All of us also lived among them at one time,(A) gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a](B) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

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Footnotes

  1. Ephesians 2:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.

At one time(A) we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

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14 As obedient(A) children, do not conform(B) to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.(C)

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22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off(A) your old self,(B) which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;(C)

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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)

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Footnotes

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

14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,(A) and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 13:14 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.

16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,(A) the lust of the eyes,(B) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

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12 Therefore do not let sin reign(A) in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

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in which you used to live(A) when you followed the ways of this world(B) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,(C) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.(D)

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The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God;(A) it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh(B) cannot please God.

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Surely I was sinful(A) at birth,(B)
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

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Instructions for Christian Living

17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer(A) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.(B) 18 They are darkened in their understanding(C) and separated from the life of God(D) because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.(E) 19 Having lost all sensitivity,(F) they have given themselves over(G) to sensuality(H) so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

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15 “We who are Jews by birth(A) and not sinful Gentiles(B) 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law,(C) but by faith in Jesus Christ.(D) So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in[a] Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.(E)

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Footnotes

  1. Galatians 2:16 Or but through the faithfulness of … justified on the basis of the faithfulness of

Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God?(A) Do not be deceived:(B) Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers(C) nor men who have sex with men[a](D) 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers(E) will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were.(F) But you were washed,(G) you were sanctified,(H) you were justified(I) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 6:9 The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.

10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;(A) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society

11 Dear friends,(B) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,(C) to abstain from sinful desires,(D) which wage war against your soul.(E)

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If we claim to be without sin,(A) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.(B) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins(C) and purify us from all unrighteousness.(D) 10 If we claim we have not sinned,(E) we make him out to be a liar(F) and his word is not in us.(G)

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As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires,(A) but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past(B) doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.(C)

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44 You belong to your father, the devil,(A) and you want to carry out your father’s desires.(B) He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.(C)

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Therefore, since we have these promises,(A) dear friends,(B) let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness(C) out of reverence for God.

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For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive?(A) And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

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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.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 7:18 Or my flesh

22 This righteousness(A) is given through faith(B) in[a] Jesus Christ(C) to all who believe.(D) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,(E) 23 for all have sinned(F) and fall short of the glory of God,

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:22 Or through the faithfulness of

No One Is Righteous

What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage?(A) Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.(B) 10 As it is written:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
11     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”[a](C)
13 “Their throats are open graves;
    their tongues practice deceit.”[b](D)
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”[c](E)
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[d](F)
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16     ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”[e](G)
18     “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[f](H)

19 Now we know that whatever the law says,(I) it says to those who are under the law,(J) so that every mouth may be silenced(K) and the whole world held accountable to God.(L)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Eccles. 7:20
  2. Romans 3:13 Psalm 5:9
  3. Romans 3:13 Psalm 140:3
  4. Romans 3:14 Psalm 10:7 (see Septuagint)
  5. Romans 3:17 Isaiah 59:7,8
  6. Romans 3:18 Psalm 36:1

19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth(A) and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

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14 “What are mortals, that they could be pure,
    or those born of woman,(A) that they could be righteous?(B)
15 If God places no trust in his holy ones,(C)
    if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,(D)
16 how much less mortals, who are vile and corrupt,(E)
    who drink up evil(F) like water!(G)

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