1 So then there is no condemnation at all for those who are in union with Christ Jesus. 2 For the life-giving power of the Spirit through union with Christ Jesus has set us free from the power of sin and death. 3 For though the law could not do it, because it was made helpless through our lower nature, yet God, by sending His own Son in a body similar to that of our lower nature, and as a sacrifice for sin, passed sentence upon sin through His body, 4 so that the requirement of the law might be fully met in us who do not live by the standard set by our lower nature, but by the standard set by the Spirit. 5 For people who live by the standard set by their lower nature are usually thinking the things suggested by that nature, and people who live by the standard set by the Spirit are usually thinking the things suggested by the Spirit. 6 For to be thinking the things suggested by the lower nature means death, but to be thinking the things suggested by the Spirit means life and peace. 7 Because one's thinking the things suggested by the lower nature means enmity to God, for it does not subject itself to God's law, nor indeed can it. 8 The people who live on the plane of the lower nature cannot please God. 9 But you are not living on the plane of the lower nature, but on the spiritual plane, if the Spirit of God has His home within you. Unless a man has the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 But if Christ lives in you, although your bodies must die because of sin, your spirits are now enjoying life because of right standing with God. 11 If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead has His home within you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give your mortal bodies life through His Spirit that has His home within you.
12 So, brothers, we are under obligations, but not to our lower nature to live by the standard set by it; 13 for if you live by such a standard, you are going to die, but if by the Spirit you put a stop to the doings of your lower nature, you will live. 14 For all who are guided by God's Spirit are God's sons. 15 For you do not have a sense of servitude to fill you with dread again, but the consciousness of adopted sons by which we cry, "Abba," that is, "Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirits that we are God's children; 17 and if children, then also heirs, heirs of God and fellow-heirs with Christ if in reality we share His sufferings, so that we may share His glory too.
18 For I consider all that we suffer in this present life is nothing to be compared with the glory which by-and-by is to be uncovered for us. 19 For all nature is expectantly waiting for the unveiling of the sons of God. 20 For nature did not of its own accord give up to failure; it was for the sake of Him who let it thus be given up, in the hope 21 that even nature itself might finally be set free from its bondage to decay, so as to share the glorious freedom of God's children. 22 Yes, we know that all nature has gone on groaning in agony together till the present moment. 23 Not only that but this too, we ourselves who enjoy the Spirit as a foretaste of the future, even we ourselves, keep up our inner groanings while we wait to enter upon our adoption as God's sons at the redemption of our bodies. 24 For we were saved in such a hope. 25 But a hope that is seen is not real hope, for who hopes for what he actually sees? But if we hope for something we do not see, we keep on patiently waiting for it.
26 In the same way the Spirit, too, is helping us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself pleads for us with unspeakable yearnings, 27 and He who searches our hearts knows what the Spirit thinks, for He pleads for His people in accordance with God's will.
28 Yes, we know that all things go on working together for the good of those who keep on loving God, who are called in accordance with God's purpose. 29 For those on whom He set His heart beforehand He marked off as His own to be made like His Son, that He might be the eldest of many brothers; 30 and those whom He marked off as His own He also calls; and those whom He calls He brings into right standing with Himself; those whom He brings into right standing with Himself He also glorifies.
31 What are we then to say to facts like these? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 Since He did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not with Him graciously give us everything else? 33 Who can bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who declared them in right standing; 34 who can condemn them? Christ Jesus who died, or rather, who was raised from the dead, is now at God's right hand, and is actually pleading for us. 35 Who can separate us from Christ's love? Can suffering or misfortune or persecution or hunger or destitution or danger or the sword? 36 As the Scripture says: "For your sake we are being put to death the livelong day; we are treated like sheep to be slaughtered." 37 And yet in all these things we keep on gloriously conquering through Him who loved us. 38 For I have full assurance that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor the present nor the future 39 nor evil forces above or beneath, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God as shown in Christ Jesus our Lord.