1There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.[1]2For the law of the Spirit of life has set you[2] free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Ro 6:14; Ro 6:18; Ro 7:4; Ro 8:12; 1Co 15:45; 2Co 3:6)3For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin,[3] he condemned sin in the flesh, (Le 16:5; Joh 1:14; Ac 13:39; 2Co 5:21; Ga 4:9; Php 2:7; Heb 7:18; Heb 10:1; Heb 10:6; Heb 10:8; Heb 10:10; Heb 10:14; Heb 13:11)4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Ro 1:32; Ro 2:26; Ga 5:16; Ga 5:25)5For 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. (Ga 5:19; Ga 5:22; Ga 5:25; Ga 6:8)6For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. (Ro 6:21; Ro 8:13; Col 2:18)7For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. (1Co 2:14; Jas 4:4)8Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.9You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (Joh 14:17; Ac 16:7; Ro 8:11; 1Co 3:16; 1Co 6:19; 2Co 6:16; 2Ti 1:14; Jud 1:19)10But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus[4] from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. (Ac 2:24; 2Co 3:6)
Heirs with Christ
12So then, brothers,[5] we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. (Ro 8:2)13For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Col 3:5)14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons[6] of God. (De 14:1; Ho 1:10; Joh 1:12; Ro 8:16; Ro 8:19; Ro 9:8; Ro 9:26; Ga 5:18)15For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Isa 56:5; Jer 31:9; Mr 14:36; Ro 8:23; Ro 9:4; 1Co 2:12; Ga 2:4; Ga 4:5; Ga 4:6; 2Ti 1:7; Heb 2:15; 1Jo 4:18)16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (2Co 1:22; 2Co 5:5; Eph 1:13; 1Jo 3:24)17and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Ac 14:22; 2Co 1:7; Ga 3:29; Ga 4:7; 2Ti 2:12; Tit 3:7)
Future Glory
18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (2Co 4:17; 1Pe 1:5)19For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. (Ro 2:7; 1Pe 4:13; 1Pe 5:1; 1Jo 3:2)20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope (Ge 3:17; Ge 3:18; Ec 1:2)21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Ac 3:21)22For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. (Jer 12:4; Jer 12:11; Mr 16:15)23And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Isa 25:9; Lu 21:28; Ro 7:24; Ro 8:19; Ro 8:25; 2Co 5:2; 2Co 5:4; 2Co 5:5; Ga 5:5; Jas 1:18)24For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? (2Co 4:18; 1Th 1:3; 1Th 5:8; Heb 11:1)25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (1Th 1:3; 1Th 5:8)26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Zec 12:10; Mt 20:22; Joh 14:16; Eph 6:18; Jas 4:3)27And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because[7] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (1Sa 16:7; 1Ch 28:9; Pr 15:11; Pr 17:3; Jer 11:20; Jer 17:10; Lu 16:15; Ro 8:6; Ro 8:34; 1Th 2:4; 1Jo 5:14)28And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[8] for those who are called according to his purpose. (Ezr 8:22; Ec 8:12; Ro 9:24; 1Co 1:9; 1Co 7:15; 1Co 7:17; Ga 1:15; Ga 5:8; Eph 4:1; Eph 4:4; 2Ti 1:9)29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. (Ro 9:23; Ro 11:2; 1Co 2:7; 1Co 15:49; Eph 1:5; Eph 1:11; Php 3:21; Col 1:15; Col 1:18; Col 3:10; Heb 1:6; 1Pe 1:2; 1Jo 3:2; Re 1:5)30And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Joh 17:22; 1Co 6:11; Heb 2:10)
God’s Everlasting Love
31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[9] against us? (Nu 14:9; 2Ki 6:16; Ps 118:6; 1Jo 4:4)32He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Joh 3:16; Ro 4:25)33Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. (Isa 50:8; Re 12:10)34Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.[10] (Mr 16:19; Ro 8:1; Ro 8:27; Heb 7:25; 1Jo 2:1)35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?36As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Ps 44:22; Ac 20:24; 1Co 4:9; 1Co 15:30; 2Co 4:10)37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Joh 16:33; 1Co 15:57; Ga 2:20; Eph 5:2; Re 1:5; Re 3:9)38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.