Grace Alone: Ezra's Authority and Paul's Gospel

1. Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 2. the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 3. the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 4. the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 5. the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— 6. this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to Yahweh his God’s hand on him. 7. Some of the children of Israel, including some of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. 8. He came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9. For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him. 10. For Ezra had set his heart to seek Yahweh’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. 11. Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of Yahweh’s commandments, and of his statutes to Israel: 12. Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the perfect God of heaven. Now 13. I make a decree, that all those of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, who intend of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you. 14. Because you are sent by the king and his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your hand, 15. and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, 16. and all the silver and gold that you will find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; 17. therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, lambs, with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. 18. Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that according to the will of your God. 19. The vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver before the God of Jerusalem. 20. Whatever more will be needed for the house of your God, which you may have occasion to give, give it out of the king’s treasure house. 21. I, even I Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, it shall be done with all diligence, 22. up to one hundred talents of silver, and to one hundred cors of wheat, and to one hundred baths of wine, and to one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. 23. Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? 24. Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll, on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, or laborers of this house of God. 25. You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges, who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, who all know the laws of your God; and teach him who doesn’t know them. 26. Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. 27. Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify Yahweh’s house which is in Jerusalem; 28. and has extended loving kindness to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. I was strengthened according to Yahweh my God’s hand on me, and I gathered together chief men out of Israel to go up with me. 1. Now these are the heads of their fathers’ households, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king: 2. Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush. 3. Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were listed by genealogy of the males one hundred fifty. 4. Of the sons of Pahathmoab, Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah; and with him two hundred males. 5. Of the sons of Shecaniah, the son of Jahaziel; and with him three hundred males. 6. Of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan; and with him fifty males. 7. Of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah; and with him seventy males. 8. Of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael; and with him eighty males. 9. Of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel; and with him two hundred eighteen males. 10. Of the sons of Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah; and with him one hundred sixty males. 11. Of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai; and with him twenty-eight males. 12. Of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan; and with him one hundred ten males. 13. Of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last; and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them sixty males. 14. Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males. 15. I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days: and I looked around at the people the priests, and found there were none of the sons of Levi. 16. Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, for Elnathan, for Jarib, for Elnathan, for Nathan, for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib and for Elnathan, who were teachers. 17. I sent them out to Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia; and I told them what they should tell Iddo, and his brothers the temple servants, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God. 18. According to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen; 19. and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty; 20. and of the temple servants, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred twenty temple servants. All of them were mentioned by name. 21. Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our possessions. 22. For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.” 23. So we fasted and begged our God for this: and he granted our request. 24. Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them, 25. and weighed to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, his counselors, his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered. 26. I weighed into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, one hundred talents of silver vessels; one hundred talents of gold, 27. twenty bowls of gold weighing one thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold. 28. I said to them, “You are holy to Yahweh, and the vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a freewill offering to Yahweh, the God of your fathers. 29. Watch and keep them, until you weigh them before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites, and the princes of the fathers’ households of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the rooms of Yahweh’s house.” 30. So the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God. 31. Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the bandit by the way. 32. We came to Jerusalem, and stayed there three days. 33. On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levite; 34. everything by number and by weight; and all the weight was written at that time. 35. The children of the captivity, who had come out of exile, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve male goats for a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to Yahweh. 36. They delivered the king’s commissions to the king’s satraps, and to the governors beyond the River. So they supported the people and God’s house.

