Pharisees and Scribes asked him. "Why do your disciples not follow the traditions of the elders? Why do they eat with 'common' unwashed hands?" "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, hypocrites," he answered. "As it is written, 'This people honor me with their lips, While their hearts are far from me; But in vain do they worship me, For their teaching is only human precepts.'" "You neglect the commandment of God, and hold fast the traditions of men."

Then some Scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do your disciples keep transgressing the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before eating?"

And he rose and followed him. And while he was at table in Matthew's house, there came many tax-gatherers and sinners, and they dined with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw it, they kept saying to his disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with the tax-gatherers and sinners?" "It is not those who are well," said Jesus, when he heard this, "but the sick, who need a doctor.read more.
"But go and learn what this means, "It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice; for I am come not to call just men, but sinners."

Later on Levi was sitting at table in his house, and together with Jesus and his disciples a number of tax-gatherers and sinners were guests, for there were many of them who used to follow him. But when some scribes of the Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax-gatherers, they said to his disciples, "Is he eating and drinking with tax-gatherers and sinners?" On hearing this Jesus said to them. "It is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Levi also made him a great reception at his house. There was a large party of tax-gatherers and others who were dining with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes began complaining to his disciples, saying, "Why are you eating and drinking with tax-gatherers and sinners?" Jesus answered them saying. "They who are well have no need of a physician, but they who are ill.read more.
I am not come to call the righteous but sinners, to repentance."

"It is praiseworthy, is it," he exclaimed, "to reject the command of God that you may keep your tradition! For although Moses said, Honor your father and mother, and Let him who curses father or mother suffer death, you say that if a man tells his father or mother, 'This money which otherwise you would have received from me, is Korban' (that is, a thing devoted to God),read more.
you exempt him from doing any service for his father or mother. Thus by your tradition which you have handed down you set at naught the word of God; and you do many other things like that."

"And why do you also keep transgressing the command of God by your tradition?" he asked. "For God said, Honor your father and mother, and, Let him who reviles father or mother be put to death; but you say that whoever tells his father or mother, 'Whatever of mine might have been of service to you is dedicated to God,'read more.
is in no way bound to honor his father. Thus do you make void the word of God by your tradition!

Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples. "The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat; "therefore do and observe whatever they bid you; but do not do as they do, for they preach, but do not practise.read more.
"For they bind heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger to move them. "For they do all their good deeds to be gazed on of men. They widen their phylacteries, "and lengthen the tassels, and are fond of the best places at banquets, and the front seats in the synagogues. "They enjoy salutations in the market-places, and to have men call them 'Rabbi.' "But you are not to be called 'Rabbi'; for one is your Teacher, and you are all brothers; "and call no one 'Father' on earth, for One is your Father in heaven. "And call no one 'Leader,' because One is your leader, even the Christ. "Whoever is great among you shall be your minister; "whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted. "But woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces; for you do not enter, yourselves, nor do you permit those who are about to come in, to enter. OMITTED TEXT. "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you scour sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is gained, you make him twofold more a son of hell than you are, yourselves. "Woe unto you, blind guides, who say, If any one swears by the Sanctuary, it is nothing, but if any one swears by the gold of the Sanctuary, the oath is binding. "You fools and blind; for which is greater, the gold, or the Sanctuary which hallows the gold? "You say, too, that whoever swears by the offering that is upon it, his oath is binding. "You blind! Which is greater, the offering or the altar which hallows the offering? "He then, who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; "and he who swears by the Sanctuary swears by it and by Him who dwells therein; "and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits thereon. "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and anise and cummin, and neglect the weightier matters of the Law??ustice and mercy and good faith; these latter you ought to have done, and not to have left the former undone. "You blind guides! who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but within they are filled with extortion and excess. "You blind Pharisees, first clean the inside of the cup and of the plate, so that the outside of it may be clean also. "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like white-washed sepulchers. They look beautiful without, but within they are filled with dead men's bones and all rottenness. "Just so you also outwardly appear to men, just, but within you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You rebuild the tombs of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, "'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their comrades in the murder of the prophets.' "So you bear witness against yourselves, that you are the descendants of those who slew the prophets! "Fill up then the measure of your fathers! "You serpents! You vipers brood! How shall you escape the judgment of hell?

When he had finished speaking a Pharisee asked him to dine with him; so he went in with him and reclined. And the Pharisee noticed, to his amazement, that he did not wash his hands before eating, but the Lord said to him. "You Pharisee do cleanse the outside of your cup or plate, but your secret heart is full of extortion and wickedness.read more.
"Foolish men! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? "Better cleanse what is within, and nothing will be unclean for you. "But woe unto you Pharisee! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and disregard justice and the love of God; but these you ought to have done, and not leave the other undone. "Woe unto you Pharisee! for you delight in the best seats in the synagogue, and in the salutation in the market-places. "Woe unto you! for you are like the tombs which are hidden, and men walk over them unsuspecting." Hereupon one of the lawyers exclaimed, "But teacher, in saying such things you are also reproaching us also." "Woe unto you lawyers also!" said Jesus, "for you load men with irksome burdens, and you yourselves will not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. "Woe to you! for you are building the tombs of the prophets whom you ancestors killed. "So you are witnesses, and you consent to the actions of your ancestors. for they killed them, and you build their tombs. "For this reason also said the Wisdom of God. 'I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and some they will persecute; "so that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required from this generation, "from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the alter and the sanctuary; yes; I tell you, it shall be required of this generation! "Woe to you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge!' You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who are trying to enter."

Moreover he spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves because they were righteous, and looked down upon the rest. "Two men are going up to the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, the other a tax-gatherer. "The Pharisee stood apart and thus began to pray by himself. "'O God, I thank thee that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax gatherer;read more.
"'I fast twice a week, I pay tithes of all my possessions.' "But the tax-gatherer, standing far back, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but kept beating his breast and saying, "'O God be merciful to me, the sinner!' "I tell you that this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself shall be humbled; but he who humbles himself shall be exalted."

Now as he was passing along he saw a man, blind from birth. "Rabbi," his disciples asked him, "who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither he nor his parents sinned." replied Jesus; "it happened that the works of God might be made manifest in him.read more.
"I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no man can work. "While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." When he had thus spoken he spat on the ground, and made clay with the spittle, and smeared the clay on the man's eyes. Then he said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (a word which means "sent"). So the man went and washed his eyes, and came back seeing. Upon this the neighbors and those who used to know him by sight as a beggar, began asking, "Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?" Some said, "It is he." Others said, "No, but he looks like him." "I am the man," he said. So they asked him, "How then were your eyes opened?" He answered. "The man who is called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went and washed and received my sight." "Where is he?" they asked. "I do not know," answered the man. Then they brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. Now it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes; so the Pharisees again began to ask him questions about how he had regained his sight; and he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed them, and now I see." Then some of the Pharisees began to say, "This man in not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?"

Now if you bear the name of a Jew, and rely upon law, and boast yourself in God, and know his will, and can test the things that differ; if you are instructed out of the Law, and are confident that you yourself are a darkness,read more.
an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of the young, because you have in the Law the form of knowledge and of the truth??ell then, you who are teaching others, do you ever teach yourself? You who are preaching that a man should not steal, do you practise theft? You who keep saying that a man should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who hold idols in abhorrence, are you plundering their temples? You who are making your boast in the Law, do you habitually dishonor God through your transgressions of the Law? For the name of God is continually blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as the Scripture itself says.

