Deliverance from Bondage

8 Therefore there is now no ^(A)condemnation for those who are ^(B)in ^(C)Christ Jesus. ² For ^(D)the law of the Spirit of life ^[a]in ^(E)Christ Jesus ^(F)has set you free from the law of sin and of death. ³ For ^(G)what the Law could not do, ^[b](H)weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in ^(I)the likeness of ^[c]sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ so that the ^(J)requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who ^(K)do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on ^(L)the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, ^(M)the things of the Spirit. ^6 (N)For the mind set on the flesh is ^(O)death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, ⁷ because the mind set on the flesh is ^(P)hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, ⁸ and those who are ^(Q)in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ However, you are not ^(R)in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God ^(S)dwells in you. But ^(T)if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. ^10 (U)If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is ^[d]alive because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of Him who ^(V)raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, ^(W)He who raised ^(X)Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies ^[e]through His Spirit who dwells in you.

¹² So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— ¹³ for ^(Y)if you are living according to the flesh, you ^[f]must die; but if by the Spirit you are ^(Z)putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For all who are ^(AA)being led by the Spirit of God, these are ^(AB)sons of God. ¹⁵ For you ^(AC)have not received a spirit of slavery ^[g]leading to fear again, but you ^(AD)have received ^[h]a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “^(AE)Abba! Father!” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself ^(AF)testifies with our spirit that we are ^(AG)children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, ^(AH)heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, ^(AI)if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time ^(AJ)are not worthy to be compared with the ^(AK)glory that is to be revealed to us. ¹⁹ For the ^(AL)anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for ^(AM)the revealing of the ^(AN)sons of God. ²⁰ For the creation ^(AO)was subjected to ^(AP)futility, not willingly, but ^(AQ)because of Him who subjected it, ^[i]in hope ²¹ that ^(AR)the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole creation ^(AS)groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. ^23 (AT)And not only this, but also we ourselves, having ^(AU)the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves ^(AV)groan within ourselves, ^(AW)waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, ^(AX)the redemption of our body. ²⁴ For ^(AY)in hope we have been saved, but ^(AZ)hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? ²⁵ But ^(BA)if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

Our Victory in Christ

²⁶ In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for ^(BB)we do not know how to pray as we should, but ^(BC)the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; ²⁷ and ^(BD)He who searches the hearts knows what ^(BE)the mind of the Spirit is, because He ^(BF)intercedes for the ^[j]saints according to the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that ^[k]God causes ^(BG)all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are ^(BH)called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For those whom He ^(BI)foreknew, He also ^(BJ)predestined to become ^(BK)conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the ^(BL)firstborn among many brethren; ³⁰ and these whom He ^(BM)predestined, He also ^(BN)called; and these whom He called, He also ^(BO)justified; and these whom He justified, He also ^(BP)glorified.

^31 (BQ)What then shall we say to these things? ^(BR)If God is for us, who is against us? ³² He who ^(BS)did not spare His own Son, but ^(BT)delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? ³³ Who will bring a charge against ^(BU)God’s elect? ^(BV)God is the one who justifies; ³⁴ who is the one who ^(BW)condemns? Christ Jesus is He who ^(BX)died, yes, rather who was ^[l](BY)raised, who is ^(BZ)at the right hand of God, who also ^(CA)intercedes for us. ³⁵ Who will separate us from ^(CB)the love of ^[m]Christ? Will ^(CC)tribulation, or distress, or ^(CD)persecution, or ^(CE)famine, or ^(CF)nakedness, or ^(CG)peril, or sword? ³⁶ Just as it is written,

³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly ^(CI)conquer through ^(CJ)Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither ^(CK)death, nor life, nor ^(CL)angels, nor principalities, nor ^(CM)things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from ^(CN)the love of God, which is ^(CO)in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Solicitude for Israel

9 ^(CP)I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, ² that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. ³ For ^(CQ)I could ^[n]wish that I myself were ^(CR)accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen ^(CS)according to the flesh, ⁴ who are ^(CT)Israelites, to whom belongs ^(CU)the adoption as sons, and ^(CV)the glory and ^(CW)the covenants and ^(CX)the giving of the Law and ^(CY)the temple service and ^(CZ)the promises, ⁵ whose are ^(DA)the fathers, and ^(DB)from whom is ^[o]the Christ according to the flesh, ^(DC)who is over all, ^(DD)God ^(DE)blessed ^[p]forever. Amen.

