Thematic Bible

Romans 8:1

Therefore, none of those who are in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus will be condemned.

Romans 8:2

For the Holy Spirit's law which provides [never ending] life for those in [fellowship with] Christ Jesus has freed me from the law that requires [spiritual] death for sinning.

Romans 8:3

For what the law was not able to do [for mankind], since it was [too] weak [to deliver them from condemnation] because fleshly people [were unable to obey it perfectly], God condemned sin in the flesh [i.e., sin was declared evil and its power over man broken]. God did this by sending His own Son in a body like sinful man's, and to destroy sin,

Romans 8:4

so that the requirements of the law could be [considered] fulfilled in us, who do not live according to [the dictates of] the flesh, but according to [the promptings of] the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:5

For those people who are [controlled] by the flesh think about [i.e., desire] what the flesh wants; but those who are [controlled] by the Holy Spirit [desire] what the Holy Spirit wants.

Romans 8:6

For the one whose mind is [controlled] by the flesh will suffer [spiritual] death; but the one whose mind is [controlled] by the Holy Spirit will enjoy [never ending] life and peace.

Romans 8:7

This is because the one whose mind is [controlled] by the flesh is an enemy of God; for he is not obedient to God's law, and in fact, cannot obey it.

Romans 8:8

And those people who are living according to the flesh cannot please God.

Romans 8:9

But if the Spirit of God [truly] lives in your heart, you are not [being controlled] by the flesh, but by the Holy Spirit. But if any person does not have the Spirit of Christ [living in him], he does not belong to Christ.

Romans 8:10

And if Christ lives in your hearts, even though the body is [doomed to] death because of [Adam's ?] sin; yet the spirit is [destined to] live [forever] because of being [made] right with God. [Note: Some take "spirit" here to be "Spirit" and make it "The Holy Spirit gives you life." See next verse].

Romans 8:11

But if the Spirit of God, who raised up Jesus from the dead, lives in your hearts, [then] that One [i.e., God] who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead, will restore life to your mortal bodies also, through [the power of] God's Spirit who lives in your hearts.

Romans 8:12

So then, brothers, we are under obligation, but not to live under [the control of] the flesh,

Romans 8:13

for if you people live under [the control of] the flesh, you must die [spiritually]; but if you put to death [i.e., stop practicing] the [sinful] habits of the body by [the power of] the Holy Spirit, you will live [spiritually].

Romans 8:14

For all of those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Romans 8:15

For you did not receive the Holy Spirit, to enslave you again to fear, [Note: Some translators take "Holy Spirit" here to be "spirit," making the verse say "you did not receive the spirit of slavery"], but you received the Holy Spirit [who produces] sonship, so we can call out, "Abba", [which means] "Father."

Romans 8:16

The Holy Spirit Himself bears testimony [along] with our [human] spirit that we are the children of God.

Romans 8:17

And if we are [His] children, then we have an inheritance from God [i.e., blessings here and hereafter] and are fellow-sharers with Christ [of such blessings], providing we [are willing to] suffer with Him, so we can also be honored with Him [i.e., in the future life. See verses 18-25].

Romans 8:18

For I consider that our present sufferings do not deserve to be compared with the glory that will be revealed to us [i.e., in the future life].

Romans 8:19

For [all] creation [Note: "Creation" here refers to the material heavens and earth, and is personified through verse 23] is eagerly waiting for the children of God to be revealed [i.e., in their glorious state].

Romans 8:20

But God subjected the created world to aimless frustration [i.e., after the fall. See Gen. 3:17-18] --- it did not happen by its own choice. Yet there was hope

Romans 8:21

that the created world itself would be freed from its slavery to corrupting influences [i.e., produced by the fall] and receive the glorious freedom which belongs to God's children.

Romans 8:22

For we know that the entire created world moans in painful anguish [i.e., as a woman in childbirth] until this present moment.

Romans 8:23

And not just the world, but even we [Christians] ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit [i.e., the first installment of our inheritance from God] also groan within us, eagerly waiting to be adopted as [God's] children, and receive back our bodies [i.e., in the resurrection].

Romans 8:24

For in [this] hope we were saved [i.e., we received the hope of future blessings]; but if we [already] see what we hope for, it is not [really] hope. For who hopes for what he [already] sees?

Romans 8:25

But if we hope for what we cannot see, then we [must] patiently wait for it [to be received].

Romans 8:26

And in the same way, the Holy Spirit helps [us in] our weakness; for we do not know what we ought to pray for [Note: Some translators understand this as "how to pray"]. But the Holy Spirit goes to God on our behalf with groanings [in our hearts] that are not expressed [in words].

Romans 8:27

And God, who searches our hearts, knows what the Holy Spirit [has] in mind, because He [i.e., the Holy Spirit] goes to God on behalf of the saints [i.e., God's holy people] in harmony with God's will.

Romans 8:28

And we know that God works out everything for the good of those who love Him and are called [to serve Him] in harmony with His purpose [for them].

Romans 8:29

For [that class of] persons whom God knew beforehand He also predetermined to become conformed to the [spiritual] likeness of His Son, so that He could be the firstborn One among [His] many brothers [i.e., so He could be the preeminent example to all His followers. See Heb. 2:11].

Romans 8:30

And [that class of] persons whom God [so] predetermined, He also called [through the Gospel. See II Thess. 2:14]. And those He called, He also made right with Himself. And those He made right with Himself, He also [determined to be] honored [i.e., in the future life].

Romans 8:31

What then should we conclude from this? [Just this]: If God is on our side, who can [successfully] oppose us?

Romans 8:32

God did not withhold His own Son [from dying], but offered Him up for all of us. [Since He did that], will He not, along with Jesus, freely give us everything [else] also?

Romans 8:33

Who will bring an accusation against God's chosen people? [Certainly not God, for] He makes people right with Himself.

Romans 8:34

Who condemns [us]? Certainly not Jesus, for He is the One who died [i.e., to save us], and what is more, He was raised from the dead and is [now] at the right side of God. He also goes [to God] on our behalf [i.e., as we pray].

Romans 8:35

Who [i.e., what] can separate us from Christ's love [for us]? [i.e., what unfortunate circumstance of life might suggest that Christ does not love us?] Would [it be] trouble? Or distress? Or persecution? Or inadequate food? Or inadequate clothing? Or danger? Or [even] death?

Romans 8:36

Just as it is written [Psa. 44:22], "We are [in danger of being] killed all the time. We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

Romans 8:37

No, [suffering any one of these things is not proof that Christ does not love us], for in spite of all these things we have a decisive victory [over life's difficulties] through [the care shown us by] Christ who loved us.

Romans 8:38

For I am convinced that neither death, nor [the trials of] life, nor [evil] angels, nor [evil] rulers, nor present or future [circumstances], nor [evil] powers,

Romans 8:39

nor [things] above, nor [things] below, nor any [other] created thing will be able to separate us from God's love [for us], revealed through Christ Jesus our Lord [Note: The idea of this passage is "Regardless of what happens to us, God still loves us"].