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
Romans 8
The Message
The Solution Is Life on God’s Terms
8 1-2 With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.
3-4 God went for the jugular when he sent his own Son. He didn’t deal with the problem as something remote and unimportant. In his Son, Jesus, he personally took on the human condition, entered the disordered mess of struggling humanity in order to set it right once and for all. The law code, weakened as it always was by fractured human nature, could never have done that.
The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for but we couldn’t deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us.
5-8 Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored.
9-11 But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won’t know what we’re talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God’s terms. It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!
12-14 So don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!
15-17 This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!
* * *
18-21 That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.
22-25 All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.
26-28 Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
29-30 God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun.
31-39 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.
None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.
Romans 8
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
8 There is now therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh.
2 For the law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, hath delivered me from the law of sin and of death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh; God sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh and of sin, hath condemned sin in the flesh;
4 That the justification of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.
5 For they that are according to the flesh, mind the things that are of the flesh; but they that are according to the spirit, mind the things that are of the spirit.
6 For the wisdom of the flesh is death; but the wisdom of the spirit is life and peace.
7 Because the wisdom of the flesh is an enemy to God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can it be.
8 And they who are in the flesh, cannot please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body indeed is dead, because of sin; but the spirit liveth, because of justification.
11 And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you; he that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead, shall quicken also your mortal bodies, because of his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
13 For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die: but if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live.
14 For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear; but you have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry: Abba (Father).
16 For the Spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God.
17 And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ: yet so, if we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us.
19 For the expectation of the creature waiteth for the revelation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him that made it subject, in hope:
21 Because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.
22 For we know that every creature groaneth and travaileth in pain, even till now.
23 And not only it, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body.
24 For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen, is not hope. For what a man seeth, why doth he hope for?
25 But if we hope for that which we see not, we wait for it with patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what the Spirit desireth; because he asketh for the saints according to God.
28 And we know that to them that love God, all things work together unto good, to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints.
29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son; that he might be the firstborn amongst many brethren.
30 And whom he predestinated, them he also called. And whom he called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who is against us?
32 He that spared not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how hath he not also, with him, given us all things?
33 Who shall accuse against the elect of God? God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that shall condemn? Christ Jesus that died, yea that is risen also again; who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? or distress? or famine? or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword?
36 (As it is written: For thy sake we are put to death all the day long. We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.)
37 But in all these things we overcome, because of him that hath loved us.
38 For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor might,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8
Expanded Bible
Be Ruled by the Spirit
8 So now, those who are in Christ Jesus are not ·judged guilty[a] [condemned; punished for their sins]. 2 [L For] ·Through [or In] Christ Jesus the ·law [principle; or power] of the Spirit that brings life set you[b] free from the ·law [principle; or power] that brings sin and death. 3 The law [C of Moses] was without power, because the law was made weak by our ·sinful selves [sinful nature; T flesh]. But God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son to earth ·with the same human life that others use for sin [or in a body like ours, prone to sin; L in the likeness of sinful flesh]. By sending his Son ·to be an offering for sin [L concerning sin], God ·used a human life to destroy sin [L condemned sin in the flesh]. 4 He did this so that ·we could be the kind of people that the law demands that we be [L the law’s righteous/just requirements would be fulfilled in us]. Now we do not ·live [walk; C life’s journey] following our ·sinful selves [sinful nature; T flesh], but following the Spirit.
5 Those who live following their ·sinful selves [sinful nature; T flesh] ·think only about [have their minds set on; or have their outlook shaped by] things that their ·sinful selves [sinful nature; T flesh] want. But those who live following the Spirit ·are thinking about [have their minds set on; or have their outlook shaped by] the things ·the Spirit wants them to do [L of the Spirit]. 6 If people’s ·thinking is controlled by [or outlook/mind is set on] the ·sinful self [sinful nature; T flesh], ·there is [the result is] death. But if their ·thinking is controlled by [or outlook/mind is set on] the Spirit, ·there is [the result is] life and peace. 7 When people’s ·thinking is controlled by [or outlook/mind is set on] the ·sinful self [sinful nature; T flesh], they are ·against [hostile to] God, because they refuse to ·obey [submit to] God’s law and really are not even able to ·obey [submit to] God’s law. 8 Those people who are ·ruled by [or under the control of; L in] ·their sinful selves [their sinful nature; T the flesh] cannot please God.
9 But you are not ·ruled by [controlled by; or in] ·your sinful selves [your sinful nature; T the flesh], but ·by [or in] the Spirit, if that Spirit of God really lives in you. But the person who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ. 10 Your body ·will always be [L is] dead because of sin. But if Christ is in you, then the Spirit ·gives you [L is] life, because ·Christ made you right with God [L of righteousness]. 11 God raised Jesus from the dead, and if God’s Spirit is living in you, the One who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies that die, through[c] his Spirit who lives in you.
12 So, my brothers and sisters, we ·must not be ruled by [L are not obligated to] ·our sinful selves [our sinful nature; T the flesh] or live ·the way our sinful selves want [according to the sinful nature/T flesh]. 13 [L For] If you ·use your lives to do the wrong things your sinful selves want [L live according to the flesh], you will ·die spiritually [L die]. But if you ·use the Spirit’s help to [L by the Spirit] ·stop doing the wrong things you do with [L put to death the deeds of] your body, you will ·have true life [L live].
14 For all those who are led by the Spirit of God are the ·children [or sons] of God. 15 ·The Spirit you received does not make you slaves again to fear [or You did not receive the spirit of slavery, leading to fear]; instead, you received the Spirit ·who adopts you as God’s children [L of adoption]. ·With [Through] that Spirit we cry out, “Abba [C Aramaic for “Father”; Mark 14:36], Father.” 16 And the Spirit himself ·joins with [or testifies to] our spirits to say we are God’s children. 17 If we are God’s children, we ·will receive blessings from God together with Christ [L are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ]. ·But we must [L …if indeed we] ·suffer as Christ suffered [share in his sufferings] so that we ·will have glory as Christ has glory [may share in his glory].
Our Future Glory
18 [L For I consider that] The sufferings we have now are nothing compared to the great glory that will be ·shown [revealed] to us. 19 ·Everything God made [L The creation] is waiting with ·excitement [eager expectation] for ·God to show his children’s glory completely [the revelation of the children/sons of God]. 20 ·Everything God made [L For the creation] was ·changed to become useless [subjected to futility/meaninglessness; Gen. 3; Eccl. 1:2], not by its own wish but because God ·wanted [L subjected] it ·and because all along there was this hope [yet with the hope…]: 21 that ·everything God made [the creation itself] would be set free from ·ruin [inevitable decay; L the slavery of decay] to have the ·freedom and glory [or glorious freedom] that belong to God’s children.
22 We know that ·everything God made [all creation] has been ·waiting until now in pain, like a woman ready to give birth [L groaning with labor pains until now]. 23 Not only the world, but we also ·have been waiting with pain inside us [L groan within ourselves]. We have the Spirit as the ·first part of God’s promise [L firstfruits; C as the first crops confirmed the future harvest, so the Spirit’s presence confirms believers’ final salvation]. So we are [eagerly] waiting for ·God to finish making us his own children [L our adoption], which means ·our bodies will be made free [L the redemption of our bodies]. 24 We were saved, ·and we have this hope [or …by this hope; L in hope]. If we see what we are waiting for, that is not really hope. ·People do not hope [L For who hopes…?] for something they already have. 25 But we are hoping for something we do not have yet, and we are waiting for it ·patiently [with perseverance].
26 ·Also [or In the same way], the Spirit helps us ·with [or in] our weakness. We do not know ·how to pray as we should [or what we ought to pray for]. But the Spirit himself ·speaks to God for us [intercedes] with ·deep feelings [L groanings] ·that words cannot explain [or that are inexpressible; or that are unspoken; or too deep for words]. 27 ·God can see what is in people’s hearts and [L The one who searches hearts] knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit ·speaks to God [intercedes; appeals] for ·his people [or his holy people; T the saints] ·in the way God wants [or in harmony with God; L according to God].
28 We know that ·in everything God works [or God works everything together; or everything works together (see text note)] for the good of those who love him.[d] They are the people he called, ·because that was his plan [L …according to his purpose]. 29 ·God knew them before he made the world [L For those whom he foreknew…], ·and he chose them […he also predestined/chose beforehand] to be ·like [molded to the pattern of; conformed to the image of] his Son so that Jesus would be the firstborn [C the preeminent one, but also indicating others will follow] of many brothers and sisters [C Jesus’ resurrection confirms that his followers will also share in God’s glory]. 30 And those God ·chose to be like his Son [predestined; chose beforehand], he also called; and those he called, he also ·made right with him [declared righteous; justified]; and those he ·made right [declared righteous; justified], he also glorified [C both a past act in Christ, and a future transformation].
God’s Love in Christ Jesus
31 So what should we say ·about this [in response to these things]? If God is for us, ·no one can defeat us [L who is against us?]. 32 He did not spare his own Son but ·gave him [or delivered him over; C to death] for us all. So with Jesus, ·God will surely [how could he not…?] give us all things. 33 Who can ·accuse [bring an accusation/charge against] the people God has chosen? No one, because God is the One who ·makes them right [declares them righteous; justifies them]. 34 Who can ·say God’s people are guilty [condemn; pronounce punishment]? No one, because Christ Jesus died, but he was also raised from the dead, and now he is on God’s right ·side [hand; Ps. 110:1], ·appealing to God [interceding; pleading] for us. 35 ·Can anything [or Who can] separate us from the love Christ has for us? Can ·troubles [trials; tribulations] or ·problems [distress; hardship] or ·sufferings [persecution] or ·hunger [famine] or ·nakedness [destitution] or danger or ·violent death [L sword]? 36 As it is written in the Scriptures:
“For ·you [your sake] we are ·in danger of death [L being put to death] all the time.
·People think we are worth no more than [L We were considered like] sheep ·to be killed [about to be slaughtered; Ps. 44:22].”
37 But in all these things we are completely victorious through ·God [or Christ; L the One] who showed his love for us. 38 Yes, I am ·sure [convinced] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ·ruling spirits [or heavenly rulers; or demons; L rulers; T principalities], nothing ·now [in the present], nothing in the future, no ·powers [or spiritual powers/authorities], 39 ·nothing above us [or no powers in the sky], ·nothing below us [or nor powers in the depths], nor ·anything else in the whole world [any created thing] will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Footnotes
- Romans 8:1 guilty Some Greek copies continue, “those who do not live in the power of their sinful selves, but in the power of the Spirit.”
- Romans 8:2 you Some Greek copies read “me.”
- Romans 8:11 through Some Greek copies read “because of.”
- Romans 8:28 We … him. Some Greek copies read “We know that everything works together for good for those who love God.”
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
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