T3 - Lech Lecha

Torah Portion 3 - Lech Lecha

Portion (parasha) for this week:

Lech Lecha | לך לך | "Go Forth"
Torah: Genesis 12:1-17:27  
Prophets: Isaiah 40:27 – 41:16
Brit Hadasha: Matthew 1:1-17; Acts 7:1-8; Romans 3:19-5:6; Galatians 3:15-26, 5:1-6; Colossians 2:11-15; Hebrews 7:1-19, 11:1-12
(click on a selected reading to be taken directly to it)

"Torah Portions" are a systematic teaching schedule that includes a portion of scripture from the Torah, Prophets, and Brit Hadasha each week.  This schedule is known all over the world, and serves as a great way to facilitate discussion and learning with others in the Body of the Messiah.

This Week's Torah Portion

Genesis 12:1 - 17:27

English Standard Version (ESV) 


The Call of Abram

12 Now YHWH said[a] to Abram, “Go from your country[b] and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”[c]

So Abram went, as YHWH had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak[d] of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then YHWH appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to YHWH, who had appeared to him. From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to YHWH and called upon the name of YHWH. And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.

Abram and Sarai in Egypt

10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. 16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

17 But YHWH afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. 18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” 20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.

Abram and Lot Separate

13 So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him,into the Negeb.

Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of YHWH. And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.

Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.[e] Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of YHWH, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before YHWH destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against YHWH.

14 YHWH said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” 18 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks[f] of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to YHWH.

Abram Rescues Lot

14 In the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, these kings made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea).Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim,and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the border of the wilderness. Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh) and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling in Hazazon-tamar.

Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddimwith Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. 11 So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.

13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks[g] of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram.14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.

Abram Blessed by Melchizedek

17 After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of Elohim Most High.) 19 And he blessed him and said,

“Blessed be Abram by Elohim Most High,
    Possessor[h] of heaven and earth;
20 and blessed be Elohim Most High,
    who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom,“I have lifted my hand[i] to YHWH, Elohim Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth,23 that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24 I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

Elohim's Covenant with Abram

15 After these things the word of YHWH came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O YHWH Elohim, what will you give me, for I continue[j] childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of YHWH came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son[k] shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed YHWH, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

And he said to him, “I am YHWH who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” But he said, “O YHWH Elohim, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. 11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then YHWH said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. 16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18 On that day YHWH made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give[l] this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”

Sarai and Hagar

16 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, YHWH has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children[m] by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.[n] And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May YHWH judge between you and me!” But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.

The angel of YHWH found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” The angel of YHWH said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel of YHWH also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” 11 And the angel of YHWH said to her,

“Behold, you are pregnant
    and shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,[o]
    because YHWH has listened to your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild donkey of a man,
    his hand against everyone
    and everyone's hand against him,
and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”

13 So she called the name of YHWH who spoke to her, “You are a Elohim of seeing,”[p] for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”[q] 14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi;[r] it lies between Kadesh and Bered.

15 And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Abraham and the Covenant of Circumcision

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old YHWH appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Elohim Almighty;[s] walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell on his face. And Elohim said to him, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram,[t] but your name shall be Abraham,[u] for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be Elohim to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their Elohim.”

And Elohim said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, 13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

Isaac's Birth Promised

15 And Elohim said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah[v] shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will give[w] you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”18 And Abraham said to Elohim, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” 19 Elohim said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac.[x] I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”

22 When he had finished talking with him, Elohim went up from Abraham. 23 Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as Elohim had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. 27 And all the men of his house, those born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

Footnotes:

