God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

¹⁸ The wrath of God^(A) is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, ¹⁹ since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.^{(B) 20} For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made,^(C) so that people are without excuse.^(D)

²¹ For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.^{(E) 22} Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools^{(F) 23} and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images^(G) made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

²⁴ Therefore God gave them over^(H) in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.^{(I) 25} They exchanged the truth about God for a lie,^(J) and worshiped and served created things^(K) rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.^(L) Amen.^(M)

²⁶ Because of this, God gave them over^(N) to shameful lusts.^(O) Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.^{(P) 27} In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.^(Q)

²⁸ Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over^(R) to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,^{(S) 30} slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents;^{(T) 31} they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love,^(U) no mercy. ³² Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death,^(V) they not only continue to do these very things but also approve^(W) of those who practice them.

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

6 What shall we say, then?^(A) Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?^{(B) 2} By no means! We are those who have died to sin;^(C) how can we live in it any longer? ³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized^(D) into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death^(E) in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead^(F) through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.^(G)

⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.^{(H) 6} For we know that our old self^(I) was crucified with him^(J) so that the body ruled by sin^(K) might be done away with,^[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin^(L)— ⁷ because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.^(M)

⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.^{(N) 9} For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead,^(O) he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.^{(P) 10} The death he died, he died to sin^(Q) once for all;^(R) but the life he lives, he lives to God.

¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin^(S) but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign^(T) in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³ Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness,^(U) but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.^{(V) 14} For sin shall no longer be your master,^(W) because you are not under the law,^(X) but under grace.^(Y)

¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.^{(A) 13} For if you live according to the flesh, you will die;^(B) but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body,^(C) you will live.^(D)

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)

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.

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) 23} to be made new in the attitude of your minds;^{(D) 24} and to put on^(E) the new self,^(F) created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.^(G)

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,^(A) set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.^{(B) 2} Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.^{(C) 3} For you died,^(D) and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your^[a] life,^(E) appears,^(F) then you also will appear with him in glory.^(G)

⁵ Put to death,^(H) therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:^(I) sexual immorality,^(J) impurity, lust, evil desires and greed,^(K) which is idolatry.^{(L) 6} Because of these, the wrath of God^(M) is coming.^{[b] 7} You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.^{(N) 8} But now you must also rid yourselves^(O) of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander,^(P) and filthy language from your lips.^{(Q) 9} Do not lie to each other,^(R) since you have taken off your old self^(S) with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self,^(T) which is being renewed^(U) in knowledge in the image of its Creator.^(V)

¹⁴ As obedient^(A) children, do not conform^(B) to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.^{(C) 15} But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;^{(D) 16} for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”^[a](E)

⁵ But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.^(A) And in him is no sin.^{(B) 6} No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.^(C) No one who continues to sin has either seen him^(D) or known him.^(E)

⁷ Dear children,^(F) do not let anyone lead you astray.^(G) The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.^{(H) 8} The one who does what is sinful is of the devil,^(I) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God^(J) appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.^{(K) 9} No one who is born of God^(L) will continue to sin,^(M) because God’s seed^(N) remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.