The Law and the Promise

¹⁵ Brothers and sisters,^(A) let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. ¹⁶ The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.^(B) Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,”^[a](C) meaning one person, who is Christ. ¹⁷ What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years^(D) later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise;^(E) but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

¹⁹ Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions^(F) until the Seed^(G) to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels^(H) and entrusted to a mediator.^{(I) 20} A mediator,^(J) however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

²¹ Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!^(K) For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.^{(L) 22} But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin,^(M) so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

Children of God

²³ Before the coming of this faith,^[b] we were held in custody^(N) under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.^{(O) 24} So the law was our guardian until Christ came^(P) that we might be justified by faith.^{(Q) 25} Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.^(R)

²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God^(S) through faith, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ^(T) have clothed yourselves with Christ.^{(U) 28} There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,^(V) nor is there male and female,^(W) for you are all one in Christ Jesus.^{(X) 29} If you belong to Christ,^(Y) then you are Abraham’s seed,^(Z) and heirs^(AA) according to the promise.^(AB)

²² In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,^(A) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.^(B)

²³ It was necessary, then, for the copies^(C) of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one;^(D) he entered heaven itself,^(E) now to appear for us in God’s presence.^{(F) 25} Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place^(G) every year with blood that is not his own.^{(H) 26} Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.^(I) But he has appeared^(J) once for all^(K) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.^{(L) 27} Just as people are destined to die once,^(M) and after that to face judgment,^{(N) 28} so Christ was sacrificed once^(O) to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time,^(P) not to bear sin,^(Q) but to bring salvation^(R) to those who are waiting for him.^(S)

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

10 The law is only a shadow^(T) of the good things^(U) that are coming—not the realities themselves.^(V) For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect^(W) those who draw near to worship.^{(X) 2} Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.^{(Y) 3} But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.^{(Z) 4} It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats^(AA) to take away sins.^(AB)

⁵ Therefore, when Christ came into the world,^(AC) he said:

⁸ First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”^(AG)—though they were offered in accordance with the law. ⁹ Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.”^(AH) He sets aside the first to establish the second. ¹⁰ And by that will, we have been made holy^(AI) through the sacrifice of the body^(AJ) of Jesus Christ once for all.^(AK)

¹¹ Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices,^(AL) which can never take away sins.^{(AM) 12} But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins,^(AN) he sat down at the right hand of God,^{(AO) 13} and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.^{(AP) 14} For by one sacrifice he has made perfect^(AQ) forever those who are being made holy.^(AR)