For no one will be justified in His sight by the works of the law, because the knowledge of sin comes through the law.

in God’s sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations. He believed in God, who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.

What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.

because the Spirit’s law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace.

For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so.

that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God’s children.

And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac.

That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring.

And just as Isaiah predicted:

If the Lord of Hosts had not left us offspring,
we would have become like Sodom,
and we would have been made like Gomorrah.

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.

But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal of God.