Faith and Belief (James 2:14–26)
1 CPDV O senseless Galatians, who has so fascinated you that you would not obey the truth, even though Jesus Christ has been presented before your eyes, crucified among you? BSB BSB: O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
2 CPDV I wish to know only this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? BSB BSB: I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
3 CPDV Are you so foolish that, though you began with the Spirit, you would now end with the flesh? BSB BSB: Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?
4 CPDV Have you been suffering so much without a reason? If so, then it is in vain. BSB BSB: Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing?
5 CPDV Therefore, does he who distributes the Spirit to you, and who works miracles among you, act by the works of the law, or by the hearing of the faith? BSB BSB: Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?
6 CPDV It is just as it was written: “Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.” BSB BSB: So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
7 CPDV Therefore, know that those who are of faith, these are the sons of Abraham. BSB BSB: Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham.
8 CPDV Thus Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, foretold to Abraham: “All nations shall be blessed in you.” BSB BSB: The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
9 CPDV And so, those who are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham. BSB BSB: So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Christ Has Redeemed Us 10 CPDV For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it has been written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the things that have been written in the book of the Law, so as to do them.” BSB BSB: All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
11 CPDV And, since in the law no one is justified with God, this is manifest: “For the just man lives by faith.” BSB BSB: Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
12 CPDV But the law is not of faith; instead, “he who does these things shall live by them.” BSB BSB: The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”
14 CPDV This was so that the blessing of Abraham might reach the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, in order that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. BSB BSB: He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
The Purpose of the Law (Romans 7:1–6)
15 CPDV Brothers (I speak according to man), if a man’s testament has been confirmed, no one would reject it or add to it. BSB BSB: Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.
16 CPDV The promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. He did not say, “and to descendents,” as if to many, but instead, as if to one, he said, “and to your offspring,” who is Christ. BSB BSB: The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.
17 CPDV But I say this: the testament confirmed by God, which, after four hundred and thirty years became the Law, does not nullify, so as to make the promise empty. BSB BSB: What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.
18 CPDV For if the inheritance is of the law, then it is no longer of the promise. But God bestowed it to Abraham through the promise. BSB BSB: For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.
19 CPDV Why, then, was there a law? It was established because of transgressions, until the offspring would arrive, to whom he made the promise, ordained by Angels through the hand of a mediator. BSB BSB: Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator.
20 CPDV Now a mediator is not of one, yet God is one. BSB BSB: A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one.
21 CPDV So then, was the law contrary to the promises of God? Let it not be so! For if a law had been given, which was able to give life, truly justice would be of the law. BSB BSB: Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law.
22 CPDV But Scripture has enclosed everything under sin, so that the promise, by the faith of Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. BSB BSB: But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.
23 CPDV But before the faith arrived, we were preserved by being enclosed under the law, unto that faith which was to be revealed. BSB BSB: Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.
24 CPDV And so the law was our guardian in Christ, in order that we might be justified by faith. BSB BSB: So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 CPDV But now that faith has arrived, we are no longer under a guardian. BSB BSB: Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
Sons through Faith in Christ 26 CPDV For you are all sons of God, through the faith which is in Christ Jesus. BSB BSB: You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 CPDV For as many of you as have been baptized in Christ have become clothed with Christ. BSB BSB: For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
29 CPDV And if you are Christ’s, then are you the offspring of Abraham, heirs according to the promise. BSB BSB: And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.