82 Bible Verses about law

for they shew that the duties prescrib'd by the law, are written in their hearts, their consciences bearing witness to it, by their own reasonings alternately accusing and excusing them.

but this is the alliance that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

which shows you to be the epistle of Christ, written by my ministration, not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God; not on tables of stone, but on living tables of the heart.

the sting of death was sin; and the strength of sin was the law.

for by the observation of the law no one shall be justified in his sight, since it is the law that takes cognizance of sin.

besides, their minds were greatly prejudiced: for that very veil would still have obstructed the understanding of the old testament, unless it had been taken away by Christ. nevertheless, when Moses is read, the veil upon their mind continues unto this day: but when their mind shall turn to the Lord, that veil too shall be taken away.

for the end of the law was to bring men to Christ, that every one who believeth, might be justified.

Sentence of death therefore shall not pass upon those christians who do not lead a vicious life. for the christian dispensation of a spiritual life has set me free from the legal state of sin and death. God having sent his own son invested with a body like that of sinful men, as a sacrifice for sin, thereby destroyed its power; which the law could not effect, human nature being in such a corrupted state. read more.
so that the moral obligations of the law might be fulfilled by us, in living according to the spiritual, and not the carnal tenor thereof:

Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to Jews acquainted with the law) that the law hath authority over a man, till it be abrogated? now a married woman is bound by the law to her living husband: but if her husband dieth, she is released from the marriage-contract. wherefore she will be reputed an adulteress if she become another man's during her husband's life: but if her husband dies, she is clear from that law, from the imputation of being an adulteress, though she become another man's. read more.
thus, my brethren, the law is become dead with respect to you by the body of Christ; that you might be subject to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. for when we were in the carnal state of the law, the sinful passions of that state set our animal faculties to work in the service of death. but now we are delivered by the death of the law, which held us in bondage: that we might serve according to the living spirit, and not in the dead letter of the law. Do we then conclude, that the law is the cause of sin? by no means; but I should not have had such a notion of sin, had it not been for the law: for I should not have known concupiscence was a sin, unless the law had said, "thou shalt not covet." but sin receiving strength by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. for before the law sin appear'd dead. then it was I once liv'd secure; but when the prohibition came, sin exerted it self, and I was in a dying condition: and the commandment which leads to life was instrumental to my ruin. for sin getting power by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. wherefore the law is holy; and the commandment holy, and just, and good. was it then good that brought death upon me? no, but it was sin, that sin might show it self by being able to bring death upon me by means of that which is good; that sin, I say, by the commandment might appear to be exceedingly destructive. for we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold a slave to sin. what I do I allow not: for what my mind leads me to, that do I not; but what I have an aversion to, that I do. if then I do what I in my mind am against, the consent of my mind is, that the law is right. now then, it is not wholly I that do it, but the sinful passions that dwell in me. for I experience, that in the carnal part of me dwells no good: for it is familiar to me, to will, but not to execute that which is good. for the good that I purpose to do, I do not: but the evil which I resolve against, that I do. now if I do that which my mind is against, it is not meerly I that do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a settled custom, that evil is objected in my way whenever I have a mind to act well: for my mind takes delight in the law of God, but I perceive in the animal part of me another law warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my animal part. O wretched man that I am, what shall deliver me from this body of death? the divine grace thro' Jesus Christ our Lord. so then, with the mind I my self am devoted to the law of God; tho' my carnal inclinations are enslaved to the law of sin.

yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in him, and not by the works of the law, by which there is no justification. Now if it be a sin to seek for justification by Christ, then is Christ the minister of sin, which cannot be. on the contrary, if I re-establish what I have demolish'd, I show myself a prevaricator. read more.
for by one law, I am dead to the other law, that I might live unto God: I am crucified with Christ, it is not I that now live, but Christ that liveth in me; the life I have in this body I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if justification be by the law, Christ died to no purpose.

If, agreeably to the scriptures, you observe that royal law, "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self," you do well.

Let your actions be such, with regard to others, as you should think reasonable with regard to yourselves, for this is the substance of the law and the prophets.

Then a doctor of the law stood up to try him, saying, master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? to whom he answered, how does the law run in that case? what do you find? he replied, 'tis thus, "thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, and with all thy understanding; and thy neighbour as thy self." read more.
you have answered well, replied Jesus, do this, and you shall live.

Owe no man any thing, but mutual love: for he that loves others hath fulfilled the law. for this, "thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet;" and whatever social precept there be, it is reduced to this single head, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self." the benevolent never does wrong to his neighbour: therefore benevolence is the fulfilling of the law.

for all the law is comprehended in this one precept, "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

(which kept us at variance) by abolishing the dogmatical injunctions of the law, that having made the peace, he might incorporate the two into one new body under himself;

and cancell'd the obligation of the ceremonial law, which was disadvantageous to us, removing that which divided us, and nailing it to the cross.

wherefore the preceeding law is abolished for its being weak and useless.

now by stiling the second a new alliance, he has antiquated the first. but to be antiquated and obsolete is next to being abolished.

