38 Bible Verses about Law, Letter And Spirit Of

And there come together to him the Pharisees, and some of the scribes, who came from Jerusalem; and seeing some of his disciples eating bread with defiled, that is, unwashed hands, (for the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands often, do not eat, holding fast the tradition of the elders;read more.
and on coming from the marketplace, unless they bathe, they do not eat; and there are many other things which they have received to hold, the dipping of cups, and pitchers, and brazen vessels;) then the Pharisees and scribes ask him, Why do not thy disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with defiled hands? And he said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men." Laying aside, the commandment of God, ye hold fast the tradition of men.

Then come to Jesus Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

And it came to pass, as he was reclining at table in the house, lo! many publicans and sinners came and reclined with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, Why doth your teacher eat with the publicans and sinners? But when he heard that, he said, They who are well do not need a physician, but they who are sick.read more.
But go ye and learn what this meaneth: "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice." For I came not to call righteous men, but sinners.

And it happened that he was reclining at table in his house; and many publicans and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many, and scribes of the Pharisees were also following him. And when they saw that he was eating with the publicans and sinners, they said to his disciples, Doth he eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus hearing it, saith to them, They who are well do not need a physician, but they who are sick. I came not to call righteous men, but sinners.

And Levi made a great feast for him at his house, and there was a great company of publicans and others, who were reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with the publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said to them, They who are well do not need a physician, but they who are sick.read more.
I have not come to call righteous men, but sinners to repentance.

And he said to them, Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition! For Moses said, "Honor thy father and thy mother;" and, "He that curseth father or mother, let him surely die." But ye say, If a man say to his father or mother, Whatever thou mightst receive in aid from me is Corban, that is, a gift to God, [he is not bound by the command. Thus]read more.
ye suffer him no longer to do anything for his father or his mother; making void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have handed down; and many such things ye do.

But he answered and said to them, Why do ye too transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, "Honor thy father and thy mother;" and, "He that curseth father or mother, let him surely die." But ye say, Whoever shall say to his father or his mother, Whatever thou mightst receive in aid from me is a gift [to God],read more.
he shall not honor his father or his mother. Thus have ye made void the law of God for the sake of your tradition.

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes, and to his disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in the seat of Moses. All, therefore, whatever they bid you, do and observe; but do not according to their works; for they say, and do not.read more.
They bind heavy burdens, and lay them on mens shoulders, and will not themselves move them with a finger. And all their works they do to be observed by men. They make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge their fringes, and love the first place at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the markets, and to be called by men, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your teacher; and ye are all brethren. And call no one your father on the earth; for one is your father, he who is in heaven. Nor be ye called leaders; for one is your leader, the Christ. But the greatest among you will be your servant. And whoever shall exalt himself will be humbled; and whoever shall humble himself will be exalted. But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites I because ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for ye go not in yourselves, nor suffer those who are entering to go in. (...) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, ye make him twofold mole a son of hell than yourselves. Woe to you, blind guides, that say, Whoever sweareth by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever sweareth by the gold of the temple, is bound. Fools and blind I for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whoever sweareth by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, is bound. Blind men! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar flint sanctifieth the gift? He then who sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all that is upon it; and he that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him who dwelleth in it; and he who sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him who sitteth thereon. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithes of the mint, and the dill, and the cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law, justice, and mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave those undone. Blind guides! who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and the platter, but within they are full of robbery and licentiousness. Blind Pharisee! cleanse first the inside of the cup, that its outside side also may become clean. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like whited sepulchres, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful, but within are full of dead mens bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the tombs of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. So that ye bear witness against yourselves, that ye are the sons of those who killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers! Serpents, brood of vipers! how can ye escape the punishment of hell?

And when he had done speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him. And he went in and reclined at the table. And the Pharisee, seeing it, wondered that he did not bathe before dinner. But the Lord said to him, Now ye Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inside is full of rapacity and wickedness.read more.
Fools, did not he who made the outside, make the inside also? But give what they contain in alms, and lo! all is clean to you. But woe to you Pharisees! for ye pay tithes of the mint, and the rue, and every herb; and pass by justice and the love of God. These ought ye to have done, and not to leave those undone. Woe to you Pharisees! for ye love the chief seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the markets. Woe to you, for ye are as tombs which are unseen, and men walking over them know it not. And one of the lawyers answering saith to him, Teacher, in saying these things, thou revilest us also. And he said, To you lawyers also, woe! for ye load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! for ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. So then ye bear witness to and approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and ye are building [their tombs]. Therefore the wisdom of God also said, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute; that the blood of all the prophets, which hath been shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was slain between the altar and the temple. Yea, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. Woe to you lawyers! because ye have taken away the key of knowledge; ye have not entered yourselves, and those who were entering ye have hindered.

