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People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God's laws. If we follow our desires, we cannot please God.

You are no longer ruled by your desires, but by God's Spirit, who lives in you. People who don't have the Spirit of Christ in them don't belong to him. 10 But Christ lives in you. So you are alive because God has accepted you, even though your bodies must die because of your sins. 11 (A) Yet God raised Jesus to life! God's Spirit now lives in you, and he will raise you to life by his Spirit.

12 My dear friends, we must not live to satisfy our desires. 13 If you do, you will die. But you will live, if by the help of God's Spirit you say “No” to your desires. 14 Only those people who are led by God's Spirit are his children. 15 (B)(C) God's Spirit doesn't make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our Father.[a] 16 God's Spirit makes us sure that we are his children. 17 His Spirit lets us know that together with Christ we will be given what God has promised. We will also share in the glory of Christ, because we have suffered with him.

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Footnotes

  1. 8.15 our Father: The Greek text uses the Aramaic word “Abba” (meaning “father”), which shows the close relation between the children and their father.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires;(A) but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.(B) The mind governed by the flesh is death,(C) but the mind governed by the Spirit is life(D) and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God;(E) it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh(F) cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh(G) but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.(H) And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,(I) they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you,(J) then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[a] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead(K) is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies(L) because of[b] his Spirit who lives in you.

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.(M) 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die;(N) but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body,(O) you will live.(P)

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God(Q) are the children of God.(R) 15 The Spirit(S) you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again;(T) rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[c] And by him we cry, “Abba,[d] Father.”(U) 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit(V) that we are God’s children.(W) 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs(X)—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings(Y) in order that we may also share in his glory.(Z)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 8:10 Or you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive
  2. Romans 8:11 Some manuscripts bodies through
  3. Romans 8:15 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture; also in verse 23.
  4. Romans 8:15 Aramaic for father

God's Spirit and Our Own Desires

16 If you are guided by the Spirit, you won't obey your selfish desires. 17 (A) The Spirit and your desires are enemies of each other. They are always fighting each other and keeping you from doing what you feel you should. 18 But if you obey the Spirit, the Law of Moses has no control over you.

19 People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. 20 They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are 21 envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom.

22 God's Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, 23 gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways. 24 And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed our selfish feelings and desires. 25 God's Spirit has given us life, and so we should follow the Spirit. 26 But don't be conceited or make others jealous by claiming to be better than they are.

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16 So I say, walk by the Spirit,(A) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.(B) 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.(C) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[a] you want.(D) 18 But if you are led by the Spirit,(E) you are not under the law.(F)

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,(G) impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.(H) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.(I)

22 But the fruit(J) of the Spirit is love,(K) joy, peace,(L) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.(M) Against such things there is no law.(N) 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh(O) with its passions and desires.(P) 25 Since we live by the Spirit,(Q) let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited,(R) provoking and envying each other.

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 5:17 Or you do not do what