Galatians 4:24 这都是比方：那两个妇人就是两约。一约是出于西奈山，生子为奴，乃是夏甲。

4:24 MSG

逐節對照

新标点和合本 - 这都是比方：那两个妇人就是两约。一约是出于西奈山，生子为奴，乃是夏甲。
和合本2010（上帝版-简体） - 这是比方：那两个妇人就是两个约；一个妇人是出于西奈山，生子为奴，就是夏甲。
和合本2010（神版-简体） - 这是比方：那两个妇人就是两个约；一个妇人是出于西奈山，生子为奴，就是夏甲。
当代译本 - 这些事都有寓意，两个妇人代表两个约。夏甲代表颁布于西奈山的约，她生的孩子是奴仆。
圣经新译本 - 这都是寓意的说法：那两个妇人就是两个约，一个是出于西奈山，生子作奴仆，这是夏甲。
中文标准译本 - 这些都是有寓意的。就是说，这两个女人是两个约。一个出于西奈山，生子为奴，她就是夏甲。
现代标点和合本 - 这都是比方：那两个妇人就是两约。一约是出于西奈山，生子为奴，乃是夏甲。
和合本（拼音版） - 这都是比方，那两个妇人就是两约。一约是出于西奈山，生子为奴，乃是夏甲。
New International Version - These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar.
New International Reader's Version - These things are examples. The two women stand for two covenants. One covenant comes from Mount Sinai. It gives birth to children who are going to be slaves. It is Hagar.
English Standard Version - Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.
New Living Translation - These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them.
Christian Standard Bible - These things are being taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery — this is Hagar.
New American Standard Bible - This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from Mount Sinai giving birth to children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.
New King James Version - which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—
Amplified Bible - Now these facts are about to be used [by me] as an allegory [that is, I will illustrate by using them]: for these women can represent two covenants: one [covenant originated] from Mount Sinai [where the Law was given] that bears children [destined] for slavery; she is Hagar.
American Standard Version - Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.
King James Version - Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
New English Translation - These things may be treated as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar.
World English Bible - These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.
新標點和合本 - 這都是比方：那兩個婦人就是兩約。一約是出於西奈山，生子為奴，乃是夏甲。
和合本2010（上帝版-繁體） - 這是比方：那兩個婦人就是兩個約；一個婦人是出於西奈山，生子為奴，就是夏甲。
和合本2010（神版-繁體） - 這是比方：那兩個婦人就是兩個約；一個婦人是出於西奈山，生子為奴，就是夏甲。
當代譯本 - 這些事都有寓意，兩個婦人代表兩個約。夏甲代表頒佈於西奈山的約，她生的孩子是奴僕。
聖經新譯本 - 這都是寓意的說法：那兩個婦人就是兩個約，一個是出於西奈山，生子作奴僕，這是夏甲。
呂振中譯本 - 這些都是有寓意的：那兩個婦人就是兩個約：一個屬於西乃山，生子在奴役中，就是夏甲。
中文標準譯本 - 這些都是有寓意的。就是說，這兩個女人是兩個約。一個出於西奈山，生子為奴，她就是夏甲。
現代標點和合本 - 這都是比方：那兩個婦人就是兩約。一約是出於西奈山，生子為奴，乃是夏甲。
文理和合譯本 - 斯為寓言、蓋二女乃二約、一出自西乃山、所生者為僕、夏甲是也、
文理委辦譯本 - 斯可為二約譬、一則西乃山、使人為奴、夏甲是也、
施約瑟淺文理新舊約聖經 - 斯可為譬、二婦譬二約、一約自西乃山而傳、使人為奴、即夏甲、
吳經熊文理聖詠與新經全集 - 於此寓有象徵焉：彼二婦者、即二約也；一約出於西乃山、生子為奴、夏甲是也。
Nueva Versión Internacional - Ese relato puede interpretarse en sentido figurado: estas mujeres representan dos pactos. Uno, que es Agar, procede del monte Sinaí y tiene hijos que nacen para ser esclavos.
현대인의 성경 - 이것은 비유로서 두 여자는 두 계약을 말합니다. 한 계약은 시내산에서 받은 것으로 종살이할 아기를 낳은 하갈을 의미합니다.
Новый Русский Перевод - Здесь содержится иносказание: две женщины символизируют два завета. Один был заключен на горе Синай, и его символ – Агарь, рождающая детей в рабство.
Восточный перевод - Здесь содержится иносказание: две женщины символизируют два священных соглашения. Одно было заключено на горе Синай , и его символ – Хаджар, рождающая детей в рабство Закона.