But look! a certain man came up to him and asked, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you ask me about what is good?" asked Jesus. "There is but One who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." "Which commandments?" asked the man. Jesus replied. "Thou shalt not kill; Thou shalt not commit adultery; Thou shalt not steal; Thou shalt not bear false witness;read more.
"Honor thy father and thy mother; and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." The young man answered. "I have carefully kept them all. What yet do I lack?" "If you want to be perfect," said Jesus, "go, sell your property, give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when the young man heard this teaching, he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had much property. So Jesus said to his disciples. "In solemn truth I tell you that a rich man will find it difficult to enter the kingdom of heaven. "I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." When they heard this the disciples were utterly astounded. "Who then can be saved?" they exclaimed. Jesus looked at them. "With men this is impossible," he said, "but with God all things are possible." Whereupon Peter said to Jesus. "Look, Master, we have forsaken everything and followed you. Now what shall be our reward?" "In solemn truth I tell you," Jesus answered, "that in the New Creation, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, you also who have followed me shall sit on twelve thrones, to govern the twelve tribes of Israel. "And every one who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for my sake, shall many times as much, and fall heir to eternal life. "But many who are first shall be last, and many who are last shall be first.

As he started to go forth into the road, a man came running up to him, and knelt down before him. "Good Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him. "Why do you call me 'good'? No one is good save one, God himself. You know the commandments. Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not cheat, honor your father and mother."read more.
"Teacher," he answered, "I have observed all these from my youth." Jesus loved him as he looked at him, and said: "One thing you lack. Go, sell all you have and give to the poor; and you shall have wealth in heaven; and come, follow me." But his face fell at these words, and he went away saddened, for he was one who had great wealth. Then Jesus looked round on his disciples and said, "How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter into the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at his words. Jesus looked around and said again to them. "My sons, how hard it is for those who trust in money to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." "Then who can be saved?" they said to themselves astonished beyond measure. When he had looked at them, Jesus said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God." "But we," Peter began to say, "we have left our all and have followed you." "I tell you solemnly," said Jesus, "that there is no man who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, but shall receive a hundred times as much, now in this present world, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, lands??nd persecutions with them??nd in the world to come eternal life.

A ruler put this question to him. "Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why are you calling me 'good'?" said Jesus to him; "no one is good but God. "You know the commandments. "Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother."read more.
"All of these," he replied, "I have kept from my youth up." And receiving this reply, Jesus said to him. "One thing you are still lacking. Sell all that you have and give it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me." But when he heard these words he became deeply grieved, for he was exceedingly rich. Jesus looked at him and said: "How hard it is for those who have money to enter into the kingdom of God! Why, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." "Who then can be saved?" exclaimed his hearers. "Things that are impossible with men," he answered them, "are possible with God." Then Peter said, "Look! we have left our homes and followed you." And he said to them, "In Solemn truth I tell you that there is no one who, for the sake of the kingdom of God, has left houses, or wife, or brother, or parents, or children, "who shall not certainly receive many times as much in this time, and in the age to come eternal."

At that time Jesus walked through the wheat fields one Sabbath Day; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck some ears of wheat and to eat them. But the Pharisees, when they perceived it, said to him. "Look! Your disciples are doing what it is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!" "Have you not read," answered Jesus, "what David did when he was hungry, and his men, too?read more.
"How he went into the House of God, and there they ate the loaves of the Presence, which neither he nor his men were permitted to eat, but the priests only? "Have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath and are guiltless? "But I tell you that One is here who is greater than the temple. "And if you knew what this means, "It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice, "you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath." As he passed along he went into their synagogue, and there he saw a man with a withered hand. And in order to get a charge against him they asked him, "Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?" (So that they might have something to accuse him.) "Is there a man of you," he replied, "who has but a single sheep, who will not lay hold of it and lift it out, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath Day? "And how much more is a man worth than a sheep? Therefore it is right to do good on the Sabbath." Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." The man stretched it out, and it had become sound like the other. But when the Pharisees came out, they consulted together how they might destroy him.

It happened that on a Sabbath he was going through the wheat-fields. His disciples were picking the ears and eating the wheat, rubbing it out with their hands. And some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what it is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?" "Have you never read," answered Jesus, "what David did when he and his followers were hungry?read more.
"How he entered into God's house and took and ate the Presented Loaves, and gave some to his followers, loaves which none must eat but the priests? "THE SON OF MAN," he told them, "IS LORD EVEN OVER THE SABBATH." On another Sabbath he went into a synagogue and was teaching; and there was there a man whose right hand was withered. Now the Scribes and Pharisees kept watching to see if he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might be able to bring on accusations to him. He was all along aware of their thoughts; and he said to the man with the withered hand, "Rise, and stand there in the midst." So he rose and stood. Then Jesus said to them. "I ask you whether it is lawful on the Sabbath Day to do good or to do harm? To save a life or to destroy it?" Then he looked round about on them in anger, and said to him, "Stretch out your hand!" He did so; and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury, and they began to talk over together what they could do to Jesus.

