For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. | For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. |
For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. | Because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight; for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. |
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But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. | But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction. |
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. | Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. |
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. | Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope. |
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. | And hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. |
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. | For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. |
Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. | For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a good person someone would even dare to die. But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. |
For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. | For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we will be saved by his life. |
But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. | But the free gift isn’t like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. |
Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. | For as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous. |
So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. | That as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. |
Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? | What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer? |
Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? | Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? |
Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. | For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. |
Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. | Also, do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. |
Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. | For sin will not have dominion over you, for you are not under law, but under grace. |
Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! | What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! |
But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. | But now, being made free from sin and having become servants of God, you have your fruit of sanctification and the result of eternal life. |
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. | For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” | What shall we say then? Is the law sin? May it never be! However, I wouldn’t have known sin except through the law. For I wouldn’t have known coveting unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” |
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. | There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. |
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. | For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. |
So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. | For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace. |
That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. | Those who are in the flesh can’t please God. |