Восточный перевод, версия с «Аллахом» - Здесь содержится иносказание: две женщины символизируют два священных соглашения. Одно было заключено на горе Синай , и его символ – Хаджар, рождающая детей в рабство Закона.
Восточный перевод, версия для Таджикистана - Здесь содержится иносказание: две женщины символизируют два священных соглашения. Одно было заключено на горе Синай , и его символ – Хаджар, рождающая детей в рабство Закона.
La Bible du Semeur 2015 - Il y a là une analogie : ces deux femmes représentent deux alliances. L’une de ces alliances, conclue sur le mont Sinaï, donne naissance à des enfants esclaves, c’est Agar qui la représente.
リビングバイブル - このことは、神様が人間を助けるために開かれた二つの道を示しています。一つは、律法を示して、それを守るようにとお命じになった道です。神様は、シナイ山でこの道をお示しになりました。その時、モーセに「十戒」をお与えになったのです。アラビヤ人はこのシナイ山を、「ハガル山」と呼んでいます。ここでアブラハムの奴隷である妻ハガルは、戒めに従うことによって神に喜ばれようとする生き方の象徴、ユダヤ人の母なる都エルサレムを表しています。そして、この生き方に従うユダヤ人は、すべてハガルが産んだ奴隷の子どもなのです。
Nestle Aland 28 - ἅτινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμενα· αὗται γάρ εἰσιν δύο διαθῆκαι, μία μὲν ἀπὸ ὄρους Σινᾶ εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἁγάρ.
unfoldingWord® Greek New Testament - ἅτινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμενα, αὗται γάρ εἰσιν δύο διαθῆκαι: μία μὲν ἀπὸ Ὄρους Σινά εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἁγάρ.
Nova Versão Internacional - Isso é usado aqui como ilustração ; estas mulheres representam duas alianças. Uma aliança procede do monte Sinai e gera filhos para a escravidão: esta é Hagar.
Hoffnung für alle - Am Beispiel dieser beiden Frauen will uns Gott zeigen, wie verschieden seine beiden Bündnisse mit den Menschen sind. Den einen Bund, für den Hagar steht, schloss Gott auf dem Berg Sinai mit dem Volk Israel, als er ihm das Gesetz gab. Dieses Gesetz aber versklavt uns.
Kinh Thánh Hiện Đại - Chuyện ấy tượng trưng cho hai giao ước, là phương pháp Đức Chúa Trời cứu giúp dân Ngài. Đức Chúa Trời ban hành luật pháp trên núi Si-nai để dân Ngài vâng giữ.
พระคริสตธรรมคัมภีร์ไทย ฉบับอมตธรรมร่วมสมัย - เรื่องนี้ถือเป็นการเปรียบเทียบได้ หญิงทั้งสองหมายถึงสองพันธสัญญา พันธสัญญาหนึ่งมาจากภูเขาซีนาย คือ นางฮาการ์ให้กำเนิดลูกทาส
พระคัมภีร์ ฉบับแปลใหม่ - สิ่งเหล่านี้เป็นคติสอนใจ ด้วยว่าหญิง 2 คนนั้นได้แก่พันธสัญญา 2 อย่าง พันธสัญญาหนึ่งมาจากภูเขาซีนาย คือนางฮาการ์ โดยมีบุตรภายใต้การเป็นทาส

交叉引用

Genesis 25:12 - This is the family tree of Ishmael son of Abraham, the son that Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, bore to Abraham.
Ezekiel 20:49 - And I said, “O God, everyone is saying of me, ‘He just makes up stories.’”
Galatians 5:1 - Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.
Luke 22:19 - Taking bread, he blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, given for you. Eat it in my memory.”
Luke 22:20 - He did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you.
Galatians 3:15 - Friends, let me give you an example from everyday affairs of the free life I am talking about. Once a person’s will has been signed, no one else can annul it or add to it. Now, the promises were made to Abraham and to his descendant. You will observe that Scripture, in the careful language of a legal document, does not say “to descendants,” referring to everybody in general, but “to your descendant” (the noun, note, is singular), referring to Christ. This is the way I interpret this: A will, earlier signed by God, is not annulled by an addendum attached 430 years later, thereby negating the promise of the will. No, this addendum, with its instructions and regulations, has nothing to do with the promised inheritance in the will.
