Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.^[a]

Psalm 51^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.^(A)

Released From the Law, Bound to Christ

7 Do you not know, brothers and sisters^(A)—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? ² For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him.^{(B) 3} So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress.^(C) But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.

⁴ So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law^(D) through the body of Christ,^(E) that you might belong to another,^(F) to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. ⁵ For when we were in the realm of the flesh,^[a](G) the sinful passions aroused by the law^(H) were at work in us,^(I) so that we bore fruit for death.^{(J) 6} But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law^(K) so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.^(L)

The Law and Sin

⁷ What shall we say, then?^(M) Is the law sinful? Certainly not!^(N) Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law.^(O) For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”^{[b](P) 8} But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,^(Q) produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.^{(R) 9} Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. ¹⁰ I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life^(S) actually brought death. ¹¹ For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment,^(T) deceived me,^(U) and through the commandment put me to death. ¹² So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.^(V)

¹³ Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good^(W) to bring about my death,^(X) so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

¹⁴ We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual,^(Y) sold^(Z) as a slave to sin.^{(AA) 15} I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.^{(AB) 16} And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.^{(AC) 17} As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.^{(AD) 18} For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[c](AE) 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.^{(AF) 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.^(AG)

²¹ So I find this law at work:^(AH) Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²² For in my inner being^(AI) I delight in God’s law;^{(AJ) 23} but I see another law at work in me, waging war^(AK) against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin^(AL) at work within me. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?^{(AM) 25} Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!^(AN)

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

Life Through the Spirit

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation^(AQ) for those who are in Christ Jesus,^{(AR) 2} because through Christ Jesus^(AS) the law of the Spirit who gives life^(AT) has set you^[e] free^(AU) from the law of sin^(AV) and death. ³ For what the law was powerless^(AW) to do because it was weakened by the flesh,^[f](AX) God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh^(AY) to be a sin offering.^[g](AZ) And so he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement^(BA) of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.^(BB)

⁵ Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires;^(BC) but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.^{(BD) 6} The mind governed by the flesh is death,^(BE) but the mind governed by the Spirit is life^(BF) and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God;^(BG) it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh^(BH) cannot please God.

⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh^(BI) but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.^(BJ) And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,^(BK) they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you,^(BL) then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life^[h] because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead^(BM) is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies^(BN) because of^[i] 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.^{(BO) 13} For if you live according to the flesh, you will die;^(BP) but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body,^(BQ) you will live.^(BR)

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God^(BS) are the children of God.^{(BT) 15} The Spirit^(BU) you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again;^(BV) rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[j] And by him we cry, “Abba,^[k] Father.”^{(BW) 16} The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit^(BX) that we are God’s children.^{(BY) 17} Now if we are children, then we are heirs^(BZ)—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings^(CA) in order that we may also share in his glory.^(CB)

Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness

⁵ This is the message we have heard^(A) from him and declare to you: God is light;^(B) in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness,^(C) we lie and do not live out the truth.^{(D) 7} But if we walk in the light,^(E) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all^[a] sin.^(F)

⁸ If we claim to be without sin,^(G) we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.^{(H) 9} If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins^(I) and purify us from all unrighteousness.^(J)