Romans 8

1 There is then now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Because [God has erased the record of our sins because we trust in what Christ has done for us], now [God will] not condemn and punish those/us who have a relationship with (OR, are united to) Christ Jesus.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life set me free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

[God’s] Spirit causes us to live [in a new way] [PRS] as a result of what Christ Jesus [did for us]. And he has set up a way by which he frees [each of] us from continually being forced to sin (OR, to obey our self-directed natures) and from being separated from God.

3 For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God hath done, who on account of sin sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and passed sentence of condemnation on sin in the flesh;

What [we] could not do [by trying to obey] the laws [of God] [PRS], because our self-directed nature was too weak [to obey them], God did. He sent his own Son [into the world in order that his Son might atone] for our sin. His Son came having a body (OR, human nature) that was like [the body] (OR, the [human nature]) of us people who sin. [By sending his Son in this way], he condemned and punished [his Son, who never sinned, instead of punishing us, who] sinned [MTY]. He did that [by making his Son’s] body [a sacrifice] (OR, [by causing his Son’s] body [to suffer/die]) for [all our] sin.

4 so that what is required by the Law might be accomplished in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

So we can [now] fulfill all that God required in his laws. We do this, not by our acting the way our sinful human nature [desires], but instead by living as [God’s] Spirit [desires us to live].

5 For they who are according to the flesh have their mind on the things of the flesh; but they who are according to the Spirit, on the things of the Spirit.

People who live according to what their self-directed nature [desires] think about and are concerned about what their self-directed nature [desires]. But people who [live] according to what [God’s] Spirit [desires think about and are concerned about] what [God’s] Spirit [desires].

6 For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit life and peace.

Those people who [PRS] think about and are concerned about what their self-directed nature [desires] will not live eternally (OR, will be separated from God). But those people who think about and are concerned about what [God’s] Spirit [desires] will live [eternally] and have [inner] peace.

7 Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it doth not submit itself to the Law of God, neither indeed can it.

Let me explain this. [To the extent that] people [PRS] think about and are concerned about what their self-directed nature [desires], they are acting contrary to God. They do not obey the laws of God. In fact, they are not even able [to obey his laws].

8 And they who are in the flesh cannot please God.

The people who let their self-directed nature [control them] cannot do what pleases God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any one hath to not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

But we do not have to let our self-directed nature [control us]. Instead, we can [let] God’s Spirit [control us], because he lives within us. If people do not have [living in them] the Spirit [who comes from] Christ, they do not belong to Christ.

10 And if Christ is in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

But since Christ [is living in you/us by his Spirit, although] your/our bodies [are certain to] die because you/we sin, your/our spirits are alive because God has erased the record of your/our sins.

11 But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he who raised up Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies, because of his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

[God] caused Jesus to live again after he died. And because his Spirit lives in you/us, [God] will also make your/our bodies, which [now] are sure to die, live [again after you/we die]. God, who caused Christ to live again after he died, will make you/us live again by [causing] his Spirit, who lives within you/us, [to do it].

12 So then, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

Therefore, my fellow believers, we must [live as the Spirit directs us]. What we do not have to do is to live as our self-directed nature [guides us].

13 For if ye live according to the flesh, ye are sure to die; but if by the Spirit ye make an end of the deeds of the body, ye will live.

If you live the way your self-directed nature [directs], you will surely not live [eternally] (OR, will surely be eternally separated from God). But if by [the power of God’s] Spirit you quit doing the [sinful] things that your bodies [desire] [MET], you will live eternally.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God.

We who are guided by the Spirit of God {allow the Spirit of God to guide us} are God’s children.

15 For ye did not receive the spirit of bondage so as to be again in fear; but ye received the spirit of adopted children, whereby we cry, Abba, Father!

[You have showed that this is true], because you received [from God] a Spirit that is not one that makes you fear [God] again. You are not like slaves who [fear their masters] [MET]. On the contrary, we have received a Spirit by whose [work in our hearts God] has adopted us. The Spirit now enables us to cry out [to God], “[You(sg) are my] Father [DOU]!”

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

The Spirit himself confirms what our spirits [say], that we are God’s children.

17 and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and fellow-heirs with Christ; if indeed we are suffering with him, that we may also be glorified with him.

Because we are [God’s] children, we also will some day receive/inherit [eternal blessings/privileges]. We will receive/inherit them from God, and we will [also] receive/inherit [them] just like Christ has [inherited them]. But we must suffer [for doing good] as Christ did, in order to receive splendor as he did.

18 For I esteem the sufferings of the present time as of no account, when compared with the glory which is about to be revealed to us.

I consider that what we suffer during the present time is not worth [paying attention to, because] the future splendor/glory that will be revealed {that [God] will reveal} to us [is so great].

19 For the earnest expectation of the creation is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God.

The [things that God has] created are very eagerly waiting for [the time] [PRS, DOU] when God will reveal who his [true] children are.

20 For the creation was brought into subjection to vanity not of its own will, but by reason of him who put it into subjection,

[God] caused the things that he created to be unable to achieve [what he had purposed. That was] not because they wanted to [be unable to do that]. On the contrary, [God] made them that way because he wanted them to keep confidently expecting

21 in hope that even the creation itself will be set free from the bondage of corruption and brought into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

that the things that [he] created will be freed {that [he] will free the things that [he] created} from their sure decay [MET]. [He] will free them in order that [he can give them] the same glory that belongs to his children.