Galatians 3:18 - What is the point, then, of the law, the attached addendum? It was a thoughtful addition to the original covenant promises made to Abraham. The purpose of the law was to keep a sinful people in the way of salvation until Christ (the descendant) came, inheriting the promises and distributing them to us. Obviously this law was not a firsthand encounter with God. It was arranged by angelic messengers through a middleman, Moses. But if there is a middleman as there was at Sinai, then the people are not dealing directly with God, are they? But the original promise is the direct blessing of God, received by faith.
Galatians 3:21 - If such is the case, is the law, then, an anti-promise, a negation of God’s will for us? Not at all. Its purpose was to make obvious to everyone that we are, in ourselves, out of right relationship with God, and therefore to show us the futility of devising some religious system for getting by our own efforts what we can only get by waiting in faith for God to complete his promise. For if any kind of rule-keeping had power to create life in us, we would certainly have gotten it by this time.
Hebrews 8:6 - But Jesus’ priestly work far surpasses what these other priests do, since he’s working from a far better plan. If the first plan—the old covenant—had worked out, a second wouldn’t have been needed. But we know the first was found wanting, because God said, Heads up! The days are coming when I’ll set up a new plan for dealing with Israel and Judah. I’ll throw out the old plan I set up with their ancestors when I led them by the hand out of Egypt. They didn’t keep their part of the bargain, so I looked away and let it go. This new plan I’m making with Israel isn’t going to be written on paper, isn’t going to be chiseled in stone; This time I’m writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts. I’ll be their God, they’ll be my people. They won’t go to school to learn about me, or buy a book called God in Five Easy Lessons. They’ll all get to know me firsthand, the little and the big, the small and the great. They’ll get to know me by being kindly forgiven, with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean. By coming up with a new plan, a new covenant between God and his people, God put the old plan on the shelf. And there it stays, gathering dust.
Genesis 16:3 - So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took her Egyptian maid Hagar and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. Abram had been living ten years in Canaan when this took place. He slept with Hagar and she got pregnant. When Hagar learned she was pregnant, she looked down on her mistress.
Genesis 16:15 - Hagar gave Abram a son. Abram named him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave him his son, Ishmael. * * *
Hebrews 9:16 - Like a will that takes effect when someone dies, the new covenant was put into action at Jesus’ death. His death marked the transition from the old plan to the new one, canceling the old obligations and accompanying sins, and summoning the heirs to receive the eternal inheritance that was promised them. He brought together God and his people in this new way.
Hebrews 9:18 - Even the first plan required a death to set it in motion. After Moses had read out all the terms of the plan of the law—God’s “will”—he took the blood of sacrificed animals and, in a solemn ritual, sprinkled the document and the people who were its beneficiaries. And then he attested its validity with the words, “This is the blood of the covenant commanded by God.” He did the same thing with the place of worship and its furniture. Moses said to the people, “This is the blood of the covenant God has established with you.” Practically everything in a will hinges on a death. That’s why blood, the evidence of death, is used so much in our tradition, especially regarding forgiveness of sins.
Hebrews 9:23 - That accounts for the prominence of blood and death in all these secondary practices that point to the realities of heaven. It also accounts for why, when the real thing takes place, these animal sacrifices aren’t needed anymore, having served their purpose. For Christ didn’t enter the earthly version of the Holy Place; he entered the Place Itself, and offered himself to God as the sacrifice for our sins. He doesn’t do this every year as the high priests did under the old plan with blood that was not their own; if that had been the case, he would have to sacrifice himself repeatedly throughout the course of history. But instead he sacrificed himself once and for all, summing up all the other sacrifices in this sacrifice of himself, the final solution of sin.
Romans 8:15 - This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him! * * *
Genesis 21:9 - One day Sarah saw the son that Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham, poking fun at her son Isaac. She told Abraham, “Get rid of this slave woman and her son. No child of this slave is going to share inheritance with my son Isaac!”
Genesis 21:11 - The matter gave great pain to Abraham—after all, Ishmael was his son. But God spoke to Abraham, “Don’t feel badly about the boy and your maid. Do whatever Sarah tells you. Your descendants will come through Isaac. Regarding your maid’s son, be assured that I’ll also develop a great nation from him—he’s your son, too.”
