Romans 7-10

New King James Version

Freed from the Law

7 Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law ^[a]has dominion over a man as long as he lives? ² For ^(A)the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. ³ So then ^(B)if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. ⁴ Therefore, my brethren, you also have become ^(C)dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should ^(D)bear fruit to God. ⁵ For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law ^(E)were at work in our members ^(F)to bear fruit to death. ⁶ But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve ^(G)in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Sin’s Advantage in the Law

⁷ What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, ^(H)I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ^(I)“You shall not covet.” ⁸ But ^(J)sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For ^(K)apart from the law sin was dead. ⁹ I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. ¹⁰ And the commandment, ^(L)which was to bring life, I found to bring death. ¹¹ For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. ¹² Therefore ^(M)the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

Law Cannot Save from Sin

¹³ Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. ¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, ^(N)sold under sin. ¹⁵ For what I am doing, I do not understand. ^(O)For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. ¹⁶ If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. ¹⁸ For I know that ^(P)in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. ¹⁹ For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. ²⁰ Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

²¹ I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. ²² For I ^(Q)delight in the law of God according to ^(R)the inward man. ²³ But ^(S)I see another law in ^(T)my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me ^(U)from this body of death? ^25 (V)I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Free from Indwelling Sin

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, ^(W)who^[b] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ² For ^(X)the law of ^(Y)the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from ^(Z)the law of sin and death. ³ For ^(AA)what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, ^(AB)God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who ^(AC)do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For ^(AD)those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, ^(AE)the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For ^(AF)to be ^[c]carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷ Because ^(AG)the ^[d]carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, ^(AH)nor indeed can be. ⁸ So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. ¹⁰ And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹ But if the Spirit of ^(AI)Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, ^(AJ)He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies ^[e]through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Sonship Through the Spirit

^12 (AK)Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. ¹³ For ^(AL)if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you ^(AM)put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For ^(AN)as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. ¹⁵ For ^(AO)you did not receive the spirit of bondage again ^(AP)to fear, but you received the ^(AQ)Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ^(AR)“Abba,^[f] Father.” ^16 (AS)The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then ^(AT)heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, ^(AU)if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

From Suffering to Glory

¹⁸ For I consider that ^(AV)the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For ^(AW)the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰ For ^(AX)the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; ²¹ because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of ^[g]corruption into the glorious ^(AY)liberty of the children of God. ²² For we know that the whole creation ^(AZ)groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. ²³ Not only that, but we also who have ^(BA)the firstfruits of the Spirit, ^(BB)even we ourselves groan ^(BC)within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the ^(BD)redemption of our body. ²⁴ For we were saved in this hope, but ^(BE)hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For ^(BF)we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but ^(BG)the Spirit Himself makes intercession ^[h]for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now ^(BH)He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints ^(BI)according to the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those ^(BJ)who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom ^(BK)He foreknew, ^(BL)He also predestined ^(BM)to be conformed to the image of His Son, ^(BN)that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also ^(BO)called; whom He called, these He also ^(BP)justified; and whom He justified, these He also ^(BQ)glorified.

God’s Everlasting Love

³¹ What then shall we say to these things? ^(BR)If God is for us, who can be against us? ^32 (BS)He who did not spare His own Son, but ^(BT)delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? ^(BU)It is God who justifies. ^34 (BV)Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, ^(BW)who is even at the right hand of God, ^(BX)who also makes intercession for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

^37 (BZ)Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor ^(CA)principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Israel’s Rejection of Christ

9 I ^(CB)tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, ^2 (CC)that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. ³ For ^(CD)I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my ^[i]countrymen according to the flesh, ⁴ who are Israelites, ^(CE)to whom pertain the adoption, ^(CF)the glory, ^(CG)the covenants, ^(CH)the giving of the law, ^(CI)the service of God, and ^(CJ)the promises; ^5 (CK)of whom are the fathers and from ^(CL)whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, ^(CM)who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Purpose^(CN)

^6 (CO)But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For ^(CP)they are not all Israel who are of Israel, ^7 (CQ)nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ^(CR)“In Isaac your seed shall be called.” ⁸ That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but ^(CS)the children of the promise are counted as the seed. ⁹ For this is the word of promise: ^(CT)“At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”

¹⁰ And not only this, but when ^(CU)Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac ¹¹ (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of ^(CV)Him who calls), ¹² it was said to her, ^(CW)“The older shall serve the younger.” ¹³ As it is written, ^(CX)“Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

Israel’s Rejection and God’s Justice

¹⁴ What shall we say then? ^(CY)Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! ¹⁵ For He says to Moses, ^(CZ)“I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” ¹⁶ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. ¹⁷ For ^(DA)the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, ^(DB)“For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” ¹⁸ Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He ^(DC)hardens.

¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For ^(DD)who has resisted His will?” ²⁰ But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? ^(DE)Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” ²¹ Does not the ^(DF)potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make ^(DG)one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?

²² What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering ^(DH)the vessels of wrath ^(DI)prepared for destruction, ²³ and that He might make known ^(DJ)the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had ^(DK)prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴ even us whom He ^(DL)called, ^(DM)not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

²⁵ As He says also in Hosea:

²⁷ Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel:

²⁹ And as Isaiah said before:

Present Condition of Israel

³⁰ What shall we say then? ^(DU)That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, ^(DV)even the righteousness of faith; ³¹ but Israel, ^(DW)pursuing the law of righteousness, ^(DX)has not attained to the law ^[l]of righteousness. ³² Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, ^[m]by the works of the law. For ^(DY)they stumbled at that stumbling stone. ³³ As it is written:

Israel Needs the Gospel

10 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for ^[n]Israel is that they may be saved. ² For I bear them witness ^(EB)that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³ For they being ignorant of ^(EC)God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own ^(ED)righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. ⁴ For ^(EE)Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, ^(EF)“The man who does those things shall live by them.” ⁶ But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ^(EG)“Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) ⁷ or, ^(EH)“ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? ^(EI)“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that ^(EJ)if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, ^(EK)“Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For ^(EL)there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for ^(EM)the same Lord over all ^(EN)is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³ For ^(EO)“whoever calls ^(EP)on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Israel Rejects the Gospel

¹⁴ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear ^(EQ)without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

¹⁶ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ^(ES)“Lord, who has believed our report?” ¹⁷ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

¹⁸ But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:

¹⁹ But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says:

²⁰ But Isaiah is very bold and says:

²¹ But to Israel he says: