Our freedom has been thus purchased in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing belonging to Abraham may come upon the nations, so that through faith we may receive the promised Spirit.
If you then, with all your human frailty, know how to give your children gifts that are good for them, how much more certainly will your Father who is in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!«
And remember that I am about to send out my Father's promised gift to rest upon you. But, as for you, wait patiently in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.«
He referred to the Spirit which those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not bestowed as yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
»Being therefore lifted high by the mighty hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out this which you see and hear.«
And in no other is the great salvation to be found; for, in fact, there is no second name under Heaven that has been given among men through which we are to be saved.«
For, in fact, in one Spirit all of us –whether we are Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free men– were baptized to form but one body; and we were all nourished by that one Spirit.
(Now the promises were given to Abraham and to his seed. God did not say »and to seeds,« as if speaking of many, but »and to your seed,« since He spoke of only one–and this is Christ.)
Answer me this one question, »Is it on the ground of your obedience to the Law that you received the Spirit, or is it because, when you heard, you believed?«
Now that, through your obedience to the truth, you have purified your souls for cherishing sincere brotherly love, you must love another heartily and fervently.
not requiting evil with evil nor abuse with abuse, but, on the contrary, giving a blessing in return, because a blessing is what you have been called by God to inherit.