And to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised all others, he spoke this parable: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed by himself thus: O God, I thank thee that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.read more.
I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I gain. But the publican, standing afar off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven; but smote his breast, saying, O God, be merciful to me a sinner! I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one that exalteth himself will be humbled; but he that humbleth himself will be exalted.

And as he was passing along, he saw a man who had been blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.read more.
We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day; the night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Having thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay with the spittle, and anointed his eyes with the clay, and said to him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam; (which is, when translated, Sent.) He went away therefore, and washed and came seeing. The neighbors therefore, and they who before had seen him as a beggar, said, Is not this he that sits and begs? Some said, This is he. Others said, No, but he is like him. He said, I am he. They said therefore to him How then were thine 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. I went therefore and washed, and received sight. And they said to him, Where is that man? He saith, I do not know. They bring to the Pharisees him who had once been blind. And the day on which Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes was the sabbath. Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. He said to them, He put clay on my eyes, and I washed them, and I see. Therefore some of the Pharisees said, This man is not from God, because he keepeth not the sabbath. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such signs. And there was a division among them.

But if thou art called a Jew, and restest on the Law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the Law; and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,read more.
an instructor of those who lack wisdom, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law, dost thou then who teachest another, not teach thyself? Thou who proclaimest that others should not steal, dost thou steal? Dost thou who forbiddest to commit adultery, thyself commit adultery? Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples? Dost thou who boastest of the Law, dishonor God by breaking the Law? For, as it is written, "the name of God is on your account blasphemed among the gentiles."

And lo! one came to him and said, Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have everlasting life? And he said to him, Why dost thou ask me concerning what is good? There is but one who is good. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Which? saith he. And Jesus said, These: "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 saith to him, All these things have I kept; in what am I still wanting? Jesus said to him, If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. But the young man, on hearing this went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, Truly do I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, 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. And the disciples, hearing this, were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus, fixing his eyes on them, said, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Then Peter answering said to him, Lo! we left all, and followed thee; what then shall we have? And Jesus said to them, Truly do I say to you, that, in the renovation when the Son of man sitteth on the throne of his glory, ye who have followed me shall also yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one who hath left brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, or houses, for the sake of my name, will receive many fold more, and will inherit everlasting life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

And as he was going out into the way, a certain one running up and kneeling to him, asked him, Good teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit everlasting life? And Jesus said to him, Why dost thou call me good? None is good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, "Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor thy father and thy mother."read more.
And he said to him, Teacher, all these have I kept from my youth. And Jesus looking at him, loved him, and said to him, One thing thou lackest; go, sell whatever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. But his countenance fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. And Jesus, looking round, saith to his disciples, How hardly shall they who have riches enter the kingdom t of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answering again saith to them, Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And they were beyond measure astonished, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God. Peter began to say to him, Lo! we left all, and have followed thee. Jesus said, Truly do I say to you, There is no one who hath left house, or brothers, or sisters, or mother, or father, or children, or lands, for the sake of me and of the glad tidings, who will not receive a hundredfold in the time that now is, houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come everlasting life.

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit everlasting life? And Jesus said to him, Why dost thou call me good? None is good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments: "Do not commit adultery; Do not kill; Do not steal; Do not bear false witness; Honor thy father and thy mother."read more.
And he said, All these have I kept from my youth. And Jesus hearing this said to him, One thing thou still lackest: sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful; for he was very rich. And Jesus seeing him said, How hardly do they that have riches enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And those who heard this said, Who then can be saved? But he said, What is impossible with men is possible with God. Then Peter said, Lo! we left what we had, and followed thee. And he said to them, Truly do I say to you, There is no one that hath left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many fold more in the present time, and in the world to come everlasting life.

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath through the grainfields; and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of grain, and to eat. But the Pharisees, seeing it, said to him, Lo! thy disciples are doing that which it is not lawful to do on the sabbath. But he said to them, Have ye not read what David did, when he and those who were with him were hungry?read more.
how he went into the house of God, and they ate the showbread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but for the priests alone? Or have ye not read in the Law, that on the sabbaths the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say to you, that something greater than the temple is here. But if ye had known what this meaneth, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice," ye would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath. And departing thence, he went into their synagogue. And, lo! there was a man having a withered hand. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath? that they might accuse him. And he said to them, Who of you that owneth one sheep, if it fall into a pit on the sabbath, will not lay hold of it, and lift it out? Of how much more worth now is a man than a sheep! So then it is lawful to do well on the sabbath. Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored sound as the other. Then the Pharisees went out, and consulted together against him, how they might destroy him.