So they came to Capernaum, and as soon as the Sabbath Day came he went into the synagogue and began to teach. They were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, not like the Scribes. And at that very moment, there in their synagogue, a man in the grip of an unclean spirit shrieked out.read more.
"What business have you with us, you Jesus of Nazareth? Are you come to destroy us? I know you who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying. "Be quit! Come out of him." So the unclean spirit, after tearing him, came out of him with a loud cry; and every one was amazed so that they began questioning among themselves. "What does this mean? A new teaching with authority? He lays commands even upon unclean spirits and they obey him." And at once his fame spread everywhere through that part of Galilee.

Then he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and continued to teach the people on the Sabbath Days. They were deeply impressed by his teaching because his speech was with authority. And there was in the synagogue a man possessed by the spirit of a foul demon. He cried out, in a loud voice, saying.read more.
"Ha! Jesus of Nazareth, what business have you with us? Are you come to destroy us? I know you who you are, you holy one of God!" And Jesus rebuked him, saying. "Be quiet! Come out of him." And when the demon had thrown the man down before them, he came out of him without doing him any harm. All were amazed, and began to ask one another, saying. "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits and they come out." And the talk about him spread into every locality in the surrounding country.

Once he was teaching in one of the synagogues, on the Sabbath, a woman was present who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years. she was bent double, and could not lift herself up at all. Jesus noticed her and called to him and said, "Woman, you are free from your weakness."read more.
Then he placed his hand on her, and she instantly stood upright and began to give glory to God. But the ruler of the synagogue was indignant at Jesus for healing her on the Sabbath, and said to the crowd. "There are six days of the week on which men ought to work. Therefore come during those, and get cured, but not on the Sabbath Day." But the Lord answered him. "Hypocrites!" he said, "does not each one of you loose his ox or his ass from the stall on the Sabbath Day, and lead it to water, "and this woman, who is the daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound these eighteen years, ought she not have been loosened from bondage, though the day be the Sabbath?" As he said this, all adversaries were put to shame; and all the crowd rejoiced for the glorious things that he continually did.

It happened on the Sabbath Day when he went into the house of a certain ruler among Pharisees to take a meal, that they were watching him. And lo! there was in front of him a man who had dropsy. So Jesus questioned the lawyers and the Pharisees, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath Day or not?"read more.
They kept silent. Then Jesus took him and healed him and let him go. And to them he said, "Which of you when an ox or ass has fallen into a well, will at once pull him out on the Sabbath Day?" They could not answer this.

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem a pool near the Sheep-gate, called in the Hebrew, Bethesda. It has five colonnades. In these there used to lie a great crowd of sick people??lind, lame, paralyzed.read more.
OMITTED TEXT. And there was one man there for thirty-eight years in his infirmity. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to get well?" "Sir," answered the sick man, "I have no man to put me into the pool whenever the water is troubled; and while I am trying to come, some one else steps down before me." "Rise," said Jesus, "take up your bed and go walking away." Instantly the man became well, and he took up his bed and started to walk. Now it was Sabbath on that day; so the Jews kept saying to the man who had been cured. "It is the Sabbath Day; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed." He replied, "The man who healed me told me to take up my bed and walk." "Who is it," they asked, "that said to you, 'take up your bed and go walking away'?" But he who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had moved away, as there was a crowd in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the Temple, and said to him. "Look! You have become well. Do not go on sinning, lest a worse thing befall you." The man went to and told the Jews that it was Jesus who made him well; and because of this the Jews began to persecute Jesus, because he had done it on the Sabbath.

