²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to gain Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might gain those under the law.

³ Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.^(A)

¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law.^(A)

²⁰ When they heard it, they praised God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealous for the law.^{(A) 21} They have been told about you that you teach all the Jews living among the gentiles to forsake Moses and that you tell them not to circumcise their children or observe the customs. ²² What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. ²³ So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow.^{(B) 24} Join these men, go through the rite of purification with them, and pay for the shaving of their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you but that you yourself observe and guard the law.^{(C) 25} But as for the gentiles who have become believers, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled^[a] and from sexual immorality.”^{(D) 26} Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having purified himself, he entered the temple with them, making public the completion of the days of purification when the sacrifice would be made for each of them.^(E)

² And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures,^{(A) 3} explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah^[a] to suffer and to rise from the dead and saying, “This is the Messiah,^[b] Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.”^(B)

The Allegory of Hagar and Sarah

²¹ Tell me, you who desire to be subject to the law, will you not listen to the law?

⁵ in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.^(A)

¹⁴ in order to make my own people^[a] jealous and thus save some of them.^(A)

¹⁴ For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.^(A)

Slaves of Righteousness

¹⁵ What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!

¹⁹ Now we know that, whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God.^(A)