Romans 8
Christian Standard Bible
The Life-Giving Spirit
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation(A) for those in(B) Christ Jesus,[a](C) 2 because the law[b] of the Spirit of life(D) in Christ Jesus has set you[c] free from the law[d] of sin and death.(E) 3 For what the law could not do(F) since it was weakened by the flesh,(G) God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh(H) as a sin offering,[e](I) 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled(J) in us who do not walk according to the flesh(K) but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh,(L) but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. 6 Now the mindset of the flesh(M) is death,(N) but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile(O) to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh(P) cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.(Q) If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,(R) he does not belong to him. 10 Now if Christ is in you,(S) the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit[f] gives life[g] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead(T) lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through[h] his Spirit who lives in you.
The Holy Spirit’s Ministries
12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, 13 because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,(U) you will live. 14 For all those led by God’s Spirit(V) are God’s sons.(W) 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear.(X) Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption,(Y) by whom we cry out, “Abba,[i] Father!” (Z) 16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit(AA) that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs(AB)—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him(AC) so that we may also be glorified with him.
From Groans to Glory
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing(AD) with the glory(AE) that is going to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation(AF) for God’s sons(AG) to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected(AH) to futility(AI)—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it(AJ)—in the hope 21 that the creation itself(AK) will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains(AL) until now. 23 Not only that,(AM) but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits(AN)—we also groan within ourselves,(AO) eagerly waiting for adoption,(AP) the redemption of our bodies.(AQ) 24 Now in this hope(AR) we were saved, but hope(AS) that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? 25 Now if we hope for what we do not see,(AT) we eagerly wait for it with patience.
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should,(AU) but the Spirit himself intercedes for us[j](AV) with inexpressible groanings. 27 And he who searches our hearts(AW) knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28 We know that all things work together[k] for the good[l] of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.(AX) 29 For those he foreknew he also predestined(AY) to be conformed to the image of his Son,(AZ) so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.(BA) 30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified;(BB) and those he justified, he also glorified.(BC)
The Believer’s Triumph
31 What, then, are we to say about these things?(BD) If God is for us, who is against us?(BE) 32 He did not even spare his own Son(BF) but gave him up for us all.(BG) How will he not also with him grant us everything? 33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?(BH) God is the one who justifies.(BI) 34 Who is the one who condemns?(BJ) Christ Jesus is the one who died,(BK) but even more, has been raised;(BL) he also is at the right hand of God(BM) and intercedes for us.(BN) 35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction(BO) or distress or persecution(BP) or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
Because of you
we are being put to death all day long;(BQ)
we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.[m](BR)
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors(BS) through him who loved us.(BT) 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,(BU) nor angels nor rulers,(BV) nor things present nor things to come,(BW) nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God(BX) that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.(BY)
Footnotes
- 8:1 Other mss add who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit
- 8:2 Or principle
- 8:2 Other mss read me
- 8:2 Or principle
- 8:3 Or for sin
- 8:10 Or spirit
- 8:10 Or your spirit is alive
- 8:11 Other mss read because of
- 8:15 Aramaic for father
- 8:26 Some mss omit for us
- 8:28 Other mss read that God works together in all things
- 8:28 The ultimate good
- 8:36 Ps 44:22
Romans 8
New Catholic Bible
The Spirit of God Dwells in Christians[a]
Chapter 8
There Is No Longer Any Condemnation. 1 Hence, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 That which the Law, weakened by the flesh, was unable to do, God has done. By sending his own Son in the likeness of our sinful nature as a sin offering, he condemned sin in the flesh 4 so that the righteous requirements of the Law[b] might be fulfilled in us who live not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Animated by the Spirit and Rendered Children of God.[c] 5 Those who live according to the flesh fix their attention on the things of the flesh, while those who live according to the Spirit set their thoughts on spiritual things. 6 The desires of the flesh result in death, but the desires of the Spirit result in life and peace. 7 Indeed, the desires of the flesh will be hostile to God, for they do not submit to the Law of God, nor could they do so. 8 Those who live according to the flesh can never be pleasing to God.
