Beginning

The law of the Spirit gives life. The Spirit of God makes us God’s children and heirs with Christ. We cannot be separated from the abundant love of God.

8 There is then no damnation to those who are in Christ Jesus – who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ² For the law of the Spirit that brings life through Jesus Christ has delivered me from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law could not do, inasmuch as it was weak because of the flesh, God has performed. He sent his Son in the similitude of sinful flesh, and by a sin offering punished sin in the flesh, ⁴ so that the righteousness required by the law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. ⁵ For those who are fleshly are fleshly minded, but those who are spiritual are spiritually minded. ⁶ To be fleshly minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷ For the fleshly mind is enmity against God, because it is not obedient to the law of God, neither can be. ⁸ So then, those who are given to the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ But you are not given to the flesh, but to the Spirit, if it so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. If there is any person who does not have the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his. ¹⁰ If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life for righteousness’ sake. ¹¹ And so if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from death dwells in you, he who raised up Christ from death will give life to your mortal bodies, because his Spirit dwells in you.

¹² Therefore, brethren, we are now debtors – not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. ¹³ For if you live after the flesh, you must die. But if you put to death the deeds of the body by the help of the Spirit, you will live. ¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. ¹⁵ For you have not received the spirit of servanthood to fear again, but you have been given the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father! ¹⁶ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. ¹⁷ If we are children, we are also heirs – the heirs, I mean, of God; and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer together so that we may be glorified together. ¹⁸ For I suppose that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that will be shown upon us.

¹⁹ Also, the fervent desire of the creatures endures, looking for when the sons of God will appear, ²⁰ because the creatures are subdued to vanity against their will, but for the will of him who subjects them in hope. ²¹ For the very creatures will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²² For we know that every creature groans with us also, and travails in pain, even to this time.

²³ Not only they, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit mourn in ourselves, and await the adoption, and look for the deliverance of our bodies. ²⁴ For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is no hope. For how can a person hope for that which he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for that which we do not see, then with patience we await it.

²⁶ Furthermore, the Spirit also relieves our infirmities. For we know not what to pray as we ought, but the Spirit makes intercession mightily for us, with groanings which cannot be expressed by tongue. ²⁷ And he who searches the hearts knows what is the intent of the Spirit, for he makes intercession for the saints according to the pleasure of God. ²⁸ For we know that all things work for the best for those who love God, who also are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he knew before, he also ordained before to be fashioned to the image of his Son, so that he may be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover, those whom he appointed before, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

  ³¹ What shall we say then to these things? If God is on our side, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him for us all, how would he not also give us all things with him? ³³ Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies; ³⁴ who then shall condemn? It is Christ who is dead – yea rather, risen again, who is also on the right hand of God, and makes intercession for us.

³⁵ Who can separate us from the love of God? Can tribulation? or anguish? or persecution? or hunger? or nakedness? or peril? or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: For your sake we are killed all day long, and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain. ³⁷ Nevertheless, in all these things we overcome strongly through the help of him who loved us. ³⁸ Yea, and I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rule, nor power, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other thing in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God shown in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul complains upon the hard hearts of the Jews who would not receive Christ. How the heathen are chosen in their stead.

9 I speak the truth in Christ, and do not speak falsely, regarding that of which my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit. ² I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. ³ For I have wished myself to be cursed from Christ for my brethren and my kinsmen according to the flesh, ⁴ who are the Israelites. To them pertain the adoption and the glory, and the covenants, and the law that was given, and the service of God, and the promises. ⁵ Theirs also are the fathers, and those from whom (as to the flesh) Christ came, who is God over all things blessed forever. Amen.

⁶ I do not say these things as though the words of God have taken no effect. For not all who come from Israel are Israelites. ⁷ Nor are they all children just because they are the seed of Abraham, but: In Isaac shall thy seed be called. ⁸ That is to say, the children of the flesh are not the children of God, but the children of promise are counted the seed. ⁹ For this is a word of promise: About this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son. ¹⁰ Neither was it so with her only, but also when Rebecca was pregnant with twins by one – I mean, by our father Isaac. ¹¹ Before the children were born, when they had done neither good nor bad, so that the purpose of God which is by election would stand, it was said to her, not by reason of works, but by the grace of the caller: ¹² The elder shall serve the younger. ¹³ As it is written: Jacob he loved, but Esau he hated.

¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is there any unrighteousness with God? God forbid. ¹⁵ For he says to Moses: I will show mercy to whom I show mercy, and will have compassion on whom I have compassion. ¹⁶ So then, it lies not in a man’s will or running, but in the mercy of God. ¹⁷ For the scripture says to Pharaoh: For this very purpose I have stirred you up, to show my power on you, and so that my name may be declared throughout all the world. ¹⁸ Therefore he has mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he makes hardhearted.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, So why does he still blame us? For who can resist his will? ²⁰ But, O man, what are you to dispute with God? Shall the work say to the workman, Why have you made me this way? ²¹ Does the potter not have power over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? ²² Accordingly, God, intending to show his wrath and to make his power known, suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath fitted to damnation, ²³ in order to show the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had prepared for glory – ²⁴ that is to say, us, whom he called not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles.

²⁵ As he says in Hosea: I will call them my people who were not my people, and her beloved who was not beloved. ²⁶ And: It will come to pass in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, that there the children of the living God shall be called. ²⁷ But Isaiah cries concerning Israel: Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet shall but a remnant be saved. ²⁸ He carries out the word to the end, and makes it short in righteousness. For a short word will God make on earth. ²⁹ And as Isaiah said before: If the Lord of Sabaoth had not left us a seed, we would have been made as Sodom, and would have been likened to Gomorrah.

³⁰ What shall we say then? We say that the Gentiles, who did not follow righteousness, have found righteousness; I mean, the righteousness which comes of faith. ³¹ But Israel, who followed the law of righteousness, could not attain to the law of righteousness. ³² And why not? Because they sought it not by faith, but as if it were by the works of the law. For they have stumbled at the stumbling stone. ³³ As it is written: Behold, I put in Zion a stumbling stone, and a rock that will make men fall. But none who believe on him will be ashamed.

The unfaithfulness of the Jews. Two kinds of righteousness.

10 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. ² For I can attest that they have a fervent heart for God, but not according to knowledge. ³ For they are ignorant of the righteousness that is admitted before God, and go about to establish their own righteousness, and therefore give no heed to the righteousness that is of value before God. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law, to justify all who believe.

⁵ Moses describes the righteousness which comes of the law, how the person who does the things of the law will live therein. ⁶ But the righteousness that comes by faith speaks this way: Say not in your heart, who shall ascend into heaven? (which is nothing else than to fetch Christ down), ⁷ or, who shall descend into the deep? (which is nothing else than to fetch Christ up from death). ⁸ But what does the scripture say? The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart. This word is the word of faith that we preach. ⁹ For if you acknowledge with your mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and believe with your heart that God raised him up from death, you will be safe. ¹⁰ For the belief of the heart justifies, and to acknowledge with the mouth makes a man safe. ¹¹ For the scripture says: Whoever believes on him, will not be ashamed.

¹² There is no difference between the Jews and the Gentiles. For there is one Lord over all, who richly blesses all who call on him. ¹³ For: Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. ¹⁴ But how can people call on him on whom they have not believed? How can they believe on him, if they have not heard of him? How can they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how can men preach, unless they be sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.

¹⁶ But they have not all hearkened to the gospel. For Isaiah says: Lord, who believes our message? ¹⁷ So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the word of God. 18But, I ask, have they not heard?  No doubt: Their sound went out into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world.

¹⁹ But I demand whether Israel did know, or not? First Moses says: I will provoke you to envy by those who are not a people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. ²⁰ Isaiah after that is bold and says: I am found by those who were not seeking me, and have appeared to those who were not asking for me. ²¹ And against Israel he says: All day long I have stretched out my hands to a people that does not believe, but speaks against me.