Aa
The Life-Giving Spirit
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation8:1 Rm 5:16; 8:34 for those in8:1 Rm 8:9–10 Christ Jesus,8:1 Other mss add who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit8:1 Rm 8:11,39; 16:3
2because the law8:2 Or principle of the Spirit of life8:2 1Co 15:45 in Christ Jesus has set you8:2 Other mss read me free from the law8:2 Or principle of sin and death.8:2 Jn 8:32,36; Rm 6:14,18; 7:4
3For what the law could not do8:3 Ac 13:39; Heb 10:1–2 since it was weakened by the flesh,8:3 Rm 7:18; Heb 7:18 God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh8:3 Php 2:7; Heb 2:14,17; 4:15 as a sin offering,8:3 Or for sin8:3 Lv 5:6–7,11; 14:31; Is 53:10
4in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled8:4 Lk 1:6; Rm 2:26 in us who do not walk according to the flesh8:4 Gl 5:16 but according to the Spirit.
5For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh,8:5 Gl 5:19–25 but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit.
6Now the mindset of the flesh8:6 Gl 6:8 is death,8:6 Rm 6:21 but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace.
7The mindset of the flesh is hostile8:7 Jms 4:4 to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so.
8Those who are in the flesh8:8 Rm 7:5 cannot please God.
9You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.8:9 Jn 14:23; 1Co 3:16; 6:19; 2Co 6:16; 2Tm 1:14 If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,8:9 Jn 14:17; Gl 4:6; Php 1:19; 1Jn 4:13 he does not belong to him.
10Now if Christ is in you,8:10 Jn 17:23; Gl 2:20; Eph 3:17; Col 1:27 the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit8:10 Or spirit gives life8:10 Or your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead8:11 Ac 2:24; Rm 6:4 lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through8:11 Other mss read because of his Spirit who lives in you.
The Holy Spirit’s Ministries
12So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh,
13because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,8:13 Col 3:5 you will live.
14For all those led by God’s Spirit8:14 Gl 5:18 are God’s sons.8:14 Hs 1:10; Mt 5:9; Jn 1:12; Rm 9:8,26; 2Co 6:18; Gl 3:26; 1Jn 3:1; Rv 21:7
15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear.8:15 2Tm 1:7; Heb 2:15 Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption,8:15 Gl 4:5 by whom we cry out, “Abba,8:15 Aramaic for father Father!” 8:15 Mk 14:36; Gl 4:6
16The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit8:16 Ac 5:32 that we are God’s children,
17and if children, also heirs8:17 Ac 20:32; Gl 3:29; 4:7; Eph 3:6; Ti 3:7; Heb 1:14; Rv 21:7 — heirs of God and coheirs with Christ — if indeed we suffer with him8:17 2Co 1:5,7; Php 3:10; Col 1:24; 2Tm 2:12 so that we may also be glorified with him.
From Groans to Glory
18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing8:18 2Co 4:17; 1Pt 4:13 with the glory8:18 Rm 1:5; Col 3:4; Ti 2:13; 1Pt 5:1 that is going to be revealed to us.
19For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation8:19 Php 1:20 for God’s sons8:19 1Co 1:7; Col 3:4; 1Pt 1:7,13; 1Jn 3:2 to be revealed.
20For the creation was subjected8:20 Gn 3:17–19 to futility8:20 Ps 39:5; Ec 1:2 — not willingly, but because of him who subjected it8:20 Gn 3:17; 5:29 — in the hope
21that the creation itself8:21 Ac 3:21; 2Pt 3:13; Rv 21:1 will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children.
22For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains8:22 Jr 12:4,11 until now.
23Not only that,8:23 Rm 5:3 but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits8:23 Nm 15:17–21; 1Co 16:15; 2Co 1:22 — we also groan within ourselves,8:23 2Co 5:2,4 eagerly waiting for adoption,8:23 Gl 5:5 the redemption of our bodies.8:23 Rm 7:24
24Now in this hope8:24 1Th 5:8; Ti 3:7 we were saved, but hope8:24 Rm 4:18; 2Co 5:7; Heb 11:1 that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?
25Now if we hope for what we do not see,8:25 1Th 1:3 we eagerly wait for it with patience.
26In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should,8:26 Mt 20:22; 2Co 12:8 but the Spirit himself intercedes for us8:26 Some mss omit for us8:26 Jn 14:16; Rm 8:15–16; Eph 6:18 with inexpressible groanings.
27And he who searches our hearts8:27 Ps 139:1–5; Lk 16:15; Ac 1:24; Rv 2:23 knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28We know that all things work together8:28 Other mss read that God works together in all things for the good8:28 The ultimate good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.8:28 Rm 9:24; 11:29; 1Co 1:9; Gl 1:6,15; 5:8; Eph 1:11; 3:11; 2Th 2:14; Heb 9:15; 1Pt 2:9; 3:9
29For those he foreknew he also predestined8:29 Rm 9:23; 1Co 2:7; Eph 1:5,11 to be conformed to the image of his Son,8:29 1Co 15:49; Php 3:21; Col 3:10; 1Jn 3:2 so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.8:29 Col 1:18; Heb 1:6
30And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified;8:30 1Co 6:11 and those he justified, he also glorified.8:30 Jn 17:22; Rm 9:23; 1Co 2:7
The Believer’s Triumph
31What, then, are we to say about these things?8:31 Rm 3:5; 4:1 If God is for us, who is against us?8:31 Ps 118:6; Mt 1:23; Heb 13:6
32He did not even spare his own Son8:32 Jn 3:16; Rm 5:8 but gave him up for us all.8:32 Rm 4:25 How will he not also with him grant us everything?
33Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?8:33 Lk 18:7 God is the one who justifies.8:33 Is 50:8–9
34Who is the one who condemns?8:34 Rm 8:1 Christ Jesus is the one who died,8:34 Rm 5:6–8 but even more, has been raised;8:34 Ac 2:24 he also is at the right hand of God8:34 Mk 16:19 and intercedes for us.8:34 Heb 7:25; 9:24; 1Jn 2:1
35Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction8:35 Rm 2:9; 2Co 4:8 or distress or persecution8:35 1Co 4:11; 2Co 11:26–27 or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36As it is written:
Because of you
we are being put to death all day long; 8:36 Ac 20:24; 1Co 4:9; 15:30–31; 2Co 1:9; 6:9; 11:23
we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. 8:36 Ps 44:22 8:36 Is 53:7; Zch 11:4,7
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors8:37 Jn 16:33; 1Co 15:57 through him who loved us.8:37 Gl 2:20; Eph 5:2; Rv 1:5
38For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,8:38 1Co 3:22 nor angels nor rulers,8:38 1Co 15:24; Eph 1:21; 1Pt 3:22 nor things present nor things to come,8:38 1Co 3:22 nor powers,
39nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God8:39 Rm 5:8 that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.8:39 Rm 8:1