Study Desk

Life Through the Spirit

Therefore, there is now no condemnation^(a) for those who are in Christ Jesus,^(b)

because through Christ Jesus^(c) the law of the Spirit who gives life^(d) has set you^[a] free^(e) from the law of sin^(f) and death.

For what the law was powerless^(g) to do because it was weakened by the flesh,^[b](h) God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh⁽ⁱ⁾ to be a sin offering.^[c](j) And so he condemned sin in the flesh,

in order that the righteous requirement^(k) of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.^(l)

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires;^(m) but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.⁽ⁿ⁾

The mind governed by the flesh is death,^(o) but the mind governed by the Spirit is life^(p) and peace.

The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God;^(q) it does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.

Those who are in the realm of the flesh^(r) cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh^(s) but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.^(t) And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,^(u) they do not belong to Christ.

But if Christ is in you,^(v) then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life^[d] because of righteousness.

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead^(w) is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies^(x) because of^[e] his Spirit who lives in you.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.^(y)

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die;^(z) but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body,^(aa) you will live.^(ab)

For those who are led by the Spirit of God^(ac) are the children of God.^(ad)

The Spirit^(ae) you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again;^(af) rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[f] And by him we cry, "Abba,^[g] Father."^(ag)

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit^(ah) that we are God's children.^(ai)

Now if we are children, then we are heirs^(aj)—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings^(ak) in order that we may also share in his glory.^(al)

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.^(am)

For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God^(an) to be revealed.

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it,^(ao) in hope

that^[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay^(ap) and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.^(aq)

We know that the whole creation has been groaning^(ar) as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,^(as) groan^(at) inwardly as we wait eagerly^(au) for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.^(av)

For in this hope we were saved.^(aw) But hope that is seen is no hope at all.^(ax) Who hopes for what they already have?

But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.^(ay)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit^(az) himself intercedes for us^(ba) through wordless groans.

And he who searches our hearts^(bb) knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes^(bc) for God's people in accordance with the will of God.

And we know that in all things God works for the good^(bd) of those who love him, who^[i] have been called^(be) according to his purpose.^(bf)

For those God foreknew^(bg) he also predestined^(bh) to be conformed to the image of his Son,^(bi) that he might be the firstborn^(bj) among many brothers and sisters.

And those he predestined,^(bk) he also called;^(bl) those he called, he also justified;^(bm) those he justified, he also glorified.^(bn)

What, then, shall we say in response to these things?^(bo) If God is for us,^(bp) who can be against us?^(bq)

He who did not spare his own Son,^(br) but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Who will bring any charge^(bs) against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

Who then is the one who condemns?^(bt) No one. Christ Jesus who died^(bu)—more than that, who was raised to life^(bv)—is at the right hand of God^(bw) and is also interceding for us.^(bx)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?^(by) Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?^(bz)

As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."^[j](ca)

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors^(cb) through him who loved us.^(cc)

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k] neither the present nor the future,^(cd) nor any powers,^(ce)

neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God^(cf) that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(cg)