Nowthe promiseswere spokento Abrahamand to his seed.He does not say,"And to seeds,"as [referring] to many,but [rather] to one,"And to your seed,"that is, Christ.
And I will blessthose who blessyou, And the one who cursesyou I will curse.And in you allthe familiesof the earthwill be blessed."
The LORDappearedto Abramand said,"To your descendantsI will givethisland."So he builtan altarthereto the LORDwho had appearedto him.
And He tookhim outsideand said,"Nowlooktoward the heavens,and countthe stars,ifyou are ableto countthem." And He saidto him, "Soshall your descendantsbe."
But Godsaidto Abraham,"Do not be distressedbecauseof the ladand your maid;whateverSarahtellsyou, listento her, for throughIsaacyour descendantsshall be named.
"The sceptershall not departfrom Judah,Northe ruler'sstafffrom betweenhis feet,UntilShilohcomes,And to him [shall be] the obedienceof the peoples.
The recordof the genealogyof Jesusthe Messiah,the sonof David,the sonof Abraham:
As He spoketo our fathers,To Abrahamand his descendantsforever."
"It is you who are the sonsof the prophetsand of the covenantwhichGodmadewith your fathers,sayingto Abraham,AND IN YOUR SEEDALLTHE FAMILIESOF THE EARTHSHALL BE BLESSED.'
sowe, who are many,are onebodyin Christ,and individuallymembersoneof another.
For the promiseto Abrahamorto his descendantsthat he would be heirof the worldwas not throughthe Law,but throughthe righteousnessof faith.
For thisreason[it is] by faith,in orderthat [it may be] in accordancewith grace,sothat the promisewill be guaranteedto allthe descendants,not onlyto thosewho are of the Law,but alsoto thosewho are of the faithof Abraham,whois the fatherof us all,
whoare Israelites,to whombelongs the adoption as sons,and the gloryand the covenantsand the giving of the Lawand the [temple] serviceand the promises,
For evenas the bodyis oneand [yet] hasmanymembers,and allthe membersof the body,though they are many,are onebody,soalsois Christ.
Nowyou are Christ'sbody,and individuallymembersof it.
Are they Hebrews?Soam I. Are they Israelites?Soam I. Are they descendantsof Abraham?Soam I.
Whythe Lawthen?It was addedbecauseof transgressions,having been ordainedthroughangelsby the agencyof a mediator,untilthe seedwould cometo whomthe promise had been made.
The Scripture,foreseeingthat Godwould justifythe Gentilesby faith,preached the gospel beforehandto Abraham,[saying], "ALLTHE NATIONSWILL BE BLESSEDIN YOU."
Thismysteryis great;but I am speakingwith referenceto Christand the church.
and not holding fastto the head,from whomthe entirebody,being suppliedand held togetherby the jointsand ligaments,growswith a growthwhich is from God.
[a renewal] in whichthereis no[distinction between] Greekand Jew,circumcisedand uncircumcised,barbarian,Scythian,slaveand freeman,but Christis all,and in all.
