¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel,^(A) because it is the power of God^(B) that brings salvation to everyone who believes:^(C) first to the Jew,^(D) then to the Gentile.^{(E) 17} For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed^(F)—a righteousness that is by faith^(G) from first to last,^[a] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”^[b](H)

God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

¹⁸ The wrath of God^(I) is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,

⁴ Or do you show contempt for the riches^(A) of his kindness,^(B) forbearance^(C) and patience,^(D) not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?^(E)

²³ for all have sinned^(A) and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified^(B) freely by his grace^(C) through the redemption^(D) that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[a](E) through the shedding of his blood^(F)—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished^(G)—

³ What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[a](A)

⁴ Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift^(B) but as an obligation. ⁵ However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.^{(C) 6} David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

⁹ Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised?^(E) We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.^{(F) 10} Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! ¹¹ And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.^(G) So then, he is the father^(H) of all who believe^(I) but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. ¹² And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

¹³ It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise^(J) that he would be heir of the world,^(K) but through the righteousness that comes by faith.^{(L) 14} For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless,^{(M) 15} because the law brings wrath.^(N) And where there is no law there is no transgression.^(O)

¹⁶ Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace^(P) and may be guaranteed^(Q) to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.^{(R) 17} As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.”^[c](S) He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life^(T) to the dead and calls^(U) into being things that were not.^(V)

¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations,^(W) just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”^{[d](X) 19} Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead^(Y)—since he was about a hundred years old^(Z)—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.^{(AA) 20} Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened^(AB) in his faith and gave glory to God,^{(AC) 21} being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.^{(AD) 22} This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”^{(AE) 23} The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, ²⁴ but also for us,^(AF) to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him^(AG) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.^{(AH) 25} He was delivered over to death for our sins^(AI) and was raised to life for our justification.^(AJ)

⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.^(A)

⁹ Since we have now been justified^(B) by his blood,^(C) how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath^(D) through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies,^(E) we were reconciled^(F) to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!^(G)

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)

Slaves to Righteousness

¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?^(Z) By no means! ¹⁶ Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey^(AA)—whether you are slaves to sin,^(AB) which leads to death,^(AC) or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God^(AD) that, though you used to be slaves to sin,^(AE) you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching^(AF) that has now claimed your allegiance. ¹⁸ You have been set free from sin^(AG) and have become slaves to righteousness.^(AH)

¹⁹ I am using an example from everyday life^(AI) because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness^(AJ) leading to holiness. ²⁰ When you were slaves to sin,^(AK) you were free from the control of righteousness.^{(AL) 21} What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!^{(AM) 22} But now that you have been set free from sin^(AN) and have become slaves of God,^(AO) the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.^{(AP) 23} For the wages of sin is death,^(AQ) but the gift of God is eternal life^(AR) in^[b] Christ Jesus our Lord.

Life Through the Spirit

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation^(A) for those who are in Christ Jesus,^{(B) 2} because through Christ Jesus^(C) the law of the Spirit who gives life^(D) has set you^[a] free^(E) from the law of sin^(F) and death. ³ For what the law was powerless^(G) to do because it was weakened by the flesh,^[b](H) God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh^(I) to be a sin offering.^[c](J) And so he condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement^(K) of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.^(L)

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

⁹ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh^(S) but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.^(T) And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,^(U) they do not belong to Christ. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you,^(V) then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life^[d] because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead^(W) is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies^(X) because of^[e] 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.^{(Y) 13} For if you live according to the flesh, you will die;^(Z) but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body,^(AA) you will live.^(AB)

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God^(AC) are the children of God.^{(AD) 15} The Spirit^(AE) you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again;^(AF) rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[f] And by him we cry, “Abba,^[g] Father.”^{(AG) 16} The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit^(AH) that we are God’s children.^{(AI) 17} Now if we are children, then we are heirs^(AJ)—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings^(AK) in order that we may also share in his glory.^(AL)

Present Suffering and Future Glory

¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.^(AM)

²⁹ For those God foreknew^(A) he also predestined^(B) to be conformed to the image of his Son,^(C) that he might be the firstborn^(D) among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined,^(E) he also called;^(F) those he called, he also justified;^(G) those he justified, he also glorified.^(H)

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things?^(I) If God is for us,^(J) who can be against us?^{(K) 32} He who did not spare his own Son,^(L) but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge^(M) against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns?^(N) No one. Christ Jesus who died^(O)—more than that, who was raised to life^(P)—is at the right hand of God^(Q) and is also interceding for us.^{(R) 35} Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?^(S) Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?^{(T) 36} As it is written:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors^(V) through him who loved us.^{(W) 38} For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[b] neither the present nor the future,^(X) nor any powers,^{(Y) 39} neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God^(Z) that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(AA)