What are we then to conclude? Is the law sin? Of course not! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I should not have learned what sin was, for I should not have known what an evil desire was, if the law had not said, "You must not have an evil desire."

So the law itself is holy, and its specific commands are holy, right, and good.

For we are conscious that the law is of the spirit; but I am of the flesh, given into the power of sin.

For the good that I want to do, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.

the divine grace thro' Jesus Christ our Lord. so then, with the mind I my self am devoted to the law of God; tho' my carnal inclinations are enslaved to the law of sin.

Hence there is now, no, condemnation unto them who are in Christ Jesus;

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.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

For the interests of the flesh are hostile to God; they do not yield to the law of God (indeed they cannot).

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

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.

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.

Hence, then, brethren - debtors, we are, not unto the flesh, that, according to flesh, we should live, -

For, if according to flesh ye live, ye are about to die, whereas, if in spirit, the practices of the flesh, ye are putting to death, ye shall attain unto life;

For, as many as by God's Spirit are being led, the same, are God's sons, -

For ye have not received a spirit of servitude, leading back into fear, but ye have received a spirit of sonship, whereby we are exclaiming - Abba! Oh Father!

The Spirit itself, beareth witness together with our spirit that we are children of God;

And, if children, heirs also - heirs, indeed, of God, but co-heirs with Christ, - if, at least, we are suffering together, in order that we may also be glorified together.

For I reckon that unworthy are the sufferings of the present season to be compared with the glory about to be revealed towards us;

because the creatures are subdued to vanity against their will: but for his will which subdueth them in hope.

For we are conscious that all living things are weeping and sorrowing in pain together till now.

And not only that, we ourselves, although we are grasping the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves are inwardly groaning, while we are waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

If, however, what we do not behold we hope for, with endurance, are we ardently awaiting it ; -

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;

And the Searcher of Hearts knows what the Sprit's meaning is, because his intercessions for the saints are according to the will of God.

We know, further, that, unto them who love God, God causeth all things to work together for good, - unto them who, according to purpose, are such as he hath called;

What then are we to say about these things?
If God is for us, who is against us?

According as it is written - For thy sake, are we being put to death all the day long, we have been reckoned as sheep for slaughter. -

Nay, in all these things, we are more than conquering through him that hath loved us.

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor heavenly agents, nor principal positions, nor powers, nor things that have come, nor things that are coming,

for I could wish to be as one anathematiz'd from the christian church for my brethren, who are of the same race as my self,

Who, indeed, are Israelites, whose are the sonship, and the glory, and the covenants, and the legislation, and the divine service, and the promises,

Whose are the fathers, and of whom is the Christ - according to the flesh - he who is over all, God, blessed unto the ages. Amen.

It is not, however, as though the word of God had failed; for, not all they who are of Israel, the same are Israel.

Neither, because they are seed of Abraham, are all children, - but, In Isaac, shall there be called unto thee a seed.

That is - not the children of the flesh, the same are children of God; but, the children of the promise, are reckoned as a seed.

For these are the words of the promise [Gen. 18:10], "I [i.e., God] will come at the appointed time and Sarah will have a son."

The words of Scripture are-'I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.'

What are we then to conclude? It is not that there is injustice in God, is it? Of course not!

His words to Moses are. I will have mercy on whom I choose to have mercy; I will have compassion on whom I choose to have compassion.

But who are you, a mere man, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”

Now if God wants to demonstrate his wrath and reveal his power, can't he be extremely patient with the objects of his wrath that are made for destruction?

Now such are we whom he has called, not only from among the Jews, but also from among the Gentiles.

as he says in Hosea, I will call them my people, who are not my people; and her beloved, who is not beloved:

And it shall be - in the place where it was said to them- not my people are, ye! there, shall they be called - Sons of a Living God.

And Isaiah cries out about Israel, "Although the sons of Israel are as numberless as the sands of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,

What, then, shall we say? that nations who are not pursuing righteousness did attain to righteousness, and righteousness that is of faith,

For what reason? Because they are not of faith, but as it were of works of the law; for they stumbled at the stone of stumbling,

Brethren! the delight of my own heart and my supplication God-ward in their behalf, are for salvation;

For I can testify that they are zealous for God, but they are not intelligently so.

For they are ignorant of the righteousness which is allowed before God, and go about to establish their own righteousness: and therefore, are not obedient unto the righteousness which is of value before God.

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:

For with their minds men believe and are made upright, and with their lips they make the acknowledgment and are saved.

Jew and Gentile are on precisely the same footing; for the same Lord is Lord over all, and is infinitely kind to all who call upon Him for deliverance.

How then shall thy call upon Him in whom they do not believe? And how are they to believe in One of whom they have never heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things!

But I ask, “Did Israel not understand?” First, Moses said:

I will make you jealous
of those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation
that lacks understanding.

God has not cast off His People whom He knew beforehand. Or are you ignorant of what Scripture says in speaking of Elijah--how he pleaded with God against Israel, saying,

Lord! Thy prophets, have they slain, thine altars, have they overthrown, and, I, am left alone, and they are seeking my life!

In the same way, there are at this present time some who are marked out by the selection of grace.

"What then, hath not Israel obtained what he sought for?" no, but the chosen remnant have obtained it, and the rest are obdurate to this day,

The rest grew callous; as Scripture says--'God has given them a deadness of mind--eyes that are not to see and ears that are not to hear--and it is so to this very day.'

Now, if their fall is the wealth of the world, and their loss the wealth of the Gentiles, how much greater will be the glory when they are made full?

But I speak to you that are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;

If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

Now if the firstfruits offered up are holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.

if then, some of the branches are broken off, and thou like a wild olive, were grafted in their place to partake of the root and sap of the olivestock;

do not brag that you are better than those branches. But if you do brag—you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you.

Thou wilt say then, "The branches are broken off, that I might be graft in."

Thou sayest well: because of unbelief they are broken off, and thou standest steadfast in faith. Be not high minded, but fear:

for if God did not spare the natural branches [because of unbelief], He will not spare you either.

See then that God is good but his rules are fixed: to those who were put away he was hard, but to you he has been good, on the condition that you keep in his mercy; if not, you will be cut off as they were.

for if thou, out of the olive tree, wild by nature, wast cut out, and, contrary to nature, wast graffed into a good olive tree, how much rather shall they, who are according to nature, be graffed into their own olive tree?

For I want to let you know about this secret, brothers, so that you will not claim to be wiser than you are: Stubbornness has come to part of Israel until the full number of the gentiles comes to faith.

As touching the joyful-message, indeed, they are enemies for your sake, but, as touching the election, beloved for their father's sake;

For, not to be regretted, are the gifts and the calling of God: -

but just as you were formerly disobedient to Him, but now have received mercy at a time when they are disobedient,

so the Jews are at present incredulous, by reason of the mercy shown to you; so that they themselves are now to be pitied.

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

[Note: The following are rhetorical questions raised from their reading of the Old Testament]. For who has known [what goes on in] the Lord's mind? Or, who has been His advisor?

Because, of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things: - unto him, be the glory, unto the ages. Amen!

I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship.

for as there are many members in one and the same body, but all the members have not the same office:

So, we, the many, are one body in Christ, yet, severally, members one of another.

Give blessing and not curses to those who are cruel to you.

Take part in the joy of those who are glad, and in the grief of those who are sorrowing.

Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Render no man evil for evil. mind such things as are approved not only by God, but by men.

Let everyone put himself under the authority of the higher powers, because there is no power which is not of God, and all powers are ordered by God.

For which reason everyone who puts himself against the authority puts himself against the order of God: and those who are against it will get punishment for themselves.

For rulers are not a cause of fear to the good work but to the evil. If you would have no fear of the authority, do good and you will have praise;

For the civil authorities are God's servants to do you good. But if you practice doing wrong, you should dread them, for they do not wield the sword for nothing. Indeed, they are God's servants to inflict punishment upon people who do wrong.

But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for it is not without reason that they bear the sword. Indeed, they are God's servants to administer punishment to anyone who does wrong. Therefore, it is necessary for you to be acquiescent to the authorities, not only for the sake of God's punishment, but also for the sake of your own conscience.

For, because of this, are ye paying tribute also, - for, God's ministers of state, they are, unto this very thing, giving constant attendance.

Give to all what is their right: taxes to him whose they are, payment to him whose right it is, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour is to be given.

The commandments:

Do not commit adultery;
do not murder;
do not steal;
do not covet;

and whatever other commandment—all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself.

Carry out these injunctions because you know the crisis that we are in, that now it is high time for you to awake out of sleep; for now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed.

Let us live becomingly for people who are in the light of day, not in carousing and drunkenness, nor in sexual immorality and licentiousness, nor in quarreling and jealousy.