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) 19} For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God^(AN) to be revealed. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it,^(AO) in hope ²¹ that^[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay^(AP) and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.^(AQ)

²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning^(AR) as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,^(AS) groan^(AT) inwardly as we wait eagerly^(AU) for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.^{(AV) 24} For in this hope we were saved.^(AW) But hope that is seen is no hope at all.^(AX) Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.^(AY)

²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit^(AZ) himself intercedes for us^(BA) through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts^(BB) knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes^(BC) for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good^(BD) of those who love him, who^[i] have been called^(BE) according to his purpose.^{(BF) 29} For those God foreknew^(BG) he also predestined^(BH) to be conformed to the image of his Son,^(BI) that he might be the firstborn^(BJ) among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined,^(BK) he also called;^(BL) those he called, he also justified;^(BM) those he justified, he also glorified.^(BN)

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things?^(BO) If God is for us,^(BP) who can be against us?^{(BQ) 32} He who did not spare his own Son,^(BR) 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^(BS) against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns?^(BT) No one. Christ Jesus who died^(BU)—more than that, who was raised to life^(BV)—is at the right hand of God^(BW) and is also interceding for us.^{(BX) 35} Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?^(BY) Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?^{(BZ) 36} As it is written:

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

A Lament Over Egypt

30 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

⁵ Cush and Libya,^(G) Lydia and all Arabia,^(H) Kub and the people^(I) of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.^(J)

⁶ “‘This is what the Lord says:

⁹ “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush^(O) out of her complacency. Anguish^(P) will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.^(Q)

¹⁰ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

I the Lord have spoken.

¹³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

Pharaoh’s Arms Are Broken

²⁰ In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(AL) 21} “Son of man, I have broken the arm^(AM) of Pharaoh^(AN) king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed^(AO) or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword. ²² Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt.^(AP) I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.^{(AQ) 23} I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.^{(AR) 24} I will strengthen^(AS) the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword^(AT) in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan^(AU) before him like a mortally wounded man. ²⁵ I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put my sword^(AV) into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.^{(AW) 26} I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.^(AX)”

Pharaoh as a Felled Cedar of Lebanon

31 In the eleventh year,^(AY) in the third month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(AZ) 2} “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:

¹⁰ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud^(BP) of its height, ¹¹ I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside,^{(BQ) 12} and the most ruthless of foreign nations^(BR) cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys;^(BS) its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it.^{(BT) 13} All the birds settled on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived among its branches.^{(BU) 14} Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined^(BV) for death,^(BW) for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead.^(BX)

¹⁵ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day it was brought down to the realm of the dead I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away.^{(BY) 16} I made the nations tremble^(BZ) at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the realm of the dead to be with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees^(CA) of Eden,^(CB) the choicest and best of Lebanon, the well-watered trees, were consoled^(CC) in the earth below.^{(CD) 17} They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword,^(CE) along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations.

¹⁸ “‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised,^(CF) with those killed by the sword.

“‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

A Lament Over Pharaoh

32 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(CG) 2} “Son of man, take up a lament^(CH) concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:

³ “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

¹¹ “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

¹⁶ “This is the lament^(DE) they will chant for her. The daughters of the nations will chant it; for Egypt and all her hordes they will chant it, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Egypt’s Descent Into the Realm of the Dead

¹⁷ In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:^{(DF) 18} “Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and consign^(DG) to the earth below both her and the daughters of mighty nations, along with those who go down to the pit.^{(DH) 19} Say to them, ‘Are you more favored than others? Go down and be laid among the uncircumcised.’^{(DI) 20} They will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; let her be dragged^(DJ) off with all her hordes.^{(DK) 21} From within the realm of the dead^(DL) the mighty leaders will say of Egypt and her allies, ‘They have come down and they lie with the uncircumcised,^(DM) with those killed by the sword.’

²² “Assyria is there with her whole army; she is surrounded by the graves of all her slain, all who have fallen by the sword. ²³ Their graves are in the depths of the pit^(DN) and her army lies around her grave.^(DO) All who had spread terror in the land of the living are slain, fallen by the sword.

²⁴ “Elam^(DP) is there, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword.^(DQ) All who had spread terror in the land of the living^(DR) went down uncircumcised to the earth below. They bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.^{(DS) 25} A bed is made for her among the slain, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised,^(DT) killed by the sword. Because their terror had spread in the land of the living, they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are laid among the slain.

²⁶ “Meshek and Tubal^(DU) are there, with all their hordes around their graves. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword because they spread their terror in the land of the living. ²⁷ But they do not lie with the fallen warriors of old,^[c](DV) who went down to the realm of the dead with their weapons of war—their swords placed under their heads and their shields^[d] resting on their bones—though these warriors also had terrorized the land of the living.

²⁸ “You too, Pharaoh, will be broken and will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.

²⁹ “Edom^(DW) is there, her kings and all her princes; despite their power, they are laid with those killed by the sword. They lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.^(DX)

³⁰ “All the princes of the north^(DY) and all the Sidonians^(DZ) are there; they went down with the slain in disgrace despite the terror caused by their power. They lie uncircumcised^(EA) with those killed by the sword and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.^(EB)

³¹ “Pharaoh—he and all his army—will see them and he will be consoled^(EC) for all his hordes that were killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord. ³² Although I had him spread terror in the land of the living, Pharaoh^(ED) and all his hordes will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord.”^(EE)