Life in the Spirit

81 For this cause those who are in Christ Jesus will not be judged as sinners. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was not able to do because it was feeble through the flesh, God, sending his Son in the image of the evil flesh, and as an offering for sin, gave his decision against sin in the flesh: 4 So that what was ordered by the law might be done in us, who are living, not in the way of the flesh, but in the way of the Spirit. 5 For those who are living in the way of the flesh give their minds to the things of the flesh, but those who go in the way of the Spirit, to the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: 7 Because the mind of the flesh is opposite to God; it is not under the law of God, and is not able to be: 8 So that those who are in the flesh are not able to give pleasure to God. 9 You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God is in you. But if any man has not the Spirit of Christ he is not one of 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 him who made Jesus come again from the dead is in you, he who made Christ Jesus come again from the dead will in the same way, through his Spirit which is in you, give life to your bodies which now are under the power of death. 12 So then, my brothers, we are in debt, not to the flesh to be living in the way of the flesh: 13 For if you go in the way of the flesh, death will come on you; but if by the Spirit you put to death the works of the body, you will have life. 14 And all those who are guided by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not get the spirit of servants again to put you in fear, but the spirit of sons was given to you, by which we say, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit is witness with our spirit that we are children of God:

17 And if we are children, we have a right to a part in the heritage; a part in the things of God, together with Christ; so that if we have a part in his pain, we will in the same way have a part in his glory. 18 I am of the opinion that there is no comparison between the pain of this present time and the glory which we will see in the future. 19 For the strong desire of every living thing is waiting for the revelation of the sons of God. 20 For every living thing was put under the power of change, not by its desire, but by him who made it so, in hope 21 That all living things will be made free from the power of death and will have a part with the free children of God in glory. 22 For we are conscious that all living things are weeping and sorrowing in pain together till now. 23 And not only so, but we who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we have sorrow in our minds, waiting for the time when we will take our place as sons, that is, the salvation of our bodies. 24 For our salvation is by hope: but hope which is seen is not hope: for who is hoping for what he sees? 25 But if we have hope for that which we see not, then we will be able to go on waiting for it.

26 And in the same way the Spirit is a help to our feeble hearts: for we are not able to make prayer to God in the right way; but the Spirit puts our desires into words which are not in our power to say; 27 And he who is the searcher of hearts has knowledge of the mind of the Spirit, because he is making prayers for the saints in agreement with the mind of God.

More than Conquerors

28 And we are conscious that all things are working together for good to those who have love for God, and have been marked out by his purpose.

29 Because those of whom he had knowledge before they came into existence, were marked out by him to be made like his Son, so that he might be the first among a band of brothers: 30 And those who were marked out by him were named; and those who were named were given righteousness; and to those to whom he gave righteousness, in the same way he gave glory.

31 What may we say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not keep back his only Son, but gave him up for us all, will he not with him freely give us all things? 33 Who will say anything against the saints of God? It is God who makes us clear from evil; 34 Who will give a decision against us? It is Christ Jesus who not only was put to death, but came again from the dead, who is now at the right hand of God, taking our part. 35 Who will come between us and the love of Christ? Will trouble, or pain, or cruel acts, or the need of food or of clothing, or danger, or the sword? 36 As it is said in the holy Writings, Because of you we are put to death every day; we are like sheep ready for destruction. 37 But we are able to overcome all these things and more through his love. 38 For I am certain that not death, or life, or angels, or rulers, or things present, or things to come, or powers, 39 Or things on high, or things under the earth, or anything which is made, will be able to come between us and the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God's Election of Israel

91 I say what is true in Christ, and not what is false, my mind giving witness with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 That I am full of sorrow and pain without end. 3 For I have a desire to take on myself the curse for my brothers, my family in the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites: who have the place of sons, and the glory, and the agreements with God, and the giving of the law, and the worship, and the hope offered by God: 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom came Christ in the flesh, who is over all, God, to whom be blessing for ever. So be it.