⁶ But it is not as though ^(DF)the word of God has failed. ^(DG)For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; ⁷ nor are they all children ^(DH)because they are Abraham’s ^[q]descendants, but: “^[r](DI)through Isaac your ^[s]descendants will be named.” ⁸ That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are ^(DJ)children of God, but the ^(DK)children of the promise are regarded as ^[t]descendants. ⁹ For this is the word of promise: “^(DL)At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.” ^10 (DM)And not only this, but there was ^(DN)Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; ¹¹ for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that ^(DO)God’s purpose according to His choice would ^[u]stand, not ^[v]because of works but ^[w]because of Him who calls, ¹² it was said to her, “^(DP)The older will serve the younger.” ¹³ Just as it is written, “^(DQ)Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

^14 (DR)What shall we say then? ^(DS)There is no injustice with God, is there? ^(DT)May it never be! ¹⁵ For He says to Moses, “^(DU)I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” ¹⁶ So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who ^(DV)runs, but on ^(DW)God who has mercy. ¹⁷ For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “^(DX)For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed ^[x]throughout the whole earth.” ¹⁸ So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He ^(DY)hardens whom He desires.

^19 (DZ)You will say to me then, “^(EA)Why does He still find fault? For ^(EB)who resists His will?” ²⁰ On the contrary, who are you, ^(EC)O man, who ^(ED)answers back to God? ^(EE)The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? ²¹ Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel ^[y]for honorable use and another ^[z]for common use? ^22 [aa]What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much ^(EF)patience vessels of wrath ^(EG)prepared for destruction? ²³ And He did so to make known ^(EH)the riches of His glory upon ^(EI)vessels of mercy, which He ^(EJ)prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴ even us, whom He also ^(EK)called, ^(EL)not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. ²⁵ As He says also in Hosea,

²⁷ Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, “^(EP)Though the number of the sons of Israel be ^(EQ)like the sand of the sea, it is ^(ER)the remnant that will be saved; ^28 (ES)for the Lord will execute His word on the earth, ^[ab]thoroughly and ^[ac]quickly.” ²⁹ And just as Isaiah foretold,

^30 (EW)What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even ^(EX)the righteousness which is ^[ag]by faith; ³¹ but Israel, ^(EY)pursuing a law of righteousness, did not ^(EZ)arrive at that law. ³² Why? Because they did not pursue it ^[ah]by faith, but as though it were ^[ai]by works. They stumbled over ^(FA)the stumbling stone, ³³ just as it is written,

Sonship in Christ

4 Now I say, as long as the heir is a ^[a]child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is ^[b]owner of everything, ² but he is under guardians and ^[c]managers until the date set by the father. ³ So also we, while we were children, were held ^(A)in bondage under the ^[d](B)elemental things of the world. ⁴ But when ^(C)the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, ^(D)born of a woman, born ^(E)under ^[e]the Law, ⁵ so that He might redeem those who were under ^[f]the Law, that we might receive the adoption as ^(F)sons. ⁶ Because you are sons, ^(G)God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “^(H)Abba! Father!” ⁷ Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and ^(I)if a son, then an heir ^[g]through God.

⁸ However at that time, ^(J)when you did not know God, you were ^(K)slaves to ^(L)those which by nature are no gods. ⁹ But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be ^(M)known by God, ^(N)how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless ^[h](O)elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? ¹⁰ You ^(P)observe days and months and seasons and years. ¹¹ I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored ^[i]over you in vain.

¹² I beg of you, ^(Q)brethren, ^(R)become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong; ¹³ but you know that it was because of a ^[j]bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the ^[k]first time; ¹⁴ and that which was a ^[l]trial to you in my ^[m]bodily condition you did not despise or ^[n]loathe, but ^(S)you received me as an angel of God, as ^(T)Christ Jesus Himself. ¹⁵ Where then is ^[o]that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. ¹⁶ So have I become your enemy ^(U)by ^[p]telling you the truth? ¹⁷ They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. ¹⁸ But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable ^[q]manner, and ^(V)not only when I am present with you. ^19 (W)My children, with whom ^(X)I am again in labor until ^(Y)Christ is formed in you— ²⁰ but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for ^(Z)I am perplexed about you.

