Study Desk

What then can we say that Abraham, our physical ancestor,^[a](a) has found?

If Abraham was justified^[b] by works,^(b) he has something to brag about—but not before God.^[c]

For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness. ^(c)[d]

Now to the one who works,^(d) pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed.

But to the one who does not work, but believes on Him who declares the ungodly to be righteous,^[e](e) his faith is credited for righteousness.

Likewise, David also speaks of the blessing of the man God credits righteousness to apart from works:

How joyful are those whose lawless acts are forgiven and whose sins are covered!

How joyful is the man the Lord will never charge with sin! ^(f)[f]

Is this blessing only for the circumcised,^(g) then? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say, Faith was credited to Abraham for righteousness. ^(h)[g]

In what way then was it credited—while he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while he was circumcised, but uncircumcised.

And he received the sign of circumcision⁽ⁱ⁾ as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith^[h](j) while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father^(k) of all who believe^(l) but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also.

And he became the father of the circumcised, who are not only circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith our father Abraham had while he was still uncircumcised.

For the promise to Abraham^(m) or to his descendants that he would inherit the world⁽ⁿ⁾ was not through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.^[i]

If those who are of the law are heirs,^(o) faith is made empty and the promise is canceled.

For the law produces wrath.^(p) And where there is no law,^(q) there is no transgression.

This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace,^(r) to guarantee it to all the descendants^(s)—not only to those who are of the law^[j] but also to those who are of Abraham's faith. He is the father of us all

in God's sight. As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations. ^(t)[k] He believed in God, who gives life to the dead^(u) and calls^(v) things into existence that do not exist.^(w)

He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations ^(x)[l] according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be. ^(y)[m]

He considered^[n] his own body to be already dead^(z) (since he was about 100 years old)^(aa) and also considered the deadness of Sarah's womb,^(ab) without weakening in the faith.

He did not waver in unbelief at God's promise but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,^(ac)

because he was fully convinced^(ad) that what He had promised He was also able to perform.^(ae)

Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness. ^(af)[o]

Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone,^(ag)

but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in Him^(ah) who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.^(ai)

He was delivered up for^[p] our trespasses^(aj) and raised for^[q] our justification.^[r](ak)

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith,^(a) we have peace^[a] with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.^(b)

We have also obtained access through Him^(c) by faith^[b] into this grace in which we stand,^(d) and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

And not only that,^(e) but we also rejoice in our afflictions,^(f) because we know that affliction produces endurance,^(g)

endurance produces proven character,^(h) and proven character produces hope.

This hope will not disappoint us,⁽ⁱ⁾ because God's love has been poured out in our hearts^(j) through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment,^(k) Christ died for the ungodly.

For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die.

But God proves^(l) His own love for us^(m) in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!

Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood,⁽ⁿ⁾ we will be saved through Him from wrath.^(o)

For if, while we were enemies,^(p) we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life!^(q)

And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have now received this reconciliation through Him.^(r)

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,^(s) and death through sin,^(t) in this way death spread to all men,^(u) because all sinned.^[c]

In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person's account when there is no law.^(v)

Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam's transgression.^(w) He is a prototype^[d] of the Coming One.^(x)

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man's trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift overflowed to the many by the grace of the one man,^(y) Jesus Christ.

And the gift is not like the one man's sin, because from one sin came the judgment,^(z) resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification.^[e]

Since by the one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life^(aa) through the one man, Jesus Christ.

So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is life-giving justification^[f](ab) for everyone.

For just as through one man's disobedience the many were made sinners,^(ac) so also through the one man's obedience^(ad) the many will be made righteous.

The law came along to multiply the trespass.^(ae) But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more^(af)

so that, just as sin reigned in death,^(ag) so also grace will reign^(ah) through righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What should we say then?^(a) Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply?^(b)

Absolutely not!^(c) How can we who died to sin^(d) still live in it?

Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized^(e) into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?^(f)

Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death,^(g) in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead^(h) by the glory of the Father,⁽ⁱ⁾ so we too may walk in a new way^[a] of life.^(j)

For if we have been joined with Him in the likeness of His death,^(k) we will certainly also be^[b] in the likeness of His resurrection.

For we know that our old self^[c](l) was crucified with Him^(m) in order that sin's dominion over the body^[d] may be abolished,⁽ⁿ⁾ so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin,

since a person who has died^(o) is freed^[e] from sin's claims.^[f]

Now if we died with Christ,^(p) we believe that we will also live with Him,

because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead,^(q) will not die again. Death no longer rules over Him.^(r)

For in light of the fact that He died, He died to sin once for all; but in light of the fact that He lives, He lives to God.

So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin^(s) but alive to God in Christ Jesus.^[g]

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey^[h] its desires.

And do not offer any parts^[i] of it to sin^(t) as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God,^(u) and all the parts^[j] of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness.

For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law^(v) but under grace.^(w)

What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace?^(x) Absolutely not!^(y)

Don't you know that if you offer yourselves to someone^[k] as obedient slaves,^(z) you are slaves of that one you obey^(aa)—either of sin leading to death^(ab) or of obedience leading to righteousness?

But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin,^(ac) you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were transferred^[l] to,^(ad)

and having been liberated from sin,^(ae) you became enslaved to righteousness.

I am using a human analogy^[m](af) because of the weakness of your flesh.^[n] For just as you offered the parts^[o] of yourselves as slaves to moral impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from allegiance to righteousness.^[p](ag)

So what fruit was produced^[q] then from the things you are now ashamed of?^(ah) For the end of those things is death.^(ai)

But now, since you have been liberated from sin and have become enslaved to God,^(aj) you have your fruit, which results in sanctification^[r](ak)—and the end is eternal life!^(al)

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.^(am)

Since I am speaking to those who understand law, brothers,^(a) are you unaware that the law has authority over someone as long as he lives?

For example, a married woman is legally bound to her husband while he lives.^(b) But if her husband dies, she is released from the law regarding the husband.

So then, if she gives herself to another man while her husband is living, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law. Then, if she gives herself to another man, she is not an adulteress.

Therefore, my brothers, you also were put to death^(c) in relation to the law^(d) through the crucified body of the Messiah,^(e) so that you may belong to another—to Him who was raised from the dead—that we may bear fruit for God.

For when we were in the flesh,^[a](f) the sinful passions operated through the law in every part of us^[b](g) and bore fruit for death.

But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the new way^[c] of the Spirit^(h) and not in the old letter of the law.

What should we say then?⁽ⁱ⁾ Is the law sin? Absolutely not!^(j) On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law.^(k) For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet. ^(l)[d]

And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment,^(m) produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.⁽ⁿ⁾

Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life

and I died. The commandment that was meant for life^(o) resulted in death for me.

For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me,^(p) and through it killed me.

So then, the law is holy,^(q) and the commandment is holy and just and good.

Therefore, did what is good cause my death?^[e] Absolutely not!^(r) On the contrary, sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure.

For we know that the law is spiritual,^(s) but I am made out of flesh,^[f] sold^(t) into sin's power.^(u)

For I do not understand what I am doing,^(v) because I do not practice what I want to do,^(w) but I do what I hate.

And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good.

So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me.

For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh.^(x) For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it.

For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do.

Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me.

So I discover this principle:^[g](y) When I want to do what is good, evil is with me.

For in my inner self^[h] I joyfully agree with God's law.^(z)

But I see a different law in the parts of my body,^[i](aa) waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.^[j]

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this dying body?^(ab)

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!^[k](ac) So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin.