Those who are in Christ are free from condemnation, 1-4. What harm comes of the flesh, 5-12; and what good of the Spirit, 13-18. The glorious deliverance all things long for, 19-28, was beforehand decreed from God, 29-37. Nothing can sever us from his love, 38, 39.
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For 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, 4 So that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh mind the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also revive your mortal bodies by his Spirit who dwells in you.
12 Therefore, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die, but if you, through the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are the children of God, 17 And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ—if we suffer with him, so that we may be glorified together.
18 For I reckon, that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption, namely, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, then with patience we wait for it.
26 Likewise, the Spirit also helps our infirmities. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son so that he might be the first-born among many brothers. 30 Moreover, those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? 33 Who will lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, or rather who is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword? 36 As it is written,
"For your sake we are killed all the day long./
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
37 But in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death, life, angels, principalities, powers, things present, things to come, 39 Height, depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Romans, Chapter 8[➚]
[v.1] - Some manuscripts do not contain the text, "who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."
[v.9-11] - "if" - When these verses mention, "if the Spirit of God dwells in you," and, "if Christ is in you," it is not a question of whether or not those statements are true, but rather that since those things are the case. So, those phrases can be read as, "since the Spirit of God dwells in you," and, "since Christ is in you." Paul is writing to those who have the Spirit indwelling and who are in Christ, so he's not questioning this but rather affirming this to be the case with them.
[v.27] - "who searches the hearts" - Reference, 1st Chronicles 28:9, 29:17; Psalms 7:9; Proverbs 17:3; Jeremiah 11:20, 17:10; 1st Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 2:23.
[v.29a] - "predestined" - Reference, Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12.
[v.29b] - "the first-born among many brothers" - Reference, Colossians 1:15.
[v.34] - "who is even at the right hand of God" - Reference, Mark 16:19.
[v.36] - Quoting Psalm 44:22 (LXX).
[v.37] - Reference, Exodus 14:14; Deuteronomy 1:30, 3:22, 11:25, 20:4, 31:6, 32:30-31; Joshua 10:42, 23:10; 2nd Chronicles 32:7-8; Psalm 144:1-2.