Faith and Belief (James 2:14–26)
1 ULT O foolish Galatians! Who bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed{ as} crucified? BSB BSB: O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
2 ULT I want to learn only this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by 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 ULT Are you so foolish? Having begun by Spirit, are you now finishing by flesh? BSB BSB: Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?
4 ULT Have you experienced so many things for nothing— if indeed it was really for nothing? BSB BSB: Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing?
5 ULT Therefore, the one providing the Spirit to you and working miracles among you,{ is it} by works of the law, or by hearing of 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 ULT Just as Abraham“believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness,” BSB BSB: So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
7 ULT know, then, that the ones by faith, these are sons of Abraham. BSB BSB: Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham.
8 ULT And the Scripture, having foreseen that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham,“In you all the nations will be blessed.” 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 ULT So then, the ones by faith are blessed along with the believing Abraham. BSB BSB: So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Christ Has Redeemed Us 10 ULT For as many as are of works of the law are under a curse; for it is written,“Cursed{ is} everyone who does not abide by all the things written in the Book of the Law 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 ULT Now, that no one is justified before God by the law{ is} clear, because“The righteous will live 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 ULT Now the law is not by faith, but,“The one doing these things will live in 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 ULT so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that through faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. 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 ULT Brothers, I speak according to man. Nevertheless, no one sets aside or adds to a covenant established by man. BSB BSB: Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.
16 ULT Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say,“and to seeds,” as to many, but as to one,“and to your seed,” 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 ULT Now I say this: The law, having come after 430 years, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God to nullify the promise. 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 ULT For if the inheritance{ is} from the law,{ it is} no longer from promise. But God has graciously given{ it} to Abraham through a 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 ULT Why, then, the law? It was added because of transgressions, having been put into effect through angels by the hand of a mediator until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 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 ULT Now a mediator is not for one, but God is one. BSB BSB: A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one.
21 ULT Therefore{ is} the law against the promises? May it never be! For if a law was given being able to make alive,{ then} truly righteousness would have come by 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 ULT But the Scripture imprisoned all things under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to the ones believing. 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 ULT Now before the faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the faith about 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 ULT So the law became our guardian until Christ, so 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 ULT But faith having come, 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 ULT For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. BSB BSB: You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 ULT For as many as have been baptized into Christ put on Christ. BSB BSB: For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
29 ULT Now if you{ are} of Christ, then you are seed of Abraham, heirs according to 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.