6 But it is not as if the word of God was without effect. For they are not all Israel, who are of Israel: 7 And they are not all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, In Isaac will your seed be named. 8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh, but the children of God's undertaking, who are named as the seed. 9 For this is the word of God's undertaking, At this time will I come, and Sarah will have a son. 10 And not only so, but Rebecca being about to have a child by our father Isaac— 11 Before the children had come into existence, or had done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose and his selection might be effected, not by works, but by him whose purpose it is, 12 It was said to her, The older will be the servant of the younger. 13 Even as it is said, I had love for Jacob, but for Esau I had hate.

14 What may we say then? is God not upright? let it not be said. 15 For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and pity on whom I will have pity. 16 So then, it is not by the desire or by the attempt of man, but by the mercy of God. 17 For the holy Writings say to Pharaoh, For this same purpose did I put you on high, so that I might make my power seen in you, and that there might be knowledge of my name through all the earth. 18 So then, at his pleasure he has mercy on a man, and at his pleasure he makes the heart hard. 19 But you will say to me, Why does he still make us responsible? who is able to go against his purpose? 20 But, O man, who are you, to make answer against God? May the thing which is made say to him who made it, Why did you make me so? 21 Or has not the potter the right to make out of one part of his earth a vessel for honour, and out of another a vessel for shame? 22 What if God, desiring to let his wrath and his power be seen, for a long time put up with the vessels of wrath which were ready for destruction: 23 And to make clear the wealth of his glory to vessels of mercy, which he had before made ready for glory, 24 Even us, who were marked out by him, not only from the Jews, but from the Gentiles?

25 As he says in Hosea, They will be named my people who were not my people, and she will be loved who was not loved. 26 And in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there they will be named the sons of the living God. 27 And Isaiah says about Israel, Even if the number of the children of Israel is as the sand of the sea, only a small part will get salvation: 28 For the Lord will give effect to his word on the earth, putting an end to it and cutting it short. 29 And, as Isaiah had said before, If the Lord of armies had not given us a seed, we would have been like Sodom and Gomorrah.

Righteousness Based on Faith

30 What then may we say? That the nations who did not go after righteousness have got righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith: 31 But Israel, going after a law of righteousness, did not get it. 32 Why? Because they were not searching for it by faith, but by works. They came up against the stone which was in the way; 33 As it is said, See, I am putting in Zion a stone causing a fall, and a rock in the way: but he who has faith in him will not be put to shame.

101 Brothers, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is, that they may get salvation. 2 For I give witness of them that they have a strong desire for God, but not with knowledge. 3 Because, not having knowledge of God's righteousness, and desiring to give effect to their righteousness, they have not put themselves under the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who has faith. 5 For Moses says that the man who does the righteousness which is of the law will get life by it. 6 But the righteousness which is of faith says these words, Say not in your heart, Who will go up to heaven? (that is, to make Christ come down:) 7 Or, Who will go down into the deep? (that is, to make Christ come again from the dead:) 8 But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart: that is, the word of faith of which we are the preachers: 9 Because, if you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and have faith in your heart that God has made him come back from the dead, you will have salvation: 10 For with the heart man has faith to get righteousness, and with the mouth he says that Jesus is Lord to get salvation. 11 Because it is said in the holy Writings, Whoever has faith in him will not be shamed.

12 And the Jew is not different from the Greek: for there is the same Lord of all, who is good to all who have hope in his name: 13 Because, Whoever will give worship to the name of the Lord will get salvation. 14 But how will they give worship to him in whom they have no faith? and how will they have faith in him of whom they have not had news? and how will they have news without a preacher? 15 And how will there be preachers if they are not sent? As it is said, How beautiful are the feet of those who give the glad news of good things. 16 But they have not all given ear to the good news. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has had faith in our word? 17 So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. 18 But I say, Did not the word come to their ears? Yes, certainly: Their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Had Israel no knowledge? First Moses says, You will be moved to envy by that which is not a nation, and by a foolish people I will make you angry. 20 And Isaiah says without fear, Those who were not searching for me made discovery of me; and I was seen by those whose hearts were turned away from me. 21 But about Israel he says; All the day my hands have been stretched out to a people whose hearts were turned away, and who put themselves against my word.