For the law being only an allusion to a future dispensation that was more excellent, and not an exact imitation of such a state, cannot by the anniversary sacrifices, which are offered, entirely purify those that present themselves.

"To what purpose then was the law?" it was added as a check to transgressors, till the offspring should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels with the intervention of a mediator.

it being plain, that the law was not design'd against the just, but against the lawless and refractory, against irreligion and vice, impiety and prophaneness, parricide and man-slaughter,

so that the law was our school-master to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

for by the observation of the law no one shall be justified in his sight, since it is the law that takes cognizance of sin.

the law was introduc'd, that the greatness of the fall might fully appear; but the more sin display'd its enormity, the divine favour was so much the more transcendent.

for the law made no man perfect, but this was effected by introducing a better hope, which brings us nearer to the divine presence.

Sentence of death therefore shall not pass upon those christians who do not lead a vicious life. for the christian dispensation of a spiritual life has set me free from the legal state of sin and death. God having sent his own son invested with a body like that of sinful men, as a sacrifice for sin, thereby destroyed its power; which the law could not effect, human nature being in such a corrupted state. read more.
so that the moral obligations of the law might be fulfilled by us, in living according to the spiritual, and not the carnal tenor thereof:

yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in him, and not by the works of the law, by which there is no justification.

for by the observation of the law no one shall be justified in his sight, since it is the law that takes cognizance of sin.

agreeable to what is written in the first psalm, "thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee." and to show that he rais'd him from the dead, never more to return to corruption, he said thus, "I will faithfully perform the promises, which I made to David." wherefore in another place he says, "thou shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption." read more.
for David, after he had serv'd in his time the designs of providence, died and was buryed with his fathers, and was subject to corruption. but he, whom God hath raised, was not subject to corruption. know then, my brethren, it is by him, that the remission of sins is offer'd to you: by him, every one who believes, is purged from all that guilt, for which the law of Moses had made no such provision.

for the law made no man perfect, but this was effected by introducing a better hope, which brings us nearer to the divine presence.

God having sent his own son invested with a body like that of sinful men, as a sacrifice for sin, thereby destroyed its power; which the law could not effect, human nature being in such a corrupted state.

(which kept us at variance) by abolishing the dogmatical injunctions of the law, that having made the peace, he might incorporate the two into one new body under himself;

for by one law, I am dead to the other law, that I might live unto God:

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law: that every one may be silenc'd, and all the world plead guilty before God.

Being arriv'd at Iconium, they went both together to the Jewish synagogue, where they discours'd in such a manner, that a great number both of Jews and of Greeks believed.

