Romans 8

Life in the Spirit

1Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3What the Law could not do, weakened as it was through the flesh, God did: he sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, and condemned sin in the flesh, 4so that the Law’s righteous requirement might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit on the things of the Spirit. 6The mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s Law—indeed, it cannot. 8Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, if indeed God’s Spirit dwells in you. Anyone who does not have Christ’s Spirit does not belong to him. 10But if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit dwelling in you.

Children and Heirs

12So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors—but not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13For 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, you will live. 14For all who are led by God’s Spirit are God’s children. 15You did not receive a spirit of slavery leading back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Creation Groans in Hope

18I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19For creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of God’s children. 20Creation was subjected to futility, not willingly but because of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that creation itself will also be set free from slavery to decay into the freedom of the glory of God’s children. 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning together and suffering labor pains together until now. 23And not only creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24For we were saved in hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. Who hopes for what they see? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with endurance.

The Spirit Helps Our Weakness

26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with groanings too deep for words. 27The one who searches hearts knows the Spirit’s mind, because the Spirit intercedes for the holy ones according to God’s will. 28We know that God works all things together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that the Son might be firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30Those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also set right; and those he set right, he also glorified.

Nothing Can Separate Us

31What then should we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all. How will he not also, with him, freely give us all things? 33Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? God is the one who sets right. 34Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at God’s right hand and who also intercedes for us. 35Who will separate us from Christ’s love? Will affliction, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword? 36As it is written,
“For your sake we are being put to death all day long;
we are considered sheep for slaughter.” 37But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through the one who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor rulers, neither things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord.