Romans 8
Romans 8 is Paul's chapter on life in the Spirit. It opens with no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus and closes by saying nothing in all creation shall be able to separate us from the love of God, with Romans 8:28 in between.
Romans 8 (KJV)
No condemnation in Christ Jesus v. 1-4
1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The flesh and the Spirit v. 5-11
5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
Children and heirs of God v. 12-17
12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Creation groans and we wait in hope v. 18-25
18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
The Spirit helps, and all things work together v. 26-30
26Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God v. 31-39
31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What Romans 8 means
Romans 8 follows Paul's honest account in chapter 7 of a man who wants to do right and keeps failing. Chapter 8 answers him. Verse 1 says there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because God did what the law could not do: he sent his own Son and condemned sin in the flesh.
Verses 5 to 17 contrast two ways of living, after the flesh and after the Spirit. The Spirit of God lives in believers, gives life, and leads them. That makes them sons of God. Paul says they did not receive a spirit of bondage and fear but the Spirit of adoption, by which they cry Abba, Father. Abba is an Aramaic word for father, often explained as the familiar word a child would use.
From verse 18 Paul faces suffering directly. He does not deny it; he weighs it. Present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come. The whole creation groans like a woman in labour, believers groan too, and even the Spirit makes intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered when we do not know what to pray.
Verses 28 to 30 give the reason for confidence: God works all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose, and Paul traces that purpose from foreknowledge to glory. Christian traditions explain verses 29-30 in different ways, especially the words foreknow and predestinate, but they agree the passage is meant to give assurance.
The chapter ends with a series of questions. If God be for us, who can be against us? Who can bring a charge, or condemn? Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Paul lists trouble, persecution, famine, sword, death, life, angels and powers, and says none of them can. In all these things we are more than conquerors.
Background and context
Romans is a letter from Paul (Romans 1:1) to the church in Rome, written before he had visited it. Chapters 1 to 8 lay out the gospel step by step, and chapter 8 is the high point of that argument.
Verse 36 quotes Psalm 44:22, and the cry Abba, Father appears again in Galatians 4:6.
Key verses
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8:1 · KJV
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28 · KJV
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 · KJV
Cross references
- Galatians 4:6 Paul again describes the Spirit in believers' hearts, crying, Abba, Father.And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
- Galatians 5:16-17 A shorter version of the flesh and Spirit contrast in verses 5-13.This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
- 2 Corinthians 4:17 Present affliction is light and for a moment compared with the weight of glory, like verse 18.For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
- Psalm 44:22 The psalm Paul quotes in verse 36: counted as sheep for the slaughter.Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
- Hebrews 7:25 Christ ever liveth to make intercession, as verse 34 says.Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
- Isaiah 50:8-9 He is near that justifieth me; who is he that shall condemn me? The pattern behind verses 33-34.He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
- Ephesians 1:13-14 The Spirit as the earnest, or down payment, of our inheritance, like the firstfruits in verse 23.In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
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Common questions
What is the main message of Romans 8?
Those who are in Christ are free from condemnation, live by the Spirit as God's children, can endure suffering in hope, and can never be separated from the love of God.
What does Abba, Father mean in Romans 8:15?
Abba is an Aramaic word for father, often explained as the familiar word a child would use. Paul says the Spirit lets believers speak to God that way instead of in fear.
What are the most famous verses in Romans 8?
Verse 1 (no condemnation), verse 28 (all things work together for good), verse 31 (if God be for us, who can be against us) and verses 38-39 (nothing can separate us from the love of God).
Who wrote Romans 8?
The apostle Paul. The letter opens with his name in Romans 1:1.
100 Roots in Scripture
Every verse in its own language, in its own place
100 Roots in Scripture explains the Greek and Hebrew words behind well-known verses, a good companion for a chapter as rich as Romans 8.
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