From Perga they went to Antioch in Pisidia, and going to the synagogue on the sabbath-day, they took their places, and after the lesson out of the law and the prophets was finish'd, the heads of the synagogue sent this message to them; Men and brethren, if you have any instruction to offer to the people, deliver it. thereupon Paul stood up, and having made sign with his hand for their attention, he said, men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. read more.
the God of Israel made choice of our fathers, and exalted the people when they sojourn'd in Egypt, from whence he conducted them by the terror of his arm. for forty years he maintain'd them in the wilderness. after that he distributed to them by lot the territorys of seven nations, which he destroyed in Canaan. after these transactions, which lasted about four hundred and fifty years, he gave them judges to the time of the prophet Samuel: when having demanded a king, God gave them Saul the son of Cis, of the tribe of Benjamin: the government of both having lasted forty years, God removed Saul, and rais'd up David to be their king, to whom he gave this testimonial, " I have found David the son of Jesse: he is a man most acceptable to me, and he will execute all my orders." it is of his posterity that God, pursuant to his promise, has rais'd up Jesus to be the saviour of Israel. before his appearance, John had preach'd the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. and in the discharge of his mission, he said, "who do you think I am? I am not the Messias. but there comes another after me, whose shoes I am not worthy to untie." It is to you, my brethren, who are the children of Abraham, and to all who fear God among you, that this salutary news is sent. as for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and their senators, by their not knowing who he was, and by condemning him, they have accomplished the declarations of the prophets, which are read every sabbath-day: although they could not convict him of any thing capital, yet they demanded of Pilate, that he should be put to death. after they had accomplished all that was written concerning him, he was taken down from the cross, and laid in a sepulchre: but God raised him from the dead: and for many days he was seen by those, who had accompany'd him from Galilee to Jerusalem: and they are now his witnesses to the people. to you therefore we declare, that the promise which God had made to the fathers, he has now perform'd to us, who are their children, by his having raised up Jesus again. agreeable to what is written in the first psalm, "thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee." and to show that he rais'd him from the dead, never more to return to corruption, he said thus, "I will faithfully perform the promises, which I made to David." wherefore in another place he says, "thou shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption." for David, after he had serv'd in his time the designs of providence, died and was buryed with his fathers, and was subject to corruption. but he, whom God hath raised, was not subject to corruption. know then, my brethren, it is by him, that the remission of sins is offer'd to you: by him, every one who believes, is purged from all that guilt, for which the law of Moses had made no such provision. take care then, that what the prophets predicted may not happen to you, "consider you despisers, be surpriz'd and turn pale, for I shall perform a work in your days, which you will not believe, whoever shall declare it unto you." When Paul and Barnabas were gone out of the Jewish synagogue, the Gentiles desired them to entertain them on the same subject, the following sabbath. when the assembly was separated, many Jews and religious proselytes followed after, to whom the apostles address'd themselves, and exhorted them to persevere in the divine dispensation. The next sabbath-day almost the whole city assembled to hear the word of God. when the Jews saw such a crowd, they were fill'd with resentment, and oppos'd what Paul had advanc'd, even to blasphemy. but Paul and Barnabas told them boldly, you indeed were the first, to whom the word of God was to be preach'd: but since you reject it, and judge your own selves unworthy of eternal life, be assur'd, we shall make the same offer to the Gentiles: for thus has the Lord commanded us, "I have appointed you to be a light to the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the remotest parts of the earth." when the Gentiles heard this, they received the word with joy, glorifying the Lord: and as many as were dispos'd to eternal life, believed. and the word of the Lord spread through the whole country. but the Jews having animated the women of quality of their religion, and the leading men of the city, raised a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and banish'd them from their territorys. so they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and went to Iconium. and the disciples were filled with joy, and with the holy spirit.

having talk'd with great freedom in the synagogue, Aquila and Priscilla, who had heard him, invited him home, and gave him a more distinct view of the gospel.

being come to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; according to his custom, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath-day, and standing up to read,

Immediately he maintained in the synagogues, that Jesus was the son of God.

for we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold a slave to sin.

wherefore the law is holy; and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

I own that the law is good, if a man make a right use of it:

but by the divine favour I am still preserv'd alive, testifying to the small and to the great nothing but what Moses and the prophets have predicted should happen: "that Christ should suffer: that he should be the first that was to rise from the dead: and that he should enlighten both the Jews and the Gentiles."

but the divine justification certified by the law and the prophets, is now clearly proposed independently of the law: that divine justification, which by faith in Jesus Christ is extended to all, that believe; for there is no distinction:

for had you believed Moses, you would have believed me: since he has spoke of me in his writings.

Having therefore set him a day, they came in great numbers to his lodgings; where he explain'd and confirm'd the reality of the gospel-dispensation, from morning to night, enforcing what the writings of Moses and the prophets had affirm'd concerning Jesus.

Philip meeting with Nathanael, said to him, we have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

you, I say, who received the law by the administration of angels, but have not however observ'd it.

"To what purpose then was the law?" it was added as a check to transgressors, till the offspring should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels with the intervention of a mediator.

for if the law deliver'd by angels was put in execution, and every transgression and disobedience was justly punish'd as it deserv'd;

humble your selves before the Lord, and he will raise you up. Don't, my brethren, treat one another with detraction. he that reflects upon his brother, and censures his brother, reflects upon the law, and censures the law: if you censure the law, instead of obeying it, you set up for a judge. there is but one legislator, and judge, he that has the power of life and death: who art thou, to pass sentence upon another?

Owe no man any thing, but mutual love: for he that loves others hath fulfilled the law. for this, "thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet;" and whatever social precept there be, it is reduced to this single head,

If, agreeably to the scriptures, you observe that royal law, "thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self," you do well.

Sentence of death therefore shall not pass upon those christians who do not lead a vicious life. for the christian dispensation of a spiritual life has set me free from the legal state of sin and death. God having sent his own son invested with a body like that of sinful men, as a sacrifice for sin, thereby destroyed its power; which the law could not effect, human nature being in such a corrupted state. read more.
so that the moral obligations of the law might be fulfilled by us, in living according to the spiritual, and not the carnal tenor thereof:

he replied, 'tis thus, "thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, and with all thy understanding; and thy neighbour as thy self."

these two precepts comprehend the substance of all the law and the prophets.

Jesus answer'd him, the first of all the commandments is thus deliver'd, "hear, o Israel, the lord our God is the only lord. you shall therefore love the lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, to the utmost of your understanding, and all your faculties." this is the first commandment. and the second, which has an affinity to it, is this: "you shall love your neighbour as yourself." there is no other commandment greater than these. read more.
the Scribe replied, what you have said, master, is very true, there is one God, and no other but he. and to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, with all its faculties, and to love one's neighbour as one's self is more acceptable than all the offerings and sacrifices in the world.

the law indeed was delivered by Moses, but grace and truth was the dispensation of Jesus Christ.

are all things lawful for me? yet all things are not expedient: are all things lawful for me? yet all things do not edify.

Are all things lawful for me? however, all things are not expedient: are all things lawful for me? however, I will not be a slave to any.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, so death by this sin; and thereby death passed upon all men, who all by his means became mortal. sin indeed was in the world all the time before the law: but then sin is not punished when there is no law.

Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to Jews acquainted with the law) that the law hath authority over a man, till it be abrogated? now a married woman is bound by the law to her living husband: but if her husband dieth, she is released from the marriage-contract. wherefore she will be reputed an adulteress if she become another man's during her husband's life: but if her husband dies, she is clear from that law, from the imputation of being an adulteress, though she become another man's. read more.
thus, my brethren, the law is become dead with respect to you by the body of Christ; that you might be subject to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. for when we were in the carnal state of the law, the sinful passions of that state set our animal faculties to work in the service of death. but now we are delivered by the death of the law, which held us in bondage: that we might serve according to the living spirit, and not in the dead letter of the law. Do we then conclude, that the law is the cause of sin? by no means; but I should not have had such a notion of sin, had it not been for the law: for I should not have known concupiscence was a sin, unless the law had said, "thou shalt not covet." but sin receiving strength by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. for before the law sin appear'd dead.

I say then, conduct yourselves by the spirit, and you will not then gratify the animal passions. for the vicious desires are contrary to those of the spirit, and the inclinations of the spirit are contrary to those of the animal part; these are opposite to each other, so that you do not the things that you would. but if you are governed by the spirit, you are not subject to the law.

but they that rest themselves upon the works of the law, are obnoxious to the curse: for it is written, " cursed is every one, who continueth not in all things, which are written in the book of the law, to do them:" but that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, is evident: for, " the just shall live by faith." now the law does not justify by FAITH, but says, "he that DOES these things shall live by them."

I own that the law is good, if a man make a right use of it: it being plain, that the law was not design'd against the just, but against the lawless and refractory, against irreligion and vice, impiety and prophaneness, parricide and man-slaughter, against licentiousness and unnatural passion, against men-stealers, lyars, perjured persons, and every thing that is inconsistent

Don't think that I am come to abolish the law or the prophets: I am not come to abolish, but to complete them. I assure you, heaven and earth may as well cease to be, as that one jot or one tittle of the law should fail of its completion.

Christ is of no use to you, whoever of you seek to be justified by the law; you have lost all interest in the gospel-dispensation. but as for us, our minds are possessed with the hopes of justification by faith. for in the christian-dispensation, neither circumcision avails any thing, nor uncircumcision, but an active benevolent faith.

when the Gentiles who have not the law, do by nature what the law prescribes, tho' these have not the law, they are a law to themselves: for they shew that the duties prescrib'd by the law, are written in their hearts, their consciences bearing witness to it, by their own reasonings alternately accusing and excusing them.

What shall we hence conclude? that the Gentiles who sought not after justice, have obtained justice, even to that which is by faith: but Israel, who followed the law of justice, hath not attained to the law of justice. why? because they sought it not by faith, but indeed by the works of the law: for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone; read more.
as it is written, "behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and a rock of offence: and whosoever believeth in him, shall not be ashamed."

for we conclude, that a man is justified by faith, without observing the legal rites. is God the God of the Jews only, and not of the Gentiles? surely he is of the Gentiles too; since it is one God, who will justify both the Jews and the Gentiles, through faith. read more.
do we then make the law useless by our doctrine of faith? by no means; on the contrary, it is we that observe the law.

Therefore as by one offence all men fell under condemnation: even so by one act of righteousness, all men are restored to life. for as by one man's disobedience many receiv'd the punishment of sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many receive the reward of the righteous. the law was introduc'd, that the greatness of the fall might fully appear; but the more sin display'd its enormity, the divine favour was so much the more transcendent. read more.
that as sin prevailed unto death, even so might the divine favour prevail by righteousness unto eternal life, thro' Jesus Christ our Lord.

the law and the prophets were the only rule till John's time: since when, the kingdom of God has been proclaim'd, and all sorts of people strive to be members. yet heaven and earth may sooner pass away, than any part of the law be unaccomplish'd.

"To what purpose then was the law?" it was added as a check to transgressors, till the offspring should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels with the intervention of a mediator.