²⁶ As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.^(A)

Do Everything Without Grumbling

¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,^{(A) 13} for it is God who works in you^(B) to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.^(C)

¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling^(D) or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless^(E) and pure, “children of God^(F) without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^[a](G) Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ^(H) that I did not run^(I) or labor in vain.^(J)

¹⁵ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.^(A)

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.

²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?^{(A) 25} Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!^(B)

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law,^(C) but in my sinful nature^[a] a slave to the law of sin.^(D)

Life Through the Spirit

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation^(A) for those who are in Christ Jesus,^(B)