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.

Psalm 24

Of David. A psalm.

Repent or Perish

13 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate^(A) had mixed with their sacrifices. ² Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?^{(B) 3} I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam^(C) fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no! But unless you repent,^(D) you too will all perish.”

⁶ Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.^{(E) 7} So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down!^(F) Why should it use up the soil?’

⁸ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

ל Lamedh

¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once^(A) were far away have been brought near^(B) by the blood of Christ.^(C)

¹⁴ For he himself is our peace,^(D) who has made the two groups one^(E) and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by setting aside in his flesh^(F) the law with its commands and regulations.^(G) His purpose was to create in himself one^(H) new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,^(I) by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷ He came and preached peace^(J) to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.^{(K) 18} For through him we both have access^(L) to the Father^(M) by one Spirit.^(N)

¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,^(O) but fellow citizens^(P) with God’s people and also members of his household,^{(Q) 20} built^(R) on the foundation^(S) of the apostles and prophets,^(T) with Christ Jesus himself^(U) as the chief cornerstone.^{(V) 21} In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple^(W) in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.^(X)

¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.^(A)

The World Hates the Disciples

¹⁸ “If the world hates you,^(B) keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you^(C) out of the world. That is why the world hates you.^{(D) 20} Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’^[a](E) If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.^(F) If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹ They will treat you this way because of my name,^(G) for they do not know the one who sent me.^{(H) 22} If I had not come and spoken to them,^(I) they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.^{(J) 23} Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works no one else did,^(K) they would not be guilty of sin.^(L) As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law:^(M) ‘They hated me without reason.’^[b](N)

The Work of the Holy Spirit

²⁶ “When the Advocate^(O) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father^(P)—the Spirit of truth^(Q) who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.^{(R) 27} And you also must testify,^(S) for you have been with me from the beginning.^(T)