  1. Genesis 12:1Or had said
  2. Genesis 12:1Or land
  3. Genesis 12:3Or by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves
  4. Genesis 12:6Or terebinth
  5. Genesis 13:8Hebrew we are men, brothers
  6. Genesis 13:18Or terebinths
  7. Genesis 14:13Or terebinths
  8. Genesis 14:19Or Creator; also verse 22
  9. Genesis 14:22Or I have taken a solemn oath
  10. Genesis 15:2Or I shall die
  11. Genesis 15:4Hebrew what will come out of your own loins
  12. Genesis 15:18Or have given
  13. Genesis 16:2Hebrew be built up, which sounds like the Hebrew for children
  14. Genesis 16:4Hebrew her mistress was dishonorable in her eyes; similarly in verse 5
  15. Genesis 16:11Ishmael means God hears
  16. Genesis 16:13Or You are a God who sees me
  17. Genesis 16:13Hebrew Have I really seen him here who sees me? or Would I have looked here for the one who sees me?
  18. Genesis 16:14Beer-lahai-roi means the well of the Living One who sees me
  19. Genesis 17:1Hebrew El Shaddai
  20. Genesis 17:5Abram means exalted father
  21. Genesis 17:5Abraham means father of a multitude
  22. Genesis 17:15Sarai and Sarah mean princess
  23. Genesis 17:16Hebrew have given
  24. Genesis 17:19Isaac means he laughs


Isaiah 40:27 - 41:16

English Standard Version (ESV) 



27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
    and speak, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from YHWH,
    and my right is disregarded by my Elohim”?
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
YHWH is the everlasting Elohim,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    his understanding is unsearchable.
29 He gives power to the faint,
    and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,
    and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 but they who wait for YHWH shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.

Fear Not, for I Am with You

41 Listen to me in silence, O coastlands;
    let the peoples renew their strength;
let them approach, then let them speak;
    let us together draw near for judgment.

Who stirred up one from the east
    whom victory meets at every step?[a]
He gives up nations before him,
    so that he tramples kings underfoot;
he makes them like dust with his sword,
    like driven stubble with his bow.
He pursues them and passes on safely,
    by paths his feet have not trod.
Who has performed and done this,
    calling the generations from the beginning?
I, YHWH, the first,
    and with the last; I am he.

The coastlands have seen and are afraid;
    the ends of the earth tremble;
    they have drawn near and come.
Everyone helps his neighbor
    and says to his brother, “Be strong!”
The craftsman strengthens the goldsmith,
    and he who smooths with the hammer him who strikes the anvil,
saying of the soldering, “It is good”;
    and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved.

But you, Israel, my servant,
    Jacob, whom I have chosen,
    the offspring of Abraham, my friend;
you whom I took from the ends of the earth,
    and called from its farthest corners,
saying to you, “You are my servant,
    I have chosen you and not cast you off”;
10 fear not, for I am with you;
    be not dismayed, for I am your Elohim;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

11 Behold, all who are incensed against you
    shall be put to shame and confounded;
those who strive against you
    shall be as nothing and shall perish.
12 You shall seek those who contend with you,
    but you shall not find them;
those who war against you
    shall be as nothing at all.
13 For I, YHWH your Elohim,
    hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not,
    I am the one who helps you.”

14 Fear not, you worm Jacob,
    you men of Israel!
I am the one who helps you, declaresYHWH;
    your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
15 Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge,
    new, sharp, and having teeth;
you shall thresh the mountains and crush them,
    and you shall make the hills like chaff;
16 you shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away,
    and the tempest shall scatter them.
And you shall rejoice in YHWH;
    in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.

Footnotes:

  1. Isaiah 41:2Or whom righteousness calls to follow?

Matthew 1:1-17

English Standard Version (ESV) 


The Genealogy of Yeshua HaMashiach

1 The book of the genealogy of Yeshua  HaMashiach, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,[a] and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph,[b] and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos,[c] and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,[d] and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Yeshua was born, who is called HaMashiach.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to HaMashiach fourteen generations.

