Chapter 4

1 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.

2 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator.

3 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

4 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.

5 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

6 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.

7 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.

8 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

9 On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai.

10 After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.

11 Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel:

12 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.

13 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,

14 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."

15 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak.

16 The people all responded together, "We will do everything the LORD has said." So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.

17 The LORD said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you." Then Moses told the LORD what the people had said.

18 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes

19 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

20 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, 'Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death.

21 They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.' Only when the ram's horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain."

22 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes.

23 Then he said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations."

24 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.

25 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

26 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently.

27 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.

28 The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up

29 and the LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish.

30 Even the priests, who approach the LORD, must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them."

31 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship

32 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace.

33 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

34 First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them"—though they were offered in accordance with the law.

35 "The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

36 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened — burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

37 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

38 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."

39 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.

40 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.

41 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.

42 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.

43 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.

44 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

45 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.

46 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;

47 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.

48 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."

49 The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.

50 All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.