Hosea 11:10 - “The people will end up following God. I will roar like a lion— Oh, how I’ll roar! My frightened children will come running from the west. Like frightened birds they’ll come from Egypt, from Assyria like scared doves. I’ll move them back into their homes.” God’s Word! Ephraim tells lies right and left. Not a word of Israel can be trusted. Judah, meanwhile, is no better, addicted to cheap gods. * * *
1 Corinthians 10:11 - These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence.

逐節對照

交叉引用

新标点和合本 - 这都是比方：那两个妇人就是两约。一约是出于西奈山，生子为奴，乃是夏甲。
和合本2010（上帝版-简体） - 这是比方：那两个妇人就是两个约；一个妇人是出于西奈山，生子为奴，就是夏甲。
和合本2010（神版-简体） - 这是比方：那两个妇人就是两个约；一个妇人是出于西奈山，生子为奴，就是夏甲。
当代译本 - 这些事都有寓意，两个妇人代表两个约。夏甲代表颁布于西奈山的约，她生的孩子是奴仆。
圣经新译本 - 这都是寓意的说法：那两个妇人就是两个约，一个是出于西奈山，生子作奴仆，这是夏甲。
中文标准译本 - 这些都是有寓意的。就是说，这两个女人是两个约。一个出于西奈山，生子为奴，她就是夏甲。
现代标点和合本 - 这都是比方：那两个妇人就是两约。一约是出于西奈山，生子为奴，乃是夏甲。
和合本（拼音版） - 这都是比方，那两个妇人就是两约。一约是出于西奈山，生子为奴，乃是夏甲。
New International Version - These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar.
New International Reader's Version - These things are examples. The two women stand for two covenants. One covenant comes from Mount Sinai. It gives birth to children who are going to be slaves. It is Hagar.
English Standard Version - Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar.
New Living Translation - These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them.
Christian Standard Bible - These things are being taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery — this is Hagar.
New American Standard Bible - This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from Mount Sinai giving birth to children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar.
New King James Version - which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—
Amplified Bible - Now these facts are about to be used [by me] as an allegory [that is, I will illustrate by using them]: for these women can represent two covenants: one [covenant originated] from Mount Sinai [where the Law was given] that bears children [destined] for slavery; she is Hagar.
American Standard Version - Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.
King James Version - Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
New English Translation - These things may be treated as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery; this is Hagar.
World English Bible - These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.
新標點和合本 - 這都是比方：那兩個婦人就是兩約。一約是出於西奈山，生子為奴，乃是夏甲。
和合本2010（上帝版-繁體） - 這是比方：那兩個婦人就是兩個約；一個婦人是出於西奈山，生子為奴，就是夏甲。
和合本2010（神版-繁體） - 這是比方：那兩個婦人就是兩個約；一個婦人是出於西奈山，生子為奴，就是夏甲。
當代譯本 - 這些事都有寓意，兩個婦人代表兩個約。夏甲代表頒佈於西奈山的約，她生的孩子是奴僕。
聖經新譯本 - 這都是寓意的說法：那兩個婦人就是兩個約，一個是出於西奈山，生子作奴僕，這是夏甲。
呂振中譯本 - 這些都是有寓意的：那兩個婦人就是兩個約：一個屬於西乃山，生子在奴役中，就是夏甲。
中文標準譯本 - 這些都是有寓意的。就是說，這兩個女人是兩個約。一個出於西奈山，生子為奴，她就是夏甲。
現代標點和合本 - 這都是比方：那兩個婦人就是兩約。一約是出於西奈山，生子為奴，乃是夏甲。
文理和合譯本 - 斯為寓言、蓋二女乃二約、一出自西乃山、所生者為僕、夏甲是也、
文理委辦譯本 - 斯可為二約譬、一則西乃山、使人為奴、夏甲是也、
施約瑟淺文理新舊約聖經 - 斯可為譬、二婦譬二約、一約自西乃山而傳、使人為奴、即夏甲、
吳經熊文理聖詠與新經全集 - 於此寓有象徵焉：彼二婦者、即二約也；一約出於西乃山、生子為奴、夏甲是也。
Nueva Versión Internacional - Ese relato puede interpretarse en sentido figurado: estas mujeres representan dos pactos. Uno, que es Agar, procede del monte Sinaí y tiene hijos que nacen para ser esclavos.
현대인의 성경 - 이것은 비유로서 두 여자는 두 계약을 말합니다. 한 계약은 시내산에서 받은 것으로 종살이할 아기를 낳은 하갈을 의미합니다.
Новый Русский Перевод - Здесь содержится иносказание: две женщины символизируют два завета. Один был заключен на горе Синай, и его символ – Агарь, рождающая детей в рабство.
Восточный перевод - Здесь содержится иносказание: две женщины символизируют два священных соглашения. Одно было заключено на горе Синай , и его символ – Хаджар, рождающая детей в рабство Закона.
