THERE is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath liberated me from the law of sin and of death. 3For that which was impossible by the law, inasmuch as it was impotent through the flesh, God having sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in that flesh: 4that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled by us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5For they who are after the flesh, mind the things of the flesh; but they who are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the propensity of the flesh is inimical against God: for it is not in subjection to the law of God, neither indeed can it be. 8They then who are in the flesh, cannot please God. 9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. 10But if Christ be in you, the body indeed is dead on account of sin; but the Spirit is alive through righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of him who hath raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he who raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his indwelling Spirit in you. 12Truly then we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13For if ye live after the flesh, ye are ready to die: but if by the Spirit ye mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are guided by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15For ye have not received a spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye have received a Spirit of adoption, by which we cry, Abba, Father. 16The same spirit beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. 17But if children, then heirs; heirs indeed of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be we suffer with him, that we may also together with him be glorified. 18For I reckon that the sufferings of the present moment are not worthy to be placed against the future glory that shall be revealed to us. 19For the eager expectation of the creation is waiting for the revelation of the children of God. 20For the creation was made subject to vanity, not voluntarily, but by him who made it subject, 21in hope that the same creation shall be emancipated from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groaneth together and travaileth in birth to this moment. 23And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan in ourselves, expecting the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24For by hope we have been saved: now hope seen is not hope; for that which any man seeth how doth he yet hope for? 25But if we hope for what we see not, we with patience expect it. 26In like manner also the Spirit affords assistance to our infirmities: for even this, what we should pray for as we ought, we know not: but the same Spirit more abundantly maketh intercession for us with groanings unutterable. 27Now he that trieth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, for he maketh intercession for the saints according to God’s will. 28But we know that to those who love God all things work together for good, even to those who are called according to his purpose. 29For whom he foreknew, he predestinated also to a conformity with the image of his Son, that he might be the first-begotten among many brethren. 30But whom he predestinated, those also he called: and whom he called, those also he justified: but whom he justified, those also he glorified.
31What then shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who shall be against us? 32He who even spared not his own Son, but freely delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also, together with him, freely give us all things? 33Who shall put in an accusation against the elect of God? God? He is their justifier. 34Who is he that condemneth? Christ? He died, yea, rather, also is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall distress of circumstances, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? 36As it is written, “That for thy sake we have been put to death the whole day long; we have been reckoned indeed as sheep for slaughter[57].” 37But in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am assured that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor those to come, 39nor exaltation, nor deepest depression, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[CHAP. IX.]
I SPEAK the truth in Christ, I lie not, (my conscience also bearing witness to me in the Holy Ghost,) 2that great is my sorrow and unceasing the anguish in my heart. 3For could I myself wish that an anathema should be from Christ upon my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh? 4who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the gift of the law, and the sacred service, and the promises; 5of whom are the fathers, and from whom as respecting the flesh Christ sprung, who is over all, the blessed God for evermore. Amen.
6Now it is not supposable that the word of God hath failed. For these are not all Israel, who are of Israel: 7nor, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8That is, not the children of the flesh, these are the children of God: but the children of the promise are accounted for the seed. 9For the word of promise is this, At that time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. 10And not only so; but when Rebecca also had conception by one, even Isaac our father; 11(though the children were not yet born, nor had done any thing good or evil, that according to the election of God the purpose might abide, not from works, but from him who called;) 12it was said unto her, “That the elder shall be servant to the younger[58].” 13As it is written, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated[59].” 14What shall we say therefore? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15For he saith to Moses[60], “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” 16Well then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God who sheweth mercy.
17For the scripture saith[61] to Pharaoh, “That for this very end have I raised thee up, that I might display in thee my power, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18Well then, he hath mercy on whom he will, but whom he will he hardeneth. 19Wilt thou then say to me, Why yet doth he blame us? Who hath resisted his will? 20Nay but, O man, who art thou that disputest against God? Shall the thing fashioned say to him that fashioned it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21Hath not the potter power over the clay, from the same mass to make one vessel for an honourable use, and another for a dishonourable? 22But what if God, willing to display his wrath, and to make known what is possible with him, hath borne with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for perdition: 23and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon the vessels of mercy which he had before prepared for glory: 24even us, whom he hath called, not only out of the Jews, but out of the Gentiles? 25As also he saith in Hosea[62], “I will call her which was not my people, my people; and her which was not beloved, beloved. 26And it shall be in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my people; there shall they be called the sons of the living God.” 27But Isaiah[63] crieth concerning Israel, “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: 28for he will finish the account, and cut it short in righteousness: because a concise account will the Lord make on the earth.” 29Even as Isaiah had said before[64], “Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left unto us a seed, we should have become as Sodom, and been made like unto Gomorrha.”
30What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who pursued not after righteousness, have attained unto righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith. 31But Israel, pursuing after the law of righteousness, hath not come up to the law of righteousness. 32And why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as by the works of the law. For they stumbled against that stone of stumbling; 33as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence: and every one that believeth in him shall not be confounded[65].”
[CHAP. X.]
BRETHREN, the kind wish of my heart indeed, and the prayer which I offer to God for Israel, is for their salvation. 2For I am a witness for them, that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3For being ignorant of the righteousness which is of God, and seeking to establish a righteousness of their own, they have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 5For Moses describeth the righteousness which is by the law, “That the man who doeth these things shall live by them[66].” 6But the righteousness that is by faith speaketh thus[67], “Say not in thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:) 7or, Who shall descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up again from the dead.) 8But what saith it? “The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart:” that is, the word of faith which we preach; 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart faith is exercised unto righteousness; and with the mouth is confession made unto salvation. 11For the scripture saith[68], “Every one who believeth in him shall not be confounded.”
12For there is no difference between either Jew or Greek: for the same Lord of all is rich to all that call upon him. 13“For every one shall be saved, whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord[69].” 14How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? but how shall they hear without a preacher? 15and how shall they preach unless they are sent? as it is written[70], “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, of those who preach the glad tidings of good things!” 16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah saith, “Lord, who hath believed our report[71]?” 17Faith then cometh by report, but the report by the word of God. 18But I say, Have they not heard? Yea verily, “the sound of their voice is gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world[72].”