Romans 8-9

New International Version

Life Through the Spirit

8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation^(A) for those who are in Christ Jesus,^{(B) 2} 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. ³ 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, ⁴ 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)

⁵ 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) 6} The mind governed by the flesh is death,^(O) but the mind governed by the Spirit is life^(P) and peace. ⁷ The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God;^(Q) it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. ⁸ Those who are in the realm of the flesh^(R) cannot please God.

⁹ 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. ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ 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.

¹² Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.^{(Y) 13} 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)

¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God^(AC) are the children of God.^{(AD) 15} 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) 16} The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit^(AH) that we are God’s children.^{(AI) 17} 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)

Present Suffering and Future Glory

¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.^{(AM) 19} For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God^(AN) to be revealed. ²⁰ 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 ²¹ 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)

²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning^(AR) as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ 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) 24} 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? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.^(AY)

²⁶ 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. ²⁷ 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.

²⁸ 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) 29} 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. ³⁰ And those he predestined,^(BK) he also called;^(BL) those he called, he also justified;^(BM) those he justified, he also glorified.^(BN)

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things?^(BO) If God is for us,^(BP) who can be against us?^{(BQ) 32} 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? ³³ Who will bring any charge^(BS) against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ 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) 35} 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) 36} As it is written:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors^(CB) through him who loved us.^{(CC) 38} 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) 39} 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)

Paul’s Anguish Over Israel

9 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying,^(CH) my conscience confirms^(CI) it through the Holy Spirit— ² I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself^(CJ) were cursed^(CK) and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people,^(CL) those of my own race,^{(CM) 4} the people of Israel.^(CN) Theirs is the adoption to sonship;^(CO) theirs the divine glory,^(CP) the covenants,^(CQ) the receiving of the law,^(CR) the temple worship^(CS) and the promises.^{(CT) 5} Theirs are the patriarchs,^(CU) and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah,^(CV) who is God over all,^(CW) forever praised!^[l](CX) Amen.

God’s Sovereign Choice

⁶ It is not as though God’s word^(CY) had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.^{(CZ) 7} Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”^{[m](DA) 8} In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children,^(DB) but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.^{(DC) 9} For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”^[n](DD)

¹⁰ Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac.^{(DE) 11} Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad^(DF)—in order that God’s purpose^(DG) in election might stand: ¹² not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”^{[o](DH) 13} Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”^[p](DI)

¹⁴ What then shall we say?^(DJ) Is God unjust? Not at all!^{(DK) 15} For he says to Moses,

¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.^{(DM) 17} For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”^{[r](DN) 18} Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.^(DO)

¹⁹ One of you will say to me:^(DP) “Then why does God still blame us?^(DQ) For who is able to resist his will?”^{(DR) 20} But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?^(DS) “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,^(DT) ‘Why did you make me like this?’”^{[s](DU) 21} Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?^(DV)

²² What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience^(DW) the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?^{(DX) 23} What if he did this to make the riches of his glory^(DY) known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory^(DZ)— ²⁴ even us, whom he also called,^(EA) not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?^{(EB) 25} As he says in Hosea:

²⁶ and,

²⁷ Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:

²⁹ It is just as Isaiah said previously:

Israel’s Unbelief

³⁰ What then shall we say?^(EJ) That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith;^{(EK) 31} but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness,^(EL) have not attained their goal.^{(EM) 32} Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.^{(EN) 33} As it is written: