Romans 8

Set free by the Spirit

1 So now there isn’t any condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.2 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.3 God has done what was impossible for the Law, since it was weak because of selfishness. God condemned sin in the body by sending his own Son to deal with sin in the same body as humans, who are controlled by sin.4 He did this so that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us. Now the way we live is based on the Spirit, not based on selfishness.5 People whose lives are based on selfishness think about selfish things, but people whose lives are based on the Spirit think about things that are related to the Spirit.6 The attitude that comes from selfishness leads to death, but the attitude that comes from the Spirit leads to life and peace.7 So the attitude that comes from selfishness is hostile to God. It doesn’t submit to God’s Law, because it can’t.

8 People who are self-centered aren’t able to please God.
9 But you aren’t self-centered. Instead you are in the Spirit, if in fact God’s Spirit lives in you. If anyone doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ, they don’t belong to him.10 If Christ is in you, the Spirit is your life because of God’s righteousness, but the body is dead because of sin.

11 If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your human bodies also, through his Spirit that lives in you.
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation, but it isn’t an obligation to ourselves to live our lives on the basis of selfishness.13 If you live on the basis of selfishness, you are going to die. But if you put to death the actions of the body with the Spirit, you will live.14 All who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons and daughters.15 You didn’t receive a spirit of slavery to lead you back again into fear, but you received a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children. With this Spirit, we cry, "Abba, Father."16 The same Spirit agrees with our spirit, that we are God’s children.

17 But if we are children, we are also heirs. We are God’s heirs and fellow heirs with Christ, if we really suffer with him so that we can also be glorified with him.

Our suffering and our hope

18 I believe that the present suffering is nothing compared to the coming glory that is going to be revealed to us.19 The whole creation waits breathless with anticipation for the revelation of God’s sons and daughters.20 Creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice—it was the choice of the one who subjected it—but in the hope21 that the creation itself will be set free from slavery to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of God’s children.22 We know that the whole creation is groaning together and suffering labor pains up until now.23 And it’s not only the creation. We ourselves who have the Spirit as the first crop of the harvest also groan inside as we wait to be adopted and for our bodies to be set free.24 We were saved in hope. If we see what we hope for, that isn’t hope. Who hopes for what they already see?

25 But if we hope for what we don’t see, we wait for it with patience.
26 In the same way, the Spirit comes to help our weakness. We don’t know what we should pray, but the Spirit himself pleads our case with unexpressed groans.27 The one who searches hearts knows how the Spirit thinks, because he pleads for the saints, consistent with God’s will.28 We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.29 We know this because God knew them in advance, and he decided in advance that they would be conformed to the image of his Son. That way his Son would be the first of many brothers and sisters.

30 Those who God decided in advance would be conformed to his Son, he also called. Those whom he called, he also made righteous. Those whom he made righteous, he also glorified.
31 So what are we going to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

32 He didn’t spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. Won’t he also freely give us all things with him?
33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect people? It is God who acquits them.

34 Who is going to convict them? It is Christ Jesus who died, even more, who was raised, and who also is at God’s right side. It is Christ Jesus who also pleads our case for us.
35 Who will separate us from Christ’s love? Will we be separated by trouble, or distress, or harassment, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

36 As it is written,
We are being put to death all day long for your sake.
We are treated like sheep for slaughter. t
37 But in all these things we win a sweeping victory through the one who loved us.38 I’m convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord: not death or life, not angels or rulers, not present things or future things, not powers

39 or height or depth, or any other thing that is created.

Romans 8

The Believer’s Relationship to the Holy Spirit

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.s2 For the law of the life-giving Spiritt in Christ Jesus has set yous free from the law of sin and death.3 For God achieved what the law could not do becauset it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

4 so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5 For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped byt the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit.6 For the outlookt of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace,7 because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.9 You, however, are not int the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, this person does not belong to him.10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, butt the Spirit is your lifet because of righteousness.

11 Moreover if the Spirit of the ones who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christs from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you.s
12 So then,t brothers and sisters,t we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh13 (for if you live according to the flesh, you willt die),s but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God aret the sons of God.15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear,t but you received the Spirit of adoption,t by whomt we cry, “Abba, Father.”16 The Spirit himself bears witness tot our spirit that we are God’s children.

17 And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)t – if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him.
18 For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be comparedt to the glory that will be revealed to us.19 For the creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God.20 For the creation was subjected to futility – not willingly but because of Godt who subjected it – in hope21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children.22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now.23 Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,t groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption,t the redemption of our bodies.t24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?

25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance.t
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray,t but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.27 And hes who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spiritt intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will.28 And we know that all things work togethers for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,29 because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Sont would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.t

30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.
31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?32 Indeed, he whot did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect?s It is God who justifies.34 Who is the one who will condemn? Christst is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding for us.35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?t36 As it is written, “For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”s37 No, in all these things we have complete victoryt through himt who loved us!38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers,t nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers,

39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.