And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he was going through grainfields; and his disciples plucked the ears of grain, and ate them, rubbing them with their hands. And some of the Pharisees said, Why are ye doing that which it is not lawful to do on the sabbath? And Jesus answering them, said, Have ye not even read what David did, when he was himself hungry, and they who were with him?read more.
how he went into the house of God, and took and ate the showbread, and gave it also to those who were with him, which it is not lawful for any to eat but the priests alone? And he said to them, The Son of man is lord even of the sabbath. And it came to pass on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue, and taught; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees were watching whether he would heal on the sabbath, that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man having the withered hand, Rise, and stand up in the midst. And he arose, and stood up. And Jesus said to them, I ask you whether it is lawful on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill? And looking round on them all, he said to him, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so; and his hand was restored. But they were filled with madness, and conferred with one another as to what they should do to Jesus.

And they enter Capernaum; and immediately on the sabbath he was teaching in the synagogue. And they were astonished at his teaching; for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out,read more.
saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Thou hast come to destroy us; we know who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, [saying,] Be silent, and come out of him. And the unclean spirit convulsing him, and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned each other, saying, What is this? New teaching with authority; even the unclean spirits doth he command, and they obey him! And immediately his fame spread abroad everywhere through the whole surrounding country of Galilee.

And he came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the sabbath. And they were astonished at his teaching; for his word was with authority. And in the synagogue there was a man having a spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice,read more.
Ha! what have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Thou hast come to destroy us. I know who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be silent, and come out of him. And the demon threw him down in the midst, and came out of him, having done him no hurt. And all were amazed; and they spoke with one another, saying, What kind of word is this, that with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out? And there went out a report concerning him into every place of the surrounding country.

And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And lo! there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years; and she was bent together, and wholly unable to lift herself up. And Jesus, seeing her, called to her, and said to her, Woman, thou art set free from thy infirmity.read more.
And he laid his hands on her; and immediately she stood upright, and gave glory to God. But the ruler of the synagogue answering, being filled with indignation because Jesus had performed a cure on the sabbath, said to the multitude, There are six days in which it is proper to work; on those therefore come and be cured, and not on the sabbathday. But the Lord answered him and said, Hypocrites, doth not each of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away and water him? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo! for eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond on the sabbathday? And on his speaking thus, all his adversaries were ashamed; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

And it came to pass, when he had come into the house of one of the chief men of the Pharisees on the sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching him. And lo! there was a certain man before him, who had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath, or not?read more.
But they were silent. And taking hold of him, he cured him, and sent him away. And he answered them and said, Who is there of you, who, if his son or his ox fall into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the sabbathday? And they could make no answer to this.

After these things there was the feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem, by the sheepgate, a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethzatha, having five porches. In these were lying a multitude of diseased persons, blind, lame, withered.read more.
(...) And a certain man was there, who had had his infirmity thirtyeight years. Jesus saw this man lying there, and knowing that he had been for a long time diseased, saith to him, Dost thou wish to be made well? The diseased man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool; but while I am coming, another goeth down before me. Jesus saith to him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made well, and took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the sabbath. The Jews therefore said to him that was cured, It is the sabbath; and it is not lawful for thee to take up the bed. He answered them, He that made me well, the same said to me, Take up thy bed, and walk. T hey asked him, Who is the man that said to thee, Take up, and walk? But the diseased man knew not who it was; for Jesus had withdrawn himself, there being a crowd in the place. Afterwards Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, Behold, thou art made well; sin no more, lest something worse befall thee. The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. And on this account the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath.

Jesus answered and said to them, I have done one good work, and ye are all wondering. Moses hath given you circumcision, (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath circumcise a man. If a man receive circumcision on the sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken, are ye angry at me, because I have restored soundness to the whole body of a man on the sabbath?read more.
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

And early in the morning he came again to the temple, and all the people were coming to him. And he sat down and taught them. And the scribes and the Pharisees bring to him a woman taken in adultery; and having set her in the midst, they say to him, Teacher, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.read more.
Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such persons; what then dost thou say? But this they said to try him, that they might be able to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground. But when they continued asking him, he lifted himself up, and said to them, Let him that is without sin among you first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And when they heard this, they went out one by one, beginning with the oldest; and Jesus was left alone, and the woman who was in the midst. And Jesus lifted himself up and said to her, Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn thee! And she said, No one, Lord. And Jesus said, neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more.