Bond and Free

²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not ^(AA)listen to the law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, ^(AB)one by the bondwoman and ^(AC)one by the free woman. ²³ But ^(AD)the son by the bondwoman ^[r]was born according to the flesh, and ^(AE)the son by the free woman through the promise. ^24 [s](AF)This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from ^(AG)Mount Sinai bearing children ^[t]who are to be ^(AH)slaves; ^[u]she is Hagar. ²⁵ Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But ^(AI)the Jerusalem above is free; ^[v]she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written,

²⁸ And you brethren, ^(AK)like Isaac, are ^(AL)children of promise. ²⁹ But as at that time ^(AM)he who was born according to the flesh ^(AN)persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, ^(AO)so it is now also. ³⁰ But what does the Scripture say?

³¹ So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, ^[w]but of the free woman.

The Blessings of Redemption

1 Paul, ^(A)an apostle of ^(B)Christ Jesus ^[a](C)by the will of God,

To the ^[b](D)saints who are ^[c]at ^(E)Ephesus and ^(F)who are faithful in ^(G)Christ Jesus: ^2 (H)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^3 (I)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in ^(J)the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as ^(K)He chose us in Him before ^(L)the foundation of the world, that we would be ^(M)holy and blameless before ^[d]Him. ^(N)In love ^5 [e]He ^(O)predestined us to ^(P)adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, ^(Q)according to the ^[f]kind intention of His will, ^6 (R)to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in ^(S)the Beloved. ^7 (T)In ^[g]Him we have ^(U)redemption ^(V)through His blood, the ^(W)forgiveness of our trespasses, according to ^(X)the riches of His grace ⁸ which He ^[h]lavished on ^[i]us. In all wisdom and insight ⁹ He ^[j](Y)made known to us the mystery of His will, ^(Z)according to His ^[k]kind intention which He ^(AA)purposed in Him ¹⁰ with a view to an administration ^[l]suitable to ^(AB)the fullness of the times, that is, ^(AC)the summing up of all things in Christ, things ^[m]in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him ^11 [n]also we ^[o](AD)have obtained an inheritance, having been ^(AE)predestined ^(AF)according to His purpose who works all things ^(AG)after the counsel of His will, ¹² to the end that we who were the first to hope in ^[p]Christ would be ^(AH)to the praise of His glory. ¹³ In ^[q]Him, you also, after listening to ^(AI)the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also ^[r]believed, you were ^(AJ)sealed in ^[s]Him with ^(AK)the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is ^[t](AL)given as a pledge of ^(AM)our inheritance, with a view to the ^(AN)redemption of ^(AO)God’s own possession, ^(AP)to the praise of His glory.

¹⁵ For this reason I too, ^(AQ)having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and ^[u]your love for ^(AR)all the ^[v]saints, ^16 (AS)do not cease giving thanks for you, ^(AT)while making mention of you in my prayers; ¹⁷ that the ^(AU)God of our Lord Jesus Christ, ^(AV)the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of ^(AW)wisdom and of ^(AX)revelation in the ^[w]knowledge of Him. ¹⁸ I pray that ^(AY)the eyes of your heart ^[x]may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the ^(AZ)hope of His ^(BA)calling, what are ^(BB)the riches of the glory of ^(BC)His inheritance in ^(BD)the ^[y]saints, ¹⁹ and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. ^(BE)These are in accordance with the working of the ^(BF)strength of His might ²⁰ which He brought about in Christ, when He ^(BG)raised Him from the dead and ^(BH)seated Him at His right hand in ^(BI)the heavenly places, ²¹ far above ^(BJ)all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every ^(BK)name that is named, not only in ^(BL)this age but also in the one to come. ²² And He ^(BM)put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as ^(BN)head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His ^(BO)body, the ^(BP)fullness of Him who ^(BQ)fills ^(BR)all in all.