Jesus answered them. "There was one thing I did, and you are all amazed. "Consider, therefore, Moses has given you circumcision??ot that Moses originated it, but the fathers??nd you are accustomed to circumcise a child even on the Sabbath. "If a child receives circumcision on the Sabbath, in order that the Law of Moses may not be broken, how can you be angry with me because I made a man sound and well on the Sabbath?read more.
"Do not judge according to appearance. Judge justly."

At dawn, however, he came back to the Temple, where the people came to him in crowds. He had taken his seat and was teaching them, when the Scribes and Pharisees had brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They made her stand in the middle of the court, and said to him. "Rabbi, this woman has been found in the very act of adultery.read more.
"Now Moses, in the Law, has commanded us to stone such creatures. But you, what do you say?" (This they said to tempt him, so that they could bring a charge against him.) But Jesus stooped down, and began to write on the ground with his finger. When they continued to question him, he raised himself and said to them, "Let the innocent man among you be the first to throw the stone at her." Then he stooped down again, and again began to write on the ground. When they heard that, they went out one by one, beginning with the eldest. And Jesus was left behind alone??nd the woman in the middle of the court. Then Jesus raised himself up and said to her. "Woman, where are they? Has no man condemn you," "No one, Sir," she answered. "Neither do I condemned you," said Jesus. "Go, and never sin again."

As soon as the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together, and one of them, a lawyer, tested him by asking a question. "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"read more.
Jesus answered, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. "This is the great and first commandment. "The second, which is like it, is this, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. "On those two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets."

Just then up came one of the Scribes who had heard them arguing, and realized that Jesus had answered them admirably. "What commandment," he asked, "is the first of all?" Jesus replied. "The first is. 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.'"read more.
"The second is this, "Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. Other command greater than these there is none." "Admirably said, O Teacher," exclaimed the Scribe. "You have truthfully said that He is one, and that beside him there is none other, and to love him with all one's heart and with all one's understanding and with all one's might, and to love one's neighbor as oneself is far beyond all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." Jesus saw that he had answered with discrimination, and said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." After that no one ventured to question him.

"But when the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then will he take his seat on the throne of his glory; "and all the nations will be gathered in his presence. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats; "and he will place the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left.read more.
"Then he, the King will say to those on his right hand. "'Come, my Father's blessed ones, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. "'For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; "'I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to see me.' "Then shall the righteous answer him, saying. 'Master, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? "'When did we see you a stranger and take you in; or naked and clothe you? "'When did we see you sick or in prison, and come to see you?' "'In solemn truth I tell you,' the King will answer them, 'that inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these, my brothers, you have done it unto me.' "Then he will say to those also at his left hand. 'Depart from me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; "for I was hungry, and you gave me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; "I was a stranger, and you took me not in; naked, and you clothed me not; sick, or in prison, and you visited me not.' "Then will they also answer, 'Master, when did we ever see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to you?' "But he will reply, 'In solemn truth I tell you that inasmuch as you did not do it unto one of these least, you did not do it unto me.' "And these will go away into eternal punishment; but the righteous into eternal life."

Circumcision does indeed profit, if you are obedient to the Law; but if you habitually break the Law, your circumcision is become uncircumcision. So if the uncircumcised keeps the ordinance of the Law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned equivalent to circumcision. And shall not those who are physically uncircumcised, but who keep the Law, condemn you who are a breaker of the Law, although you have a written law and circumcision?read more.
For the real Jew is not the man who is one outwardly, and the real circumcision is not outward in the flesh; but the real Jew is one inwardly, and real circumcision is heart??ircumcision, spiritual, not literal, praised not by men, but by God.

O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? You, before whose very eyes Jesus Christ was placarded as crucified! Answer me this one question. "When you received the Spirit, was it from doing what the Law commands or from believing the message heard?" Are you so without sense? After beginning with the Spirit, will you now end with the flesh?read more.
Did you have such experience to no purpose??f indeed it was really to no purpose? Does he then who supplies you with his Spirit and works miracles among you, do it because you do what the law commands of because you believe the message heard?

