²¹ The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma^(A) and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground^(B) because of humans, even though^[a] every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood.^(C) And never again will I destroy^(D) all living creatures,^(E) as I have done.

¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light^(A) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.^(B)

²³ for all have sinned^(A) and fall short of the glory of God,

¹⁴ Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam,^(A) who is a pattern of the one to come.^(B)

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man,^(C) how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ,^(D) overflow to the many! ¹⁶ Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death^(E) reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life^(F) through the one man, Jesus Christ!

¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people,^(G) so also one righteous act resulted in justification^(H) and life^(I) for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man^(J) the many were made sinners,^(K) so also through the obedience^(L) of the one man the many will be made righteous.

²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.^(M) But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,^{(N) 21} so that, just as sin reigned in death,^(O) so also grace^(P) might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life^(Q) through Jesus Christ our Lord.

¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[a](A) For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.^{(B) 20} Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.^(C)

²¹ So I find this law at work:^(D) Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.

²² But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin,^(A) so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,^{(A) 2} in which you used to live^(B) when you followed the ways of this world^(C) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,^(D) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.^(E)

⁸ For you were once^(A) darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light^{(B) 9} (for the fruit^(C) of the light consists in all goodness,^(D) righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord.^(E)