9 You, however, do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not possess the Spirit of Christ cannot belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though the body is dead as a result of sin, the Spirit is alive in you because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then the one who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwells in you.[d]
12 Consequently, brethren, we are not debtors to the flesh and obliged to live according to the flesh. 13 If you do live according to the flesh, you will die. However, if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 [e]Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery leading to fear; rather, you received the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God. 17 And if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, provided that we share his sufferings so that we may also share his glory.
18 The Future Glory That Shall Be Revealed.[f] I consider that the sufferings we presently endure are not worth comparing with the glory to be revealed in us. 19 Indeed, creation itself eagerly awaits the revelation of the children of God. 20 For creation was subjected to frustration, not of its own choice but by the will of the one who subjected it, in the hope 21 that creation itself will be freed from its slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22 As we know, the entire creation has been groaning in labor pains until now— 23 and not only creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for our adoption as children, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now to see something does not involve hope. For why should we hope for what we have already seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet see, then we wait for it with patience.
26 In the same way, even the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs that cannot be put into words. 27 And the one who searches hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
28 We know that God makes all things work together for good for those who love him[g] and who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son so that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
31 Who Can Separate Us from the Love of Christ? What then can we say in response to all this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He did not spare his own Son but gave him up for all of us. How then can he fail also to give us everything else along with him?
33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who acquits. 34 Who will condemn? Christ Jesus, who died, or rather rose again, who is at God’s right hand and intercedes for us?[h] 35 Who then can separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being slain all day long;
we are treated like sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, throughout all these things we are conquerors because of him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth,[i] nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Footnotes
- Romans 8:1 In the experience of the love of God there are three dominant elements: the life of the Spirit (vv. 5-13), the sure realization of being children of God (vv. 14-17), and the certainty of future glory (vv. 18-30). This ascending description ends with a triumphant hymn to the unfailing love of the Lord (vv. 31-39).
- Romans 8:4 Righteous requirements of the Law: although the Law is not a means of salvation, it still plays a role in the life of a believer as a moral guide, obeyed out of love for God and by the power of the Holy Spirit. This marks the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy of the New Covenant (Jer 31:33ff).
- Romans 8:5 What is the Christian life in its deepest reality? Paul thinks of all that the Holy Spirit inaugurates in the existence of the believer. He is the Spirit of the Father and of Christ, dwells in every Christian, and is a source of spiritual life for each. We can look upon him as the soul of the Church. He is the power of a progressive transformation, which culminates in the resurrection of the body. In a privileged moment—that of prayer—believers grasp their new state as children of God. Thus, believers escape from the flesh, i.e., an orientation to and a realization of a life without future and without accomplishment (see Gal 5:16-25).
- Romans 8:11 For the connection between the Resurrection of Christ and that of believers, see 1 Cor 6:14; 15:20, 23; 2 Cor 4:14; Phil 3:21; 1 Thes 4:14.
- Romans 8:14 Because of the Holy Spirit’s presence in them, Christians possess a new life as well as a new relationship with God. They have become adopted children of God and heirs through Christ, sharing both in his sufferings and in his glory.
- Romans 8:18 The exalting perspective of salvation is expanded to the dimensions of the universe. Paul takes up a Biblical idea: the cosmos is linked with the fate of humankind, cursed then redeemed. All creation prepares for the new world (v. 22). Paul beautifully sketches the proofs of this movement that is nearing its fulfillment:
(1) the presentiment of the universe whose Creator and Lord is Christ (vv. 19-22); (2) the firm hope of believers transformed through Baptism and urged to seize fully that which—even here below—the Spirit inaugurates in them (vv. 23-25); (3) the very prayer by which the Spirit inspires this grand aspiration (vv. 26-27); and finally (4) the will of God, whose love embraces believers in order to associate them with the risen and glorified Christ, so that they may be in the image of his Son, who is himself the perfect image of the Father (see Col 1:15) (vv. 28-30). - Romans 8:28 We know that God makes all things work together for good for those who love him: some manuscripts have: “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God.”
- Romans 8:34 The reasons why no one can condemn us who are God’s elect are three: (1) Christ died for us; (2) Christ is alive and seated at God’s right hand, a position of awesome power; and (3) Christ himself makes intercession for us.
- Romans 8:39 In the terms angels . . . principalities . . . height . . . depth Paul is perhaps speaking of spiritual entities that were considered to be intermediaries between God and humanity.
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