Romans 8
GOD’S WORD Translation
God’s Spirit Makes Us His Children
8 So those who are believers in Christ Jesus can no longer be condemned. 2 The standards of the Spirit, who gives life through Christ Jesus, have set you free from the standards of sin and death. 3 It is impossible to do what God’s standards demand because of the weakness our human nature has. But God sent his Son to have a human nature as sinners have and to pay for sin. That way God condemned sin in our corrupt nature. 4 Therefore, we, who do not live by our corrupt nature but by our spiritual nature, are able to meet God’s standards in Moses’ Teachings.
5 Those who live by the corrupt nature have the corrupt nature’s attitude. But those who live by the spiritual nature have the spiritual nature’s attitude. 6 The corrupt nature’s attitude leads to death. But the spiritual nature’s attitude leads to life and peace. 7 This is so because the corrupt nature has a hostile attitude toward God. It refuses to place itself under the authority of God’s standards because it can’t. 8 Those who are under the control of the corrupt nature can’t please God. 9 But if God’s Spirit lives in you, you are under the control of your spiritual nature, not your corrupt nature.
Whoever doesn’t have the Spirit of Christ doesn’t belong to him. 10 However, if Christ lives in you, your bodies are dead because of sin, but your spirits are alive because you have God’s approval. 11 Does the Spirit of the one who brought Jesus back to life live in you? Then the one who brought Christ back to life will also make your mortal bodies alive by his Spirit who lives in you.
12 So, brothers and sisters, we have no obligation to live the way our corrupt nature wants us to live. 13 If you live by your corrupt nature, you are going to die. But if you use your spiritual nature to put to death the evil activities of the body, you will live. 14 Certainly, all who are guided by God’s Spirit are God’s children. 15 You haven’t received the spirit of slaves that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the spirit of God’s adopted children by which we call out, “Abba! [a] Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 If we are his children, we are also God’s heirs. If we share in Christ’s suffering in order to share his glory, we are heirs together with him.
God’s Spirit Helps Us
18 I consider our present sufferings insignificant compared to the glory that will soon be revealed to us. 19 All creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal who his children are. 20 Creation was subjected to frustration but not by its own choice. The one who subjected it to frustration did so in the hope 21 that it would also be set free from slavery to decay in order to share the glorious freedom that the children of God will have. 22 We know that all creation has been groaning with the pains of childbirth up to the present time.
23 However, not only creation groans. We, who have the Spirit as the first of God’s gifts, also groan inwardly. We groan as we eagerly wait for our adoption, the freeing of our bodies ⌞from sin⌟. 24 We were saved with this hope in mind. If we hope for something we already see, it’s not really hope. Who hopes for what can be seen? 25 But if we hope for what we don’t see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
26 At the same time the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we don’t know how to pray for what we need. But the Spirit intercedes along with our groans that cannot be expressed in words. 27 The one who searches our hearts knows what the Spirit has in mind. The Spirit intercedes for God’s people the way God wants him to.
Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God—those whom he has called according to his plan. 29 This is true because he already knew his people and had already appointed them to have the same form as the image of his Son. Therefore, his Son is the firstborn among many children. 30 He also called those whom he had already appointed. He approved of those whom he had called, and he gave glory to those whom he had approved of.
31 What can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 God didn’t spare his own Son but handed him over ⌞to death⌟ for all of us. So he will also give us everything along with him. 33 Who will accuse those whom God has chosen? God has approved of them. 34 Who will condemn them? Christ has died, and more importantly, he was brought back to life. Christ is in the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne. Christ also intercedes for us. 35 What will separate us from the love Christ has for us? Can trouble, distress, persecution, hunger, nakedness, danger, or violent death separate us from his love? 36 As Scripture says:
“We are being killed all day long because of you.
We are thought of as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 The one who loves us gives us an overwhelming victory in all these difficulties. 38 I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love which Christ Jesus our Lord shows us.[b] We can’t be separated by death or life, by angels or rulers, by anything in the present or anything in the future, by forces 39 or powers in the world above or in the world below, or by anything else in creation.
Romans 8
The Voice
8 Therefore, now no condemnation awaits those who are living in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, 2 because when you live in the Anointed One, Jesus, a new law takes effect. The law of the Spirit of life breathes into you and liberates you from the law of sin and death. 3 God did something the law could never do. You see, human flesh took its toll on God’s law. In and of itself, the law is not weak; but the flesh weakens it. So to condemn the sin that was ruling in the flesh, God sent His own Son, bearing the likeness of sinful flesh, as a sin offering. 4 Now we are able to live up to the justice demanded by the law. But that ability has not come from living by our fallen human nature; it has come because we walk according to the movement of the Spirit in our lives.
5 If you live your life animated by the flesh—namely, your fallen, corrupt nature—then your mind is focused on the matters of the flesh. But if you live your life animated by the Spirit—namely, God’s indwelling presence—then your focus is on the work of the Spirit. 6 A mind focused on the flesh is doomed to death, but a mind focused on the Spirit will find full life and complete peace. 7 You see, a mind focused on the flesh is declaring war against God; it defies the authority of God’s law and is incapable of following His path. 8 So it is clear that God takes no pleasure in those who live oriented to the flesh.
The power of sin and death has been eclipsed by the power of the Spirit. The Spirit breathes life into our mortal, sin-infested bodies—thanks to what Jesus has done for us. By sending His Son in “the likeness of sinful flesh,” God judges sin finally and completely. The sins of the world are concentrated and condemned in the flesh of Jesus as He hangs on the cross. So now there is no condemnation remaining for those who’ve entered into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
9 But you do not live in the flesh. You live in the Spirit, assuming, of course, that the Spirit of God lives inside of you. The truth is that anyone who does not have the Spirit of the Anointed living within does not belong to God. 10 If the Anointed One lives within you, even though the body is as good as dead because of the effects of sin, the Spirit is infusing you with life now that you are right with God. 11 If the Spirit of the One who resurrected Jesus from the dead lives inside of you, then you can be sure that He who raised Him will cast the light of life into your mortal bodies through the life-giving power of the Spirit residing in you.
As Paul ponders the story of redemption, he finds in the family unit a beautiful image of what salvation means. Those who enter into God’s salvation are adopted into God’s family. Before we receive the gift of God’s grace, we are homeless orphans searching for some place to belong. But now all that has changed. The Father reaches out through His Son to all those orphaned by sin and death, and He brings them into His family. We are adopted into His forever family and fully enfranchised as His heirs.
12 So, my brothers and sisters, you owe the flesh nothing! You do not need to live according to its ways, so abandon its oppressive regime. 13 For if your life is just about satisfying the impulses of your sinful nature, then prepare to die. But if you have invited the Spirit to destroy these selfish desires, you will experience life. 14 If the Spirit of God is leading you, then take comfort in knowing you are His children. 15 You see, you have not received a spirit that returns you to slavery, so you have nothing to fear. The Spirit you have received adopts you and welcomes you into God’s own family. That’s why we call out to Him, “Abba! Father!” as we would address a loving daddy. 16 Through that prayer, God’s Spirit confirms in our spirits that we are His children. 17 If we are God’s children, that means we are His heirs along with the Anointed, set to inherit everything that is His. If we share His sufferings, we know that we will ultimately share in His glory.
18 Now I’m sure of this: the sufferings we endure now are not even worth comparing to the glory that is coming and will be revealed in us. 19 For all of creation is waiting, yearning for the time when the children of God will be revealed. 20 You see, all of creation has collapsed into emptiness, not by its own choosing, but by God’s. Still He placed within it a deep and abiding hope 21 that creation would one day be liberated from its slavery to corruption and experience the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 For we know that all creation groans in unison with birthing pains up until now. 23 And there is more; it’s not just creation—all of us are groaning together too. Though we have already tasted the firstfruits of the Spirit, we are longing for the total redemption of our bodies that comes when our adoption as children of God is complete— 24 for we have been saved in this hope and for this future. But hope does not involve what we already have or see. For who goes around hoping for what he already has? 25 But if we wait expectantly for things we have never seen, then we hope with true perseverance and eager anticipation.
26 A similar thing happens when we pray. We are weak and do not know how to pray, so the Spirit steps in and articulates prayers for us with groaning too profound for words. 27 Don’t you know that He who pursues and explores the human heart intimately knows the Spirit’s mind because He pleads to God for His saints to align their lives with the will of God? 28 We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. 29-30 From the distant past, His eternal love reached into the future. You see, He knew those who would be His one day, and He chose them beforehand to be conformed to the image of His Son so that Jesus would be the firstborn of a new family of believers, all brothers and sisters. As for those He chose beforehand, He called them to a different destiny so that they would experience what it means to be made right with God and share in His glory.
31 So what should we say about all of this? If God is on our side, then tell me: whom should we fear? 32 If He did not spare His own Son, but handed Him over on our account, then don’t you think that He will graciously give us all things with Him? 33 Can anyone be so bold as to level a charge against God’s chosen? Especially since God’s “not guilty” verdict is already declared. 34 Who has the authority to condemn? Jesus the Anointed who died, but more importantly, conquered death when He was raised to sit at the right hand of God where He pleads on our behalf. 35 So who can separate us? What can come between us and the love of God’s Anointed? Can troubles, hardships, persecution, hunger, poverty, danger, or even death? The answer is, absolutely nothing. 36 As the psalm says,
On Your behalf, our lives are endangered constantly;
we are like sheep awaiting slaughter.[a]
37 But no matter what comes, we will always taste victory through Him who loved us. 38 For I have every confidence that nothing—not death, life, heavenly messengers, dark spirits, the present, the future, spiritual powers, 39 height, depth, nor any created thing—can come between us and the love of God revealed in the Anointed, Jesus our Lord.
Footnotes
Romans 8
New American Standard Bible
Deliverance from Bondage
8 Therefore there is now no (A)condemnation at all for those who are (B)in (C)Christ Jesus. 2 For (D)the law of the Spirit of life [a]in (E)Christ Jesus (F)has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For (G)what the Law could not do, [b](H)weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in (I)the likeness of [c]sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the (J)requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who (K)do not walk [d]according to the flesh but [e]according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on (L)the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, (M)the things of the Spirit. 6 (N)For the mind [f]set on the flesh is (O)death, but the mind [g]set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind [h]set on the flesh is (P)hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are (Q)in the flesh cannot please God.
9 However, you are not (R)in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God (S)dwells in you. But (T)if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 (U)If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is [i]alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who (V)raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, (W)He who raised (X)Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies [j]through His Spirit who dwells in you.
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for (Y)if you are living in accord with the flesh, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you are (Z)putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are (AA)being led by the Spirit of God, these are (AB)sons and daughters of God. 15 For you (AC)have not received a spirit of slavery [k]leading to fear again, but you (AD)have received [l]a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “(AE)Abba! [m]Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself (AF)testifies with our spirit that we are (AG)children of God, 17 and if children, (AH)heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, (AI)if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (AJ)are not worthy to be compared with the (AK)glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the (AL)eagerly awaiting creation waits for (AM)the revealing of the (AN)sons and daughters of God. 20 For the creation (AO)was subjected to (AP)futility, not willingly, but (AQ)because of Him who subjected it, [n]in hope 21 that (AR)the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation (AS)groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 (AT)And not only that, but also we ourselves, having (AU)the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves (AV)groan within ourselves, (AW)waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, (AX)the redemption of our body. 24 For (AY)in hope we have been saved, but (AZ)hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But (BA)if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
Our Victory in Christ
26 Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for (BB)we do not know what to pray for as we should, but (BC)the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with [o]groanings too deep for words; 27 and (BD)He who searches the hearts knows what (BE)the mind of the Spirit is, because He (BF)intercedes for the [p]saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that [q]God [r]causes (BG)all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are (BH)called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He (BI)foreknew, He also (BJ)predestined to become (BK)conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the (BL)firstborn among many brothers and sisters; 30 and these whom He (BM)predestined, He also (BN)called; and these whom He called, He also (BO)justified; and these whom He justified, He also (BP)glorified.
31 (BQ)What then shall we say to these things? (BR)If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who (BS)did not spare His own Son, but (BT)delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring charges against (BU)God’s elect? (BV)God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who (BW)condemns? Christ Jesus is He who (BX)died, but rather, was [s](BY)raised, who is (BZ)at the right hand of God, who also (CA)intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from (CB)the love of [t]Christ? Will (CC)tribulation, or trouble, or (CD)persecution, or (CE)famine, or (CF)nakedness, or (CG)danger, or sword? 36 Just as it is written:
“(CH)For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We were regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly (CI)conquer through (CJ)Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither (CK)death, nor life, nor (CL)angels, nor principalities, nor (CM)things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from (CN)the love of God that is (CO)in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Footnotes
- Romans 8:2 Or has set you free in Christ Jesus
- Romans 8:3 Lit in which it was weak
- Romans 8:3 Lit flesh of sin
- Romans 8:4 Or in accordance with
- Romans 8:4 Or in accordance with
- Romans 8:6 Lit of the
- Romans 8:6 Lit of the
- Romans 8:7 Lit of the
- Romans 8:10 Lit life
- Romans 8:11 One early ms because of
- Romans 8:15 Lit for fear again
- Romans 8:15 Or the Spirit
- Romans 8:15 Gr translation of the Aramaic Abba provided by Paul
- Romans 8:20 Or in hope; because the creation
- Romans 8:26 Lit wordless groanings
- Romans 8:27 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Romans 8:28 One early ms He; i.e., God
- Romans 8:28 Or in all things works together with those...for good
- Romans 8:34 One early ms raised from the dead
- Romans 8:35 Two early mss God
Romanos 8
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
No hay condenación para los que creen
8 Por tanto, ahora no hay condenación(A) para los que están en Cristo Jesús[a](B), los que no andan conforme a la carne sino conforme al Espíritu. 2 Porque la ley del Espíritu de vida en Cristo Jesús(C) te[b] ha libertado[c] de la ley del pecado y de la muerte(D).
3 Pues lo que la ley no pudo hacer, ya que era débil por causa de la carne(E), Dios lo hizo(F): enviando a Su propio Hijo en semejanza de carne de pecado y como ofrenda por el pecado, condenó al pecado en la carne(G), 4 para que el requisito de la ley(H) se cumpliera en nosotros, que no andamos conforme a la carne, sino conforme al Espíritu(I).
5 Porque los que viven[d] conforme a la carne(J), ponen la mente en las cosas de la carne, pero los que viven conforme al Espíritu, en las cosas del Espíritu(K). 6 Porque la mente puesta en la carne es muerte, pero la mente puesta en el Espíritu es vida y paz(L). 7 La mente puesta en la carne es enemiga de Dios(M), porque no se sujeta a la ley de Dios, pues ni siquiera puede hacerlo, 8 y los que están en la carne(N) no pueden agradar a Dios.
Viviendo según el Espíritu
9 Sin embargo, ustedes no están en la carne(O) sino en el Espíritu, si en verdad el Espíritu de Dios habita en ustedes(P). Pero si alguien no tiene el Espíritu de Cristo, el tal no es de Él(Q). 10 Y si Cristo está en ustedes, aunque el cuerpo esté muerto a causa del pecado, sin embargo, el espíritu está vivo[e] a causa de la justicia(R). 11 Pero si el Espíritu de Aquel que resucitó a Jesús de entre los muertos habita en ustedes(S), el mismo que resucitó a Cristo Jesús de entre los muertos, también dará vida a sus cuerpos mortales por medio de[f] Su Espíritu que habita en ustedes(T).
12 Así que, hermanos, somos deudores, no a la carne, para vivir conforme a la carne. 13 Porque si ustedes viven conforme a la carne, habrán de[g] morir; pero si por el Espíritu hacen morir las obras de la carne[h](U), vivirán(V). 14 Porque todos los que son guiados por el Espíritu de Dios(W), los tales son hijos de Dios(X).
15 Pues ustedes no han recibido un espíritu de esclavitud para volver otra vez al temor[i](Y), sino que han recibido un espíritu[j] de adopción(Z) como hijos, por el cual clamamos: «¡Abba, Padre(AA)!». 16 El Espíritu mismo da testimonio a nuestro espíritu(AB) de que somos hijos de Dios(AC). 17 Y si somos hijos, somos también herederos; herederos de Dios y coherederos con Cristo(AD), si en verdad padecemos con Él a fin de que también seamos glorificados con Él(AE).
La gloria futura
18 Pues considero que los sufrimientos de este tiempo presente no son dignos de ser comparados con la gloria que nos ha de ser revelada(AF). 19 Porque el anhelo profundo(AG) de la creación es aguardar ansiosamente la revelación de los hijos de Dios(AH). 20 Porque la creación fue sometida a vanidad(AI), no de su propia voluntad, sino por causa de Aquel(AJ) que la sometió, en la esperanza 21 de que la creación[k] misma será también liberada de la esclavitud de la corrupción a la libertad de la gloria de los hijos de Dios(AK).
22 Pues sabemos que la creación entera gime y sufre(AL) hasta ahora dolores de parto. 23 Y no solo ella(AM), sino que también nosotros mismos, que tenemos las primicias del Espíritu(AN), aun nosotros mismos gemimos en nuestro interior, aguardando ansiosamente(AO) la adopción como hijos, la redención de nuestro cuerpo(AP). 24 Porque en esperanza hemos sido salvados(AQ), pero la esperanza que se ve no es esperanza, pues, ¿por qué esperar lo que uno ve?[l](AR) 25 Pero si esperamos lo que no vemos, con paciencia[m] lo aguardamos(AS).
Victoriosos en Cristo
26 De la misma manera, también el Espíritu nos ayuda en nuestra debilidad. No sabemos orar como debiéramos(AT), pero el Espíritu mismo intercede por nosotros(AU) con gemidos indecibles. 27 Y Aquel que escudriña los corazones(AV) sabe cuál es el sentir[n] del Espíritu(AW), porque Él intercede por los santos(AX) conforme a la voluntad de Dios.
28 Y sabemos que para los que aman a Dios, todas las cosas(AY) cooperan para bien[o], esto es, para los que son llamados(AZ) conforme a Su propósito. 29 Porque a los que de antemano conoció(BA), también los predestinó(BB) a ser hechos conforme a la imagen de Su Hijo(BC), para que Él sea el primogénito(BD) entre muchos hermanos. 30 A los que predestinó(BE), a esos también llamó(BF). A los que llamó, a esos también justificó(BG). A los que justificó, a esos también glorificó(BH).
31 Entonces, ¿qué diremos(BI) a esto? Si Dios está por nosotros, ¿quién estará contra nosotros(BJ)? 32 El que no negó ni a Su propio Hijo(BK), sino que lo entregó por todos nosotros(BL), ¿cómo no nos dará también junto con Él todas las cosas?
33 ¿Quién acusará a los escogidos de Dios(BM)? Dios es el que justifica(BN). 34 ¿Quién es el que condena(BO)? Cristo Jesús es el que murió(BP), sí, más aún, el que resucitó[p](BQ), el que además está a la diestra de Dios(BR), el que también intercede por nosotros(BS).
35 ¿Quién nos separará del amor de Cristo[q](BT)? ¿Tribulación, o angustia(BU), o persecución, o hambre, o desnudez, o peligro, o espada(BV)? 36 Tal como está escrito:
«Por causa Tuya somos puestos a muerte todo el día;
Somos considerados como ovejas para el matadero(BW)».
37 Pero en todas estas cosas somos más que vencedores por medio de Aquel que nos amó(BX).
38 Porque estoy convencido de que ni la muerte, ni la vida(BY), ni ángeles, ni principados, ni lo presente, ni lo por venir, ni los poderes[r](BZ), 39 ni lo alto, ni lo profundo, ni ninguna otra cosa creada nos podrá separar del amor de Dios(CA) que es en Cristo Jesús Señor nuestro(CB).
Footnotes
- Romanos 8:1 Muchos mss. antiguos no incluyen el resto del vers.
- Romanos 8:2 Algunos mss. antiguos dicen: me.
- Romanos 8:2 O te ha libertado en Cristo Jesús.
- Romanos 8:5 Lit. son.
- Romanos 8:10 Lit. es vida.
- Romanos 8:11 Algunos mss. antiguos dicen: por causa de.
- Romanos 8:13 O están a punto de.
- Romanos 8:13 Lit. del cuerpo.
- Romanos 8:15 Lit. otra vez para temor.
- Romanos 8:15 O el Espíritu.
- Romanos 8:21 Algunos mss. antiguos dicen: en esperanza; porque la creación.
- Romanos 8:24 Algunos mss. antiguos dicen: ¿quién espera lo que ve?
- Romanos 8:25 O perseverancia.
- Romanos 8:27 O la mente.
- Romanos 8:28 Algunos mss. antiguos dicen: Dios hace que todas las cosas cooperen para bien.
- Romanos 8:34 Algunos mss. antiguos agregan: de entre los muertos.
- Romanos 8:35 Algunos mss. antiguos dicen: Dios.
- Romanos 8:38 O potestades; i.e. poderes espirituales.
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