Life Through the Spirit
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you8:2 The Greek is singular; some manuscripts me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,8:3 In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit; also in verses 4-13. God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.8:3 Or flesh, for sin And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
9You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life8:10 Or you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of8:11 Some manuscripts bodies through his Spirit who lives in you.
12Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.8:15 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture; also in verse 23. And by him we cry, “Abba,8:15 Aramaic for father Father.” 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Present Suffering and Future Glory
18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that8:20,21 Or subjected it in hope. 21 For the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who8:28 Or that all things work together for good to those who love God, who; or that in all things God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—with those who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
More Than Conquerors
31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”8:36 Psalm 44:22
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,8:38 Or nor heavenly rulers neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
隨從聖靈而活
1因此，如今那些在基督耶穌裡的人不被定罪， 2因為賜人生命之聖靈的律，已經在基督耶穌裡使我獲得自由，脫離了罪與死的律。 3律法因為人性軟弱而無法成就的事，上帝親自成就了。祂差遣自己的兒子成為和罪人一樣有血有肉的人，作了贖罪祭，廢掉了罪的權勢， 4使律法公義的要求實現在我們這些不隨從本性、只隨從聖靈而活的人身上。
5隨從本性的人思想本性的事，隨從聖靈的人思想聖靈的事。 6受本性支配的思想會導致死亡，受聖靈支配的思想會帶來生命和平安。 7因為受本性支配的思想與上帝為敵，不服從上帝的律法，也無力服從。 8所以受本性控制的人不能讓上帝喜悅。
9但如果上帝的靈住在你們裡面，你們就不再受本性控制，而是受聖靈管理。人若沒有基督的靈，就不屬於基督。 10如果基督在你們裡面，你們的身體雖然因罪而死亡，靈魂卻因義而活著8·10 「靈魂卻因義而活著」或譯「聖靈必因義而賜下生命」。。 11如果使耶穌復活之上帝的靈住在你們裡面，叫基督耶穌從死裡復活的上帝，也必藉著住在你們裡面的聖靈，使你們終有一死的身體活過來。
12弟兄姊妹，這樣看來，我們不必隨從本性活著。 13你們若隨從本性活著，必定死亡；若靠著聖靈除去身體的惡行，就必活著。 14因為凡有上帝的靈引導的人都是上帝的兒女。 15你們接受的聖靈不是使你們做奴隸，仍舊害怕，而是使你們做兒子，可以稱上帝為「阿爸，父親」。 16聖靈親自與我們的心一同見證我們是上帝的兒女。 17我們既然是兒女，就是繼承人，是上帝的繼承人，並且與基督同作繼承人。所以，我們現在若和基督一同受苦，將來也必和祂一同得榮耀。
將來的榮耀
18我認為，與將來要顯給我們的榮耀相比，現在所受的痛苦簡直微不足道。 19受造之物正熱切等候上帝眾子的顯現， 20因為受造之物處在虛空之下並非出於情願，而是出於上帝的旨意。 21不過，受造之物仍然盼望脫離衰亡的束縛，享受上帝兒女榮耀的自由。 22我們知道一切受造之物至今都在呻吟，如同經歷分娩之痛。 23不但如此，就是我們這些首先得到聖靈的人也在心裡歎息，熱切等候得到兒子的名分8·23 「兒子的名分」指被收養為義子，可以享受和親生兒子一樣的權利。，就是我們的身體得到救贖。 24我們得救的人有這個盼望。不過，看得見的盼望不算盼望，誰會盼望已經看見的呢？ 25但我們若盼望那尚未看見的，就會忍耐等候。
26況且，我們軟弱的時候，有聖靈幫助我們。我們不知道該怎樣禱告，但聖靈親自用說不出來的歎息替我們祈禱。 27洞悉人心的上帝知道聖靈的意思，因為聖靈是照著上帝的旨意替聖徒祈禱。
28我們知道，上帝使萬事互相效力8·28 「上帝使萬事互相效力」或譯「萬事都互相效力」。，使那些愛上帝的人，就是上帝按自己的旨意呼召的人得益處。 29因為上帝預先知道誰是屬祂的人，並預定這些人要被塑造成祂兒子的形像，使祂的兒子在許多弟兄中成為長子。 30祂所預定的人，祂也呼召他們；祂所呼召的人，祂也稱他們為義人；祂稱之為義人的，祂也使他們得榮耀。
上帝的愛
31對於這些事，我們還可以說什麼呢？上帝若幫助我們，誰能與我們對抗？ 32上帝既然連自己的兒子也不顧惜，讓祂為我們犧牲，豈不也把萬物和祂一同白白地賜給我們嗎？ 33誰能指控上帝揀選的人呢？是上帝稱我們為義人。 34誰能定我們有罪呢？基督耶穌已經替我們死了，而且從死裡復活了，如今在上帝的右邊正替我們祈禱。 35誰能使我們與基督的愛分離呢？難道是患難嗎？困苦嗎？迫害嗎？饑餓嗎？赤身露體嗎？危險嗎？刀劍嗎？ 36正如聖經上說：「為了你，我們終日出生入死，被視為待宰的羊。」8·36 詩篇44·22。
37然而，靠著愛我們的主，我們在這一切事上已經得勝有餘了。 38因為我深信無論是死、是生，是天使、是鬼魔，是現在的事、是將來的事， 39是高天之上的、是大地深處的或是其他受造之物，都不能使我們與上帝在主基督耶穌裡賜下的愛分離。