1. Paul, an apostle (not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead), 2. and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia: 3. Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4. who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father— 5. to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 6. I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”; 7. and there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you, and want to pervert the Good News of Christ. 8. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed. 9. As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed. 10. For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ. 11. But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man. 12. For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ. 13. For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God, and ravaged it. 14. I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15. But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace, 16. to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17. nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus. 18. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. 19. But of the other apostles I saw no one, except James, the Lord’s brother. 20. Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying. 21. Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22. I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ, 23. but they only heard: “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.” 24. And they glorified God in me. 1. Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me. 2. I went up by revelation, and I laid before them the Good News which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. 3. But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4. This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage; 5. to whom we gave no place in the way of subjection, not for an hour, that the truth of the Good News might continue with you. 6. But from those who were reputed to be important (whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God doesn’t show partiality to man)—they, I say, who were respected imparted nothing to me, 7. but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcised, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcised 8. (for he who worked through Peter in the apostleship with the circumcised also worked through me with the Gentiles); 9. and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision. 10. They only asked us to remember the poor—which very thing I was also zealous to do. 11. But when Peter came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12. For before some people came from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13. And the rest of the Jews joined him in his hypocrisy; so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. 14. But when I saw that they didn’t walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do? 15. “We, being Jews by nature, and not Gentile sinners, 16. yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law. 17. But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18. For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a law-breaker. 19. For I, through the law, died to the law, that I might live to God. 20. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. 21. I don’t reject the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!” 1. Foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you not to obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly portrayed among you as crucified? 2. I just want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith? 3. Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed in the flesh? 4. Did you suffer so many things in vain, if it is indeed in vain? 5. He therefore who supplies the Spirit to you, and does miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith? 6. Even as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.” 7. Know therefore that those who are of faith, the same are children of Abraham. 8. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations will be blessed.” 9. So then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. 10. For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11. Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.” 12. The law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live by them.” 13. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,” 14. that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 15. Brothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void, or adds to it. 16. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn’t say, “To descendants”, as of many, but as of one, “To your offspring”, which is Christ. 17. Now I say this: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect. 18. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by promise. 19. Then why is there the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20. Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one. 21. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law. 22. But the Scriptures imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24. So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26. For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. 27. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29. If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise. 1. But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a bondservant, though he is lord of all; 2. but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed by the father. 3. So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental principles of the world. 4. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, 5. that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children. 6. And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” 7. So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 8. However at that time, not knowing God, you were in bondage to those who by nature are not gods. 9. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again? 10. You observe days, months, seasons, and years. 11. I am afraid for you, that I might have wasted my labor for you. 12. I beg you, brothers, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong, 13. but you know that because of weakness in the flesh I preached the Good News to you the first time. 14. That which was a temptation to you in my flesh, you didn’t despise nor reject; but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15. What was the blessing you enjoyed? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. 16. So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17. They zealously seek you in no good way. No, they desire to alienate you, that you may seek them. 18. But it is always good to be zealous in a good cause, and not only when I am present with you. 19. My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you— 20. but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. 21. Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don’t you listen to the law? 22. For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman. 23. However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise. 24. These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar. 25. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to the Jerusalem that exists now, for she is in bondage with her children. 26. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27. For it is written, “Rejoice, you barren who don’t bear. Break out and shout, you that don’t travail. For more are the children of the desolate than of her who has a husband.” 28. Now we, brothers, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29. But as then, he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30. However what does the Scripture say? “Throw out the servant and her son, for the son of the servant will not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31. So then, brothers, we are not children of a servant, but of the free woman. 1. Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2. Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing. 3. Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4. You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace. 5. For we, through the Spirit, by faith wait for the hope of righteousness. 6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision amounts to anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith working through love. 7. You were running well! Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth? 8. This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9. A little yeast grows through the whole lump. 10. I have confidence toward you in the Lord that you will think no other way. But he who troubles you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11. But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been removed. 12. I wish that those who disturb you would cut themselves off. 13. For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another. 14. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15. But if you bite and devour one another, be careful that you don’t consume one another. 16. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire. 18. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19. Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, 20. idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, 21. envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom. 22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23. gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. 25. If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit. 26. Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another. 1. Brothers, even if a man is caught in some fault, you who are spiritual must restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to yourself so that you also aren’t tempted. 2. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3. For if a man thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4. But let each man examine his own work, and then he will have reason to boast in himself, and not in someone else. 5. For each man will bear his own burden. 6. But let him who is taught in the word share all good things with him who teaches. 7. Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9. Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don’t give up. 10. So then, as we have opportunity, let’s do what is good toward all men, and especially toward those who are of the household of the faith. 11. See with what large letters I write to you with my own hand. 12. As many as desire to make a good impression in the flesh compel you to be circumcised; just so they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13. For even they who receive circumcision don’t keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh. 14. But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15. For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16. As many as walk by this rule, peace and mercy be on them, and on God’s Israel. 17. From now on, let no one cause me any trouble, for I bear the marks of the Lord Jesus branded on my body. 18. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

1. Yahweh, my heart isn’t haughty, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me. 2. Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. 3. Israel, hope in Yahweh, from this time forward and forever more.