And the Pharisees, hearing that he had put the Sadducees to silence, assembled together; and one of them, a lawyer, asked, trying him, Teacher, which commandment is great in the Law?read more.
And he said to him, "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. There is a second like it: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

And one of the scribes came up, having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which commandment is first of all? Jesus answered, 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 shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." There is no other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said to him, In truth, Teacher, thou hast well said, that He is one, and that there is no other but he; and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love ones neighbor as ones self, is more than all the whole burntofferings and the sacrifices. And Jesus, perceiving that he answered wisely, said to him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And after this no one dared to question him.

And when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then will he sit on the throne of his glory, and before him will be gathered all the nations; and he will separate men one from another, as a shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats; and he will set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on the left.read more.
Then will the king say to those on his right hand, Come, ye blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and ye gave me food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came to me. Then will the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? and when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? or when did we see thee sick, or in prison, and come to thee? And the king will answer and say to them, Truly do I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it to me. Then will he say also to those on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the everlasting fire, which is prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and ye gave me no food; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then will they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? Then will he answer them, saying, Truly do I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these will go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into everlasting life.

For circumcision is indeed a benefit to thee, if thou keep the Law; but if thou art a breaker of the Law, thy circumcision hath become uncircumcision. If then he who is uncircumcised keep the precepts of the Law, shall not he though uncircumcised be regarded as circumcised? Yea, those who are by nature uncircumcised, if they perform the law, will judge thee, who having a written Law and circumcision, art a breaker of the Law.read more.
For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision, which is outward, in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, spiritual, not literal, whose praise is not of men, but of God.

O foolish Galatians, who bewitched you? before whose eyes Jesus Christ was plainly set forth among you crucified. This only I desire to learn from you: Was it from the works of the Law that ye received the Spirit, or by the preaching of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun with the Spirit, do ye now end with the flesh?read more.
Have ye suffered so much in vain? if indeed it be really in vain. Doth he then who is supplying to you the Spirit, and working miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by the preaching of faith?

since ye are manifestly shown to be a letter of Christ by means of our service, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but on fleshly tablets of the heart. And such confidence as this have we through Christ toward God; not that we are able of ourselves to think anything, as from ourselves; but our ability is from God;read more.
who also gave us ability to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.

The woman saith to him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith to her, Believe me, woman, the hour is coming, when ye shall neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.read more.
Ye worship that which ye know not; we worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for such worshippers the Father seeketh. God is a spirit; and they who worship must worship in spirit and in truth.

So then, my brethren, ye also were slain to the Law through the body of Christ, that ye might be connected with another, even with him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the affections of sins, which were through the Law, were working in our members to bear fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, that we might serve in the new life of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the letter.

There is then now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life set me free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God hath done, who on account of sin sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and passed sentence of condemnation on sin in the flesh;read more.
so that what is required by the Law might be accomplished in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For they who are according to the flesh have their mind on the things of the flesh; but they who are according to the Spirit, on the things of the Spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit life and peace. Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it doth not submit itself to the Law of God, neither indeed can it. And they who are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any one hath to not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ is in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he who raised up Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies, because of his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Thus is it also written: "The first man Adam became a living soul;" the last Adam a lifegiving spirit. But the spiritual is not first, but the animal; and afterward the spiritual.

and do not as Moses did, who put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel might not steadfastly look on the end of that which was to be done away. But their understandings were blinded; for until this day, when the old covenant is read, the same veil remaineth, since it is not unveiled to them that it is done away in Christ; but even till this day, when Moses is read, there lieth a veil upon their heart;read more.
but whenever it turneth to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all with unveiled face beholding in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Lord, the Spirit.

But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the Law.

For on the one hand there takes place an annulling of the commandment which went before, on account of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the Law perfected nothing,and on the other, the bringing in of a better hope, by which we draw near to God. And inasmuch as it was not without an oath that he was made priest,read more.
for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath by him who said to him, "The Lord swore, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever," by so much hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant.

Now the principal thing among those of which we are speaking is this: We have such a highpriest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. For every highpriest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; whence it is necessary that this one also have something which he may offer.read more.
For if, indeed, he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are those that offer the gifts according to the Law; who serve the mere delineation and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was admonished by God when he was about to make the tabernacle; for, "See," saith he, "that thou make all things according to the pattern which was shown thee in the mount." But now he hath obtained a more excellent ministry, in proportion as he is the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then a place would not have been sought for a second. For finding fault with them, he saith: "Behold, the days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant; not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their mind, and on their hearts will I write them; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. And they shall not teach every one his fellowcitizen, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more." In that he saith, "a new covenant," he hath made the first old; but that which is becoming old, and worn out with age, is ready to vanish away.