The Spirit Gives Life

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in union with the Messiah^[a] Jesus.^{[b] 2} For the Spirit’s law of life in the Messiah^[c] Jesus has set me^[d] free from the Law of sin and death. ³ For what the Law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did. By sending his own Son in the form of humanity,^[e] he condemned sin by being incarnate, ⁴ so that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not live according to human nature but according to the Spirit.

⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶ To focus our minds on the human nature leads to death, but to focus our minds on the Spirit leads to life and peace. ⁷ That is why the mind that focuses on human nature is hostile toward God. It refuses to submit to the authority of God’s Law because it is powerless to do so. ⁸ Indeed, those who are under the control of human nature cannot please God.