But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. | But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction. |
And every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. | And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. |
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For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. | For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. |
But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. | But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. |
Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. | For as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous. |
For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. | For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. |
Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? | Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? |
And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. | This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ. |
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. | I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me. |
You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. | Enter in by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter in by it. How narrow is the gate and the way is restricted that leads to life! There are few who find it. |
All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” | Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel,” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.” |
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. | My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. |
Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. | But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its lusts. |
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. | And hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. |
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. | For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. |
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. | But speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ. |
For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. | For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm to the end. |
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) | But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved. |
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. | Doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself. |
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! | Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. |
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. | Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. |
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. | The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s love, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. |
For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. | You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace. |
May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ. | May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and into the perseverance of Christ. |
For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. | Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. |