Romans 8:1-8

Expanded Bible

Be Ruled by the Spirit

8 So now, those who are in Christ Jesus are not ·judged guilty^[a] [condemned; punished for their sins]. ² [^LFor] ·Through [or In] Christ Jesus the ·law [principle; or power] of the Spirit that brings life set you^[b] free from the ·law [principle; or power] that brings sin and death. ³ The law [^Cof Moses] was without power, because the law was made weak by our ·sinful selves [sinful nature; ^Tflesh]. But God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son to earth ·with the same human life that others use for sin [or in a body like ours, prone to sin; ^Lin the likeness of sinful flesh]. By sending his Son ·to be an offering for sin [^Lconcerning sin], God ·used a human life to destroy sin [^Lcondemned sin in the flesh]. ⁴ He did this so that ·we could be the kind of people that the law demands that we be [^Lthe law’s righteous/just requirements would be fulfilled in us]. Now we do not ·live [walk; ^Clife’s journey] following our ·sinful selves [sinful nature; ^Tflesh], but following the Spirit.

⁵ Those who live following their ·sinful selves [sinful nature; ^Tflesh] ·think only about [have their minds set on; or have their outlook shaped by] things that their ·sinful selves [sinful nature; ^Tflesh] want. But those who live following the Spirit ·are thinking about [have their minds set on; or have their outlook shaped by] the things ·the Spirit wants them to do [^Lof the Spirit]. ⁶ If people’s ·thinking is controlled by [or outlook/mind is set on] the ·sinful self [sinful nature; ^Tflesh], ·there is [the result is] death. But if their ·thinking is controlled by [or outlook/mind is set on] the Spirit, ·there is [the result is] life and peace. ⁷ When people’s ·thinking is controlled by [or outlook/mind is set on] the ·sinful self [sinful nature; ^Tflesh], they are ·against [hostile to] God, because they refuse to ·obey [submit to] God’s law and really are not even able to ·obey [submit to] God’s law. ⁸ Those people who are ·ruled by [or under the control of; ^Lin] ·their sinful selves [their sinful nature; ^Tthe flesh] cannot please God.