Study Desk

Peace and Hope

Therefore, since we have been justified^(a) through faith,^(b) we^[a] have peace^(c) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,^(d)

through whom we have gained access^(e) by faith into this grace in which we now stand.^(f) And we^[b] boast in the hope^(g) of the glory of God.

Not only so, but we^[c] also glory in our sufferings,^(h) because we know that suffering produces perseverance;⁽ⁱ⁾

perseverance, character; and character, hope.

And hope^(j) does not put us to shame, because God's love^(k) has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,^(l) who has been given to us.

You see, at just the right time,^(m) when we were still powerless,⁽ⁿ⁾ Christ died for the ungodly.^(o)

Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.^(p)

Since we have now been justified^(q) by his blood,^(r) how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath^(s) through him!

For if, while we were God's enemies,^(t) we were reconciled^(u) to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!^(v)

Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.^(w)

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,^(x) and death through sin,^(y) and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned^(z)—

To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone's account where there is no law.^(aa)

Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam,^(ab) who is a pattern of the one to come.^(ac)

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man,^(ad) how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ,^(ae) overflow to the many!

Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

For if, by the trespass of the one man, death^(af) reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life^(ag) through the one man, Jesus Christ!

Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people,^(ah) so also one righteous act resulted in justification^(ai) and life^(aj) for all people.

For just as through the disobedience of the one man^(ak) the many were made sinners,^(al) so also through the obedience^(am) of the one man the many will be made righteous.

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase.^(an) But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,^(ao)

so that, just as sin reigned in death,^(ap) so also grace^(aq) might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life^(ar) through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ

What shall we say, then?^(a) Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?^(b)

By no means! We are those who have died to sin;^(c) how can we live in it any longer?

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized^(d) into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death^(e) in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead^(f) through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.^(g)

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.^(h)

For we know that our old self⁽ⁱ⁾ was crucified with him^(j) so that the body ruled by sin^(k) might be done away with,^[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin^(l)—

because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.^(m)

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.⁽ⁿ⁾

For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead,^(o) he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.^(p)

The death he died, he died to sin^(q) once for all;^(r) but the life he lives, he lives to God.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin^(s) but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore do not let sin reign^(t) in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness,^(u) but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.^(v)

For sin shall no longer be your master,^(w) because you are not under the law,^(x) but under grace.^(y)

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace?^(z) By no means!

Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey^(aa)—whether you are slaves to sin,^(ab) which leads to death,^(ac) or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

But thanks be to God^(ad) that, though you used to be slaves to sin,^(ae) you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching^(af) that has now claimed your allegiance.

You have been set free from sin^(ag) and have become slaves to righteousness.^(ah)

I am using an example from everyday life^(ai) because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness^(aj) leading to holiness.

When you were slaves to sin,^(ak) you were free from the control of righteousness.^(al)

What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!^(am)

But now that you have been set free from sin^(an) and have become slaves of God,^(ao) the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.^(ap)

For the wages of sin is death,^(aq) but the gift of God is eternal life^(ar) in^[b] Christ Jesus our Lord.