Footnotes:

  1. Matthew 1:3 Greek Aram; also verse 4
  2. Matthew 1:7 Asaph is probably an alternate spelling of Asa; some manuscripts Asa; also verse 8
  3. Matthew 1:10 Amos is probably an alternate spelling of Amon; some manuscripts Amon; twice in this verse
  4. Matthew 1:12 Greek Salathiel; twice in this verse

What's the difference between Matthew 1 and Luke 3 for Messiah's Genealogy

 

Acts 7:1-8

English Standard Version (ESV) 

Stephen's Speech

7 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” And Stephen said:

“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The Elohim of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, Elohim removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. And Elohim spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said Elohim, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

 

Romans 3:19 - 5:6

English Standard Version (ESV) 

19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to Elohim.20 For by works of the law no human being[a] will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

The Righteousness of Elohim Through Faith

21 But now the righteousness of Elohim has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of Elohim through faith in Yeshua HaMashiach for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Elohim, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Yeshua HaMashiach, 25 whom Elohim put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show Elohim's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Yeshua.

27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is Elohim the Elohim of Jews only? Is he not the Elohim of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since Elohim is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Abraham Justified by Faith

4 What then shall we say was gained by[b] Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before Elohim. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed Elohim, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in[c] him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom Elohim counts righteousness apart from works:

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
    and whose sins are covered;
blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

The Promise Realized Through Faith

13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the Elohim in whom he believed,who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness[d] of Sarah's womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of Elohim, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to Elohim,21 fully convinced that Elohim was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Yeshua our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Peace with Elohim Through Faith

5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we[e] have peace with Elohim through our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach. Through him we have also obtained access by faith[f] into this grace in which we stand, and we[g] rejoice[h] in hope of the glory of Elohim. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because Elohim's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time HaMashiach died for the ungodly.

Footnotes:

  1. Romans 3:20 Greek flesh
  2. Romans 4:1 Some manuscripts say about
  3. Romans 4:5 Or but trusts; compare verse 24
  4. Romans 4:19 Greek deadness
  5. Romans 5:1 Some manuscripts let us
  6. Romans 5:2 Some manuscripts omit by faith
  7. Romans 5:2 Or let us; also verse 3
  8. Romans 5:2 Or boast; also verses 3, 11

Galatians 3:15-26

English Standard Version (ESV) 

The Law and the Promise

15 To give a human example, brothers:[a]even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one,“And to your offspring,” who is HaMashiach. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by Elohim, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but Elohim gave it to Abraham by a promise.

19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but Elohim is one.

21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of Elohim? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Yeshua HaMashiach might be given to those who believe.

23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until HaMashiach came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Yeshua HaMashiach you are all sons of Elohim, through faith.

Footnotes:

  1. Galatians 3:15 Or brothers and sisters

 

Galatians 5:1-6

English Standard Version (ESV) 

HaMashiach Has Set Us Free

5 For freedom HaMashiach has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, HaMashiach will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from HaMashiach, you who would be justified[a] by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Yeshua HaMashiach neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

Footnotes:

  1. Galatians 5:4 Or counted righteous

 

Colossians 2:11-15

English Standard Version (ESV)

11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of HaMashiach, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of Elohim, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, Elohim made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities[a] and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.[b]

Footnotes:

  1. Colossians 2:15 Probably demonic rulers and authorities
  2. Colossians 2:15 Or in it (that is, the cross)

 What was the record of debt and how does it relate to our salvation?

 

Hebrews 7:1-19

English Standard Version 

The Priestly Order of Melchizedek

7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High Elohim, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of Elohim he continues a priest forever.

See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils!And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers,[a] though these also are descended from Abraham. But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, 10 for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

Yeshua Compared to Melchizedek

11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. 13 For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

15 This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 16 who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is witnessed of him,

“You are a priest forever,
    after the order of Melchizedek.”

18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to Elohim.

Footnotes:

  1. Hebrews 7:5 Or brothers and sisters

 

Hebrews 11:1-12

English Standard Version (ESV) 

By Faith

11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of Elohim, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

By faith Abel offered to Elohim a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, Elohim commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because Elohim had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased Elohim. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to Elohim must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by Elohim concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is Elohim. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.