Восточный перевод, версия с «Аллахом» - Здесь содержится иносказание: две женщины символизируют два священных соглашения. Одно было заключено на горе Синай , и его символ – Хаджар, рождающая детей в рабство Закона.
Восточный перевод, версия для Таджикистана - Здесь содержится иносказание: две женщины символизируют два священных соглашения. Одно было заключено на горе Синай , и его символ – Хаджар, рождающая детей в рабство Закона.
La Bible du Semeur 2015 - Il y a là une analogie : ces deux femmes représentent deux alliances. L’une de ces alliances, conclue sur le mont Sinaï, donne naissance à des enfants esclaves, c’est Agar qui la représente.
リビングバイブル - このことは、神様が人間を助けるために開かれた二つの道を示しています。一つは、律法を示して、それを守るようにとお命じになった道です。神様は、シナイ山でこの道をお示しになりました。その時、モーセに「十戒」をお与えになったのです。アラビヤ人はこのシナイ山を、「ハガル山」と呼んでいます。ここでアブラハムの奴隷である妻ハガルは、戒めに従うことによって神に喜ばれようとする生き方の象徴、ユダヤ人の母なる都エルサレムを表しています。そして、この生き方に従うユダヤ人は、すべてハガルが産んだ奴隷の子どもなのです。
Nestle Aland 28 - ἅτινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμενα· αὗται γάρ εἰσιν δύο διαθῆκαι, μία μὲν ἀπὸ ὄρους Σινᾶ εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἁγάρ.
unfoldingWord® Greek New Testament - ἅτινά ἐστιν ἀλληγορούμενα, αὗται γάρ εἰσιν δύο διαθῆκαι: μία μὲν ἀπὸ Ὄρους Σινά εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶσα, ἥτις ἐστὶν Ἁγάρ.
Nova Versão Internacional - Isso é usado aqui como ilustração ; estas mulheres representam duas alianças. Uma aliança procede do monte Sinai e gera filhos para a escravidão: esta é Hagar.
Hoffnung für alle - Am Beispiel dieser beiden Frauen will uns Gott zeigen, wie verschieden seine beiden Bündnisse mit den Menschen sind. Den einen Bund, für den Hagar steht, schloss Gott auf dem Berg Sinai mit dem Volk Israel, als er ihm das Gesetz gab. Dieses Gesetz aber versklavt uns.
Kinh Thánh Hiện Đại - Chuyện ấy tượng trưng cho hai giao ước, là phương pháp Đức Chúa Trời cứu giúp dân Ngài. Đức Chúa Trời ban hành luật pháp trên núi Si-nai để dân Ngài vâng giữ.
พระคริสตธรรมคัมภีร์ไทย ฉบับอมตธรรมร่วมสมัย - เรื่องนี้ถือเป็นการเปรียบเทียบได้ หญิงทั้งสองหมายถึงสองพันธสัญญา พันธสัญญาหนึ่งมาจากภูเขาซีนาย คือ นางฮาการ์ให้กำเนิดลูกทาส
พระคัมภีร์ ฉบับแปลใหม่ - สิ่งเหล่านี้เป็นคติสอนใจ ด้วยว่าหญิง 2 คนนั้นได้แก่พันธสัญญา 2 อย่าง พันธสัญญาหนึ่งมาจากภูเขาซีนาย คือนางฮาการ์ โดยมีบุตรภายใต้การเป็นทาส

Genesis 25:12 - This is the family tree of Ishmael son of Abraham, the son that Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, bore to Abraham.
Ezekiel 20:49 - And I said, “O God, everyone is saying of me, ‘He just makes up stories.’”
Galatians 5:1 - Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.
Luke 22:19 - Taking bread, he blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, given for you. Eat it in my memory.”
Luke 22:20 - He did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you.
Galatians 3:15 - Friends, let me give you an example from everyday affairs of the free life I am talking about. Once a person’s will has been signed, no one else can annul it or add to it. Now, the promises were made to Abraham and to his descendant. You will observe that Scripture, in the careful language of a legal document, does not say “to descendants,” referring to everybody in general, but “to your descendant” (the noun, note, is singular), referring to Christ. This is the way I interpret this: A will, earlier signed by God, is not annulled by an addendum attached 430 years later, thereby negating the promise of the will. No, this addendum, with its instructions and regulations, has nothing to do with the promised inheritance in the will.