22 For we know that the whole creation is together groaning and suffering the pains of labor, up to this time;

We know that until now [it is as though] all [things] that God created have been groaning together, [and they long for that glory, just like a mother having the pains before bearing a child] groans [and longs for her baby’s birth] [MET].

23 and not only so, but even we ourselves also, though having the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption as sons, for the redemption of our body.

Not only [do those things groan], but we ourselves also groan inwardly. We who have [God’s] Spirit, who is like a partial gift [MET] we have received as we wait for [the future glory, groan inwardly]. We groan while we wait eagerly for the time when we will receive our [full] rights as God’s adopted children. That [will include] his freeing our bodies [from the things that hinder us on earth. He will do this by giving us new bodies].

24 For we were saved only in hope. But hope which is seen is not hope; how can a man hope for that which he seeth?

Ever since we were saved {since [God] saved us}, we have continued to confidently expect [that future glory]. If we had what we waited for, we would not [need to] wait for it any longer, because those who have something, certainly do not continue to wait for it! [RHQ]

25 But if we hope for that which we do not see, then do we with patience wait for it.

But because we keep waiting expectantly to receive what we do not yet have, we wait for it eagerly and patiently/perseveringly.

26 In like manner the Spirit also helpeth our weakness; for we know not what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedeth with groans which cannot be expressed in words.

Similarly, in addition to our continuing to wait for what God will give us, God’s Spirit helps us when our spirits feel weak. We do not know what is proper/necessary for us to pray. But God’s Spirit knows, and he prays for us when we groan (OR, he groans) in a way that cannot be expressed in words (OR, prays with us, groaning in a way that cannot be expressed in words).

27 But he that searcheth the hearts knoweth the mind of the Spirit, because it intercedeth for the holy according to the will of God.

God, who examines our inner feelings, understands what his Spirit desires. What God understands is that his Spirit prays for us who belong to God exactly as God wants him to pray.

28 We know moreover that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.

And we know that to those/us who love God, he works out all things that happen [to them/us] in a way that produces good [spiritual] benefits [for us]. He does these things for those/us whom he has chosen, because that was (OR, was according to) what he planned to do.

29 For he determined beforehand that those whom he foreknew should be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren.

God knew previously [that we would believe] in him (OR, [would be saved]). We are those who God also decided previously would develop a character like his Son’s character. The result of that is that [Christ is like] a firstborn/highest-ranking [son], and [those/we who are God’s children] [MET] are [like] [MET] many [younger] brothers [of Jesus].

30 And those whom he before appointed, he also called; and those whom he called, he also accepted as righteous; and those whom he accepted as righteous, he also glorified.

And us who God decided previously [that we would become like his Son], he also summoned. And for us whom he summoned, he also erased the record of our sins. And for us whose record of sins he has erased, he also will surely give future splendor.

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

So (I will tell you what we must conclude from [all] these things [that God does for us]./what shall we conclude from [all] these things [that God does for us]?) [RHQ] Because God [is acting] on our behalf, (no one can win against us!/can anyone defeat us? (OR, it does not matter if anyone opposes us)!) [RHQ]

32 He who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?

God did not spare even his very own Son. Instead, he turned him over [to others to cruelly kill him] in order that all we [who believe in him] may benefit [from his dying for us. Therefore, because God did that], (he will also certainly give us freely everything [that we need to live for him], in addition to [giving us] Christ./will he not also certainly give us freely everything [that we need to live for him], in addition to [giving us] Christ?) [RHQ]

33 Who shall bring any charge against the chosen of God? God is he who accepteth them as righteous.

It is God himself who erases the record of our sins. So (no one who accuses us [before God will win against us] (OR, [it does not matter] if anyone tries to accuse us) whom God has chosen./is it possible that anyone who accuses us [before God] will win against us (OR, does it matter if anyone tries to accuse us) whom God has chosen?) [RHQ]

34 Who is he that condemneth? Christ is he that died, yea rather, who rose again, who is also at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

It is Christ Jesus himself who pleads [with God] for us, so (no one can condemn us (OR, say that we are still guilty for our sin)./can anyone condemn us (OR, say that we are still guilty for our sin)?) [RHQ] Christ died [for us], but he was also brought back to life {[God] also raised him from the dead}, and he is now at the place of honor [ruling] with God [MTY].

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ for us? Shall affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword?

Absolutely no one and nothing can cause Christ to stop loving us! [RHQ] That could not [RHQ] happen [because someone] caused us to have trouble [DOU], or [because someone did things to] harm us, or [because we did] not have anything to eat, or [because we did] not have enough clothes, or [because we lived in a] dangerous situation, or [because someone killed us with] a sword [MTY] (OR, murdered us).

36 As it is written, “For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we were accounted as sheep for slaughter.”

[Such things may happen to us, just like] it is written {[as David] wrote} [that David said to God], “Because we are your [(sg)] people, [other people repeatedly attempt to] kill us. They consider that we are [only people to be killed], [like a butcher considers] that sheep are [only] animals to be slaughtered [MET].”

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

But even though all these bad things [may happen to us], we win a great victory/triumph [over these things because Christ], who loves us, [helps us].

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,

I am absolutely certain that neither being dead (OR, being killed), nor [what happens to us while] we live, nor angels, nor demons, nor present events, nor future events, nor powerful [beings/forces],

39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God for us, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

nor [powerful beings] above [the horizon] or below [the horizon] [MTY], nor anything else that [God has] created can cause God to stop loving us. [God showed us that he loves us by sending] Jesus Christ our Lord [to die for us].