and he receivedthe signof circumcision,a sealof the righteousnessof the faithwhich he had while uncircumcised,sothat he might be the fatherof allwho believewithout being circumcised,that righteousnessmight be creditedto them,
Now Abrahamwas ninety-nineyearsoldwhen he was circumcisedin the fleshof his foreskin.
The princesof the peoplehave assembledthemselves [as] the peopleof the Godof Abraham,For the shieldsof the earthbelong to God;He is highlyexalted.
The bloodshall be a signfor you on the houseswhereyou live; and when I seethe bloodI will passoveryou, and noplaguewill befallyou to destroy[you] when I strikethe landof Egypt.
"But as for you, speakto the sonsof Israel,saying,You shall surelyobserveMy sabbaths;for [this] is a signbetweenMe and you throughout your generations,that you may knowthat I am the LORDwho sanctifiesyou.
"It is a signbetweenMe and the sonsof Israelforever;for in sixdaysthe LORDmadeheavenand earth,but on the seventhdayHe ceased[from labor], and was refreshed."
"AlsoI gavethem My sabbathsto be a signbetweenMe and them, that they might knowthat I am the LORDwho sanctifiesthem.
SanctifyMy sabbaths;and they shall be a signbetweenMe and you, that you may knowthat I am the LORDyour God.'
SimonPeteranswered,"You are the Christ,the Sonof the livingGod."
"I sayto you that manywill comefrom eastand west,and recline[at the table] with Abraham,Isaacand Jacobin the kingdomof heaven;
And Jesussaidto him, "Todaysalvationhas cometo thishouse,becausehe, too,is a sonof Abraham.
"He who has receivedHis testimonyhas set his sealto [this], that Godis true.
"He who believesin the Sonhaseternallife;but he who does not obeythe Sonwill not seelife,but the wrathof Godabideson him."
Jesussaidto them, "I amthe breadof life;he who comesto Me will not hunger,and he who believesin Me will neverthirst.
"For thisis the willof My Father,that everyonewho beholdsthe Sonand believesin Him will haveeternallife,and I Myselfwill raisehim up on the lastday."
"Truly,truly,I sayto you, he who believeshaseternallife.
They answeredHim, "We are Abraham'sdescendantsand have neveryetbeen enslavedto anyone;howis it that You say,'You will becomefree'?"
For the Scripturesays,"WHOEVERBELIEVESIN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."
For Christis the endof the lawfor righteousnessto everyonewho believes.
But the righteousnessbasedon faithspeaksas follows:"DO NOT SAYIN YOUR HEART,'WHOWILL ASCENDINTO HEAVEN?'(that is, to bringChristdown),
even[the] righteousnessof Godthroughfaithin JesusChristfor allthosewho believe;for there is nodistinction;
for the demonstration,[I say], of His righteousnessat the presenttime,sothat He would be justand the justifierof the one who has faithin Jesus.
since indeedGodwhowill justifythe circumcisedby faithand the uncircumcisedthroughfaithis one.
Howthenwas it credited?While he was circumcised,oruncircumcised?Not while circumcised,but while uncircumcised;
Whatshall we saythen?That Gentiles,who did not pursuerighteousness,attainedrighteousness,eventhe righteousnesswhich is by faith;
justas it is written,"BEHOLD,I LAYIN ZIONA STONEOF STUMBLINGAND A ROCKOF OFFENSE,AND HE WHO BELIEVESIN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."
But [it is] not as thoughthe wordof Godhas failed.For they are not allIsraelwhoare [descended] from Israel;
who alsosealedus and gave[us] the Spiritin our heartsas a pledge.
But the Scripturehas shutup everyoneundersin,sothat the promiseby faithin JesusChristmight be givento thosewho believe.
And ifyou belong to Christ,thenyou are Abraham'sdescendants,heirsaccordingto promise.
Therefore,be surethat it is thosewho are of faithwhoare sonsof Abraham.
For we through the Spirit,by faith,are waitingfor the hopeof righteousness.
And those whowill walkby thisrule,peaceand mercy[be] upon them, and upon the Israelof God.
In Him, you also,after listeningto the messageof truth,the gospelof your salvation--having alsobelieved,you were sealedin Him with the HolySpiritof promise,
Do not grievethe HolySpiritof God,by whomyou were sealedfor the dayof redemption.
"Moreover the LORDyour Godwill circumciseyour heartand the heartof your descendants,to lovethe LORDyour Godwith allyour heartand with allyour soul,sothat you may live.
and may be foundin Him, not havinga righteousnessof my ownderivedfrom [the] Law,but that which is throughfaithin Christ,the righteousnesswhich [comes] from Godon the basisof faith,
By faithNoah,being warned[by God] aboutthings not yetseen,in reverencepreparedan arkfor the salvationof his household,by whichhe condemnedthe world,and becamean heirof the righteousnesswhich is accordingto faith.
SimonPeter,a bond-servantand apostleof JesusChrist,To thosewho have receiveda faithof the same kindas ours,by the righteousnessof our Godand Savior,JesusChrist:
They were toldnot to hurtthe grassof the earth,noranygreen thing,noranytree,but onlythe menwhodo not havethe sealof Godon their foreheads.