Since all can see that you are a letter of Christ transcribed by men, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts as tablets. Such confidence I have through Christ before God. Not that I am sufficient in myself to reach any conclusion in my own wisdom; but my sufficiency is from God.read more.
It is he who has also made me sufficient as a minister of a new covenant; not of a letter but of a spirit; for the letter kills, but the spirit makes alive.

"I see, Sir, that you are a prophet," replied the woman. "Our forefathers worshiped in this mountain, yet you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one must worship." "Woman, believe me," said Jesus, "that the hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.read more.
You are worshiping something you do not know. we know what we worship, for salvation comes from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father is seeking such as his worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

So also, my brother, you were made dead to the Law through the body of Christ; that you should be joined to another, even to Him who was raised from the dead that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were unspiritual, the sinful passions, aroused by the Law, were ever active in every part of our bodies, leading us to bear fruit unto death. But now we have been released from the Law, because we are dead to that in which we were held; so that we are now in thralldom in new and spiritual conditions, and not under the old written code.

Thus there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus; for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the Law could not do, weakened as it was by flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and on account of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;read more.
in order that the Law might be fulfilled in us who order our lives not after the flesh, but after the spirit. For they who live after the flesh, give their attention to the things of the flesh; But they who live after the spirit, give their attention to spiritual things. To be earthly minded means death; To be spiritually minded means life and peace. For to be earthly minded is enmity against God; For such a mind is not subject to the Law of God, Nor can it be; And they who are earthly minded cannot please God. But you are not earthly, but spiritual, if indeed the Spirit of God is really dwelling in you. If any one does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. But if Christ is in you, though your bodily self is dead because of sin, your spirit is full of life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised up Jesus from dead is dwelling in you, He who raised up Jesus from the dead is dwelling in you, He who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also make your dying bodily self live by his indwelling Spirit in your lives.

Thus it is written. The first man, Adam, became a living being, the last Adam, a life-giving Spirit. Now it is not the spiritual which is first, but the animal, and then the spiritual.

I do not do as Moses did, who used to cover his face with a veil to keep the children of Israel from beholding the passing of a fading glory. Nay, their minds were made dull; for to this very day, at the public reading of the Old Testament, the same veil rests thereon, because it is not revealed to them that in Christ the veil is taken away. Yes, to this very day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies on their hearts;read more.
but when their heart turns to our Lord the veil is stripped away. (The Lord means the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord abides there is freedom.) And we all, with unveiled faces, reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are ourselves continually being transformed into the same likeness, from glory to glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.

But if you are habitually led by the Spirit you are not under law.

For there is a setting aside of a foregoing commandment, because of its weakness and unprofitableness (for the Law brought nothing to perfection); and there is the bringing in of a better hope by which we draw near to God; mightier because it was not promised apart from an oath.read more.
For although those priests became such without an oath, He had an oath form God who said to him, The Lord hath sworn and will not change, Thou art a priest forever. And by so much Jesus becomes the guarantor of a better covenant.

The pith of all that we have been saying is this; we do have such a High Priest; and he has taken his seat on the right hand of the throne of Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; whence it follows that this High Priest also must have some offering to make.read more.
Now were he on earth, he would not even be a priest, since there are here those who present the gifts according to the Law??5 those priests who serve a mere outline and shadow of the heavenly reality, just as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to build the Tabernacle. "See", he says, "that you make everything on the pattern showed you on the mountain." But Jesus has obtained a better ministry, by so much as he is also Mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted upon better promises. For if the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second. But finding fault with them, He says. "There are days coming," says the Lord, "When I will establish with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant; Not according tot he covenant which I made with their forefathers, On the day when I took them by the hand to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt; For they did not continue in my covenant, And therefore I disregarded them," says the Lord. "For this is the covenant which I will covenant with the house of Israel, After these days," says the Lord; "I will put my laws into their minds, And upon their hearts will I write them; And I will be their God, And they shall be my people; And they shall not teach every man his fellow citizen, And every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; For all shall know me, From the least to the greatest of them. For I will have mercy upon their wrong-doings, And their sins I will remember no more." By calling the covenant "new," He has made the first one obsolete; and whatever is becoming obsolete and aged, is near to vanishing.