The Believer’s Triumph

³¹ What, then, are we to say about these things?^(A) If God is for us, who is against us?^{(B) 32} He did not even spare his own Son^(C) but gave him up for us all.^(D) How will he not also with him grant us everything? ³³ Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?^(E) God is the one who justifies.^{(F) 34} Who is the one who condemns?^(G) Christ Jesus is the one who died,^(H) but even more, has been raised;^(I) he also is at the right hand of God^(J) and intercedes for us.^{(K) 35} Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction^(L) or distress or persecution^(M) or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors^(P) through him who loved us.^{(Q) 38} For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,^(R) nor angels nor rulers,^(S) nor things present nor things to come,^(T) nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God^(U) that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(V)

Treasure in Clay Jars

⁷ Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power^(A) may be from God and not from us. ⁸ We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; ⁹ we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry the death of Jesus^(B) in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death^(C) for Jesus’s sake, so that Jesus’s life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then, death is at work in us, but life in you. ¹³ And since we have the same spirit of faith in keeping with what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,^[a](D) we also believe, and therefore speak. ¹⁴ For we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus^(E) and present us with you. ¹⁵ Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving^(F) to increase to the glory of God.

¹⁶ Therefore we do not give up.^(G) Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person^(H) is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our momentary light affliction^(I) is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.^{(J) 18} So we do not focus on what is seen,^(K) but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

⁶ I am sure of this, that he who started a good work^(A) in you^[a] will carry it on to completion^(B) until the day of Christ Jesus.