Galatians 3:18 - What is the point, then, of the law, the attached addendum? It was a thoughtful addition to the original covenant promises made to Abraham. The purpose of the law was to keep a sinful people in the way of salvation until Christ (the descendant) came, inheriting the promises and distributing them to us. Obviously this law was not a firsthand encounter with God. It was arranged by angelic messengers through a middleman, Moses. But if there is a middleman as there was at Sinai, then the people are not dealing directly with God, are they? But the original promise is the direct blessing of God, received by faith.
Galatians 3:21 - If such is the case, is the law, then, an anti-promise, a negation of God’s will for us? Not at all. Its purpose was to make obvious to everyone that we are, in ourselves, out of right relationship with God, and therefore to show us the futility of devising some religious system for getting by our own efforts what we can only get by waiting in faith for God to complete his promise. For if any kind of rule-keeping had power to create life in us, we would certainly have gotten it by this time.
Hebrews 8:6 - But Jesus’ priestly work far surpasses what these other priests do, since he’s working from a far better plan. If the first plan—the old covenant—had worked out, a second wouldn’t have been needed. But we know the first was found wanting, because God said, Heads up! The days are coming when I’ll set up a new plan for dealing with Israel and Judah. I’ll throw out the old plan I set up with their ancestors when I led them by the hand out of Egypt. They didn’t keep their part of the bargain, so I looked away and let it go. This new plan I’m making with Israel isn’t going to be written on paper, isn’t going to be chiseled in stone; This time I’m writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts. I’ll be their God, they’ll be my people. They won’t go to school to learn about me, or buy a book called God in Five Easy Lessons. They’ll all get to know me firsthand, the little and the big, the small and the great. They’ll get to know me by being kindly forgiven, with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean. By coming up with a new plan, a new covenant between God and his people, God put the old plan on the shelf. And there it stays, gathering dust.
Genesis 16:3 - So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took her Egyptian maid Hagar and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. Abram had been living ten years in Canaan when this took place. He slept with Hagar and she got pregnant. When Hagar learned she was pregnant, she looked down on her mistress.
Genesis 16:15 - Hagar gave Abram a son. Abram named him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave him his son, Ishmael. * * *
Hebrews 9:16 - Like a will that takes effect when someone dies, the new covenant was put into action at Jesus’ death. His death marked the transition from the old plan to the new one, canceling the old obligations and accompanying sins, and summoning the heirs to receive the eternal inheritance that was promised them. He brought together God and his people in this new way.
Hebrews 9:18 - Even the first plan required a death to set it in motion. After Moses had read out all the terms of the plan of the law—God’s “will”—he took the blood of sacrificed animals and, in a solemn ritual, sprinkled the document and the people who were its beneficiaries. And then he attested its validity with the words, “This is the blood of the covenant commanded by God.” He did the same thing with the place of worship and its furniture. Moses said to the people, “This is the blood of the covenant God has established with you.” Practically everything in a will hinges on a death. That’s why blood, the evidence of death, is used so much in our tradition, especially regarding forgiveness of sins.
Hebrews 9:23 - That accounts for the prominence of blood and death in all these secondary practices that point to the realities of heaven. It also accounts for why, when the real thing takes place, these animal sacrifices aren’t needed anymore, having served their purpose. For Christ didn’t enter the earthly version of the Holy Place; he entered the Place Itself, and offered himself to God as the sacrifice for our sins. He doesn’t do this every year as the high priests did under the old plan with blood that was not their own; if that had been the case, he would have to sacrifice himself repeatedly throughout the course of history. But instead he sacrificed himself once and for all, summing up all the other sacrifices in this sacrifice of himself, the final solution of sin.
Romans 8:15 - This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him! * * *
Genesis 21:9 - One day Sarah saw the son that Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham, poking fun at her son Isaac. She told Abraham, “Get rid of this slave woman and her son. No child of this slave is going to share inheritance with my son Isaac!”
Genesis 21:11 - The matter gave great pain to Abraham—after all, Ishmael was his son. But God spoke to Abraham, “Don’t feel badly about the boy and your maid. Do whatever Sarah tells you. Your descendants will come through Isaac. Regarding your maid’s son, be assured that I’ll also develop a great nation from him—he’s your son, too.”
Hosea 11:10 - “The people will end up following God. I will roar like a lion— Oh, how I’ll roar! My frightened children will come running from the west. Like frightened birds they’ll come from Egypt, from Assyria like scared doves. I’ll move them back into their homes.” God’s Word! Ephraim tells lies right and left. Not a word of Israel can be trusted. Judah, meanwhile, is no better, addicted to cheap gods. * * *
1 Corinthians 10:11 - These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence.