An Illustration from Marriage

7 Since I am speaking to those who know the law, brothers and sisters,^(A) don’t you know that the law rules over someone as long as he lives? ² For example, a married woman is legally bound to her husband while he lives.^(B) But if her husband dies, she is released from the law regarding the husband. ³ So then, if she is married to another man while her husband is living, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law. Then, if she is married to another man, she is not an adulteress.

⁴ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were put to death^(C) in relation to the law^(D) through the body of Christ^(E) so that you may belong to another. You belong to him who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. ⁵ For when we were in the flesh,^(F) the sinful passions aroused through the law were working in us^[a](G) to bear fruit for death. ⁶ But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the newness of the Spirit^(H) and not in the old letter of the law.

Sin’s Use of the Law

⁷ What should we say then?^(I) Is the law sin? Absolutely not!^(J) But I would not have known sin if it were not for the law.^(K) For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.^{[b](L) 8} And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment,^(M) produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.^{(N) 9} Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life again ¹⁰ and I died. The commandment that was meant for life^(O) resulted in death for me. ¹¹ For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me,^(P) and through it killed me. ¹² So then, the law is holy,^(Q) and the commandment is holy and just and good. ¹³ Therefore, did what is good become death to me? Absolutely not!^(R) But sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure.

The Problem of Sin in Us

¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual,^(S) but I am of the flesh,^[c] sold^(T) as a slave under sin.^{(U) 15} For I do not understand what I am doing,^(V) because I do not practice what I want to do,^(W) but I do what I hate. ¹⁶ Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh.^(X) For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one that does it, but it is the sin that lives in me. ²¹ So I discover this law:^[d](Y) When I want to do what is good,^[e] evil is present with me. ²² For in my inner self^[f] I delight in God’s law,^{(Z) 23} but I see a different law in the parts of my body,^[g](AA) waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?^{(AB) 25} Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!^(AC) So then, with my mind I myself am serving the law of God, but with my flesh, the law of sin.

The Life-Giving Spirit

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation^(A) for those in^(B) Christ Jesus,^{[a](C) 2} because the law^[b] of the Spirit of life^(D) in Christ Jesus has set you^[c] free from the law^[d] of sin and death.^{(E) 3} For what the law could not do^(F) since it was weakened by the flesh,^(G) God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh^(H) as a sin offering,^{[e](I) 4} in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled^(J) in us who do not walk according to the flesh^(K) but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh,^(L) but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. ⁶ Now the mindset of the flesh^(M) is death,^(N) but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ The mindset of the flesh is hostile^(O) to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. ⁸ Those who are in the flesh^(P) cannot please God. ⁹ You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.^(Q) If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,^(R) he does not belong to him. ¹⁰ Now if Christ is in you,^(S) the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit^[f] gives life^[g] because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead^(T) lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through^[h] his Spirit who lives in you.

The Holy Spirit’s Ministries

¹² So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, ¹³ because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,^(U) you will live. ¹⁴ For all those led by God’s Spirit^(V) are God’s sons.^{(W) 15} For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear.^(X) Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption,^(Y) by whom we cry out, “Abba,^[i] Father!” ^{(Z) 16} The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit^(AA) that we are God’s children, ¹⁷ and if children, also heirs^(AB)—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him^(AC) so that we may also be glorified with him.

From Groans to Glory

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing^(AD) with the glory^(AE) that is going to be revealed to us. ¹⁹ For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation^(AF) for God’s sons^(AG) to be revealed. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected^(AH) to futility^(AI)—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it^(AJ)—in the hope ²¹ that the creation itself^(AK) will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. ²² For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains^(AL) until now. ²³ Not only that,^(AM) but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits^(AN)—we also groan within ourselves,^(AO) eagerly waiting for adoption,^(AP) the redemption of our bodies.^{(AQ) 24} Now in this hope^(AR) we were saved, but hope^(AS) that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? ²⁵ Now if we hope for what we do not see,^(AT) we eagerly wait for it with patience.

²⁶ In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should,^(AU) but the Spirit himself intercedes for us^[j](AV) with inexpressible groanings. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts^(AW) knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

²⁸ We know that all things work together^[a] for the good^[b] of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.^{(A) 29} For those he foreknew he also predestined^(B) to be conformed to the image of his Son,^(C) so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.^{(D) 30} And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified;^(E) and those he justified, he also glorified.^(F)

The Believer’s Triumph

³¹ What, then, are we to say about these things?^(G) If God is for us, who is against us?^{(H) 32} He did not even spare his own Son^(I) but gave him up for us all.^(J) How will he not also with him grant us everything? ³³ Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?^(K) God is the one who justifies.^{(L) 34} Who is the one who condemns?^(M) Christ Jesus is the one who died,^(N) but even more, has been raised;^(O) he also is at the right hand of God^(P) and intercedes for us.^{(Q) 35} Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction^(R) or distress or persecution^(S) or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 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 persuaded that neither death nor life,^(X) nor angels nor rulers,^(Y) nor things present nor things to come,^(Z) nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God^(AA) that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(AB)