1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, <who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.>1623 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and of death. 3What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God has accomplished by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin. Thus he condemned sin in the flesh, 4so that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.1624 5For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit [set their minds] on the things of the Spirit. 6The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. 7This is because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God; certainly, it is not subject to God’s law, and indeed it cannot be. 8Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9However, you are not in the flesh but in the spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. But {surely}1625 anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 12And so, brethren, we are not in debt to the flesh that we should live after the flesh. 13For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, then you will live! 14As many as are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15You did not receive the spirit of bondage to [live in] fear again. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption through which we cry, “Abba!1626 Father!”
Adopted as children of God: hope of glory
16The Spirit himself1627 testifies with our spirit that we are children of God; 17and if [we are] children, then [we are] heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if indeed we suffer with him, so that we may also be glorified with him. 18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us. 19As it is, the creation waits with eager expectation for the revelation1628 of God’s children. 20Indeed, creation was subjected to futility,1629 not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21that creation will also be delivered from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22We know that the totality of creation groans and labors in pain until now. 23Moreover, so do we who have the first fruits of the Spirit! We groan within ourselves, awaiting the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24We were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope! Indeed, why does one still hope for what is seen? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26Also, the Spirit helps our weaknesses, because we do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us1630 with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27He who searches the hearts knows the way of thinking1631 of the Spirit, because the prayers that the Spirit makes for the saints are always in accordance with God.
God’s purpose: foreknowledge, predestination, justification, salvation, glorification
28We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. 29Whoever God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that his Son1632 might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Whoever God predestined, he also called. Those whom he called, he also justified. Those whom he justified, he also glorified.
31What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also give us all things with him freely? 33Who could bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies! 34Who is the one who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes and rather, who is risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
No separation from the love of God in Christ
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36Even as it is written:
For your sake we are killed all day long.
We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.1633
37No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38Indeed, I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul’s sorrow for Israel’s unbelief—God’s sovereign mercy
- Or “spirit”—Capitalization is difficult to ascertain in this section. CT omits “who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit”
- Or “spirit”—also in 4-9 (see note above)
- A possible meaning of ei
- Abba is an Aramaic word for father or daddy, often used affectionately and respectfully in prayer to our Father in heaven.
- The Greek is neuter (“itself”) as also in KJV and NAB since pneuma is neuter, but the context authorizes the use of “himself” since the personal attributes of the Spirit are emphasized in this passage.
- Greek avpoka,luyin
- Or “vanity/worthlessness/frustration”—the idea is that of a purpose that is both worthless and impossible to reach.
- CT omits “for us”
- Sometimes translated “mind,” but the Greek is fro,nhma
- Greek “he”
- Psalm 44:22/43 LXX
Text: The Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible, New Testament (EOB). Used with permission.
