1 t hen now no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus.

Now, because of this, those who belong to Christ will not suffer the punishment of sin.

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

The power of the Holy Spirit has made me free from the power of sin and death. This power is mine because I belong to Christ Jesus.

3 F or what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, having sent his own Son, in likeness of flesh of sin, and for sin, has condemned sin in the flesh,

The Law could not make me free from the power of sin and death. It was weak because it had to work with weak human beings. But God sent His own Son. He came to earth in a body of flesh which could be tempted to sin as we in our bodies can be. He gave Himself to take away sin. By doing that, He took away the power sin had over us.

4 i n order that the righteous requirement of the law should be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh but according to Spirit.

In that way, Jesus did for us what the Law said had to be done. We do not do what our sinful old selves tell us to do anymore. Now we do what the Holy Spirit wants us to do.

5 F or they that are according to flesh mind the things of the flesh; and they that are according to Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Those who let their sinful old selves tell them what to do live under that power of their sinful old selves. But those who let the Holy Spirit tell them what to do are under His power.

6 F or the mind of the flesh death; but the mind of the Spirit life and peace.

If your sinful old self is the boss over your mind, it leads to death. But if the Holy Spirit is the boss over your mind, it leads to life and peace.

7 B ecause the mind of the flesh is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God; for neither indeed can it be:

The mind that thinks only of ways to please the sinful old self is fighting against God. It is not able to obey God’s Laws. It never can.

8 a nd they that are in flesh cannot please God.

Those who do what their sinful old selves want to do cannot please God.

9 B ut ye are not in flesh but in Spirit, if indeed God's Spirit dwell in you; but if any one has not Spirit of Christ he is not of him:

But you are not doing what your sinful old selves want you to do. You are doing what the Holy Spirit tells you to do, if you have God’s Spirit living in you. No one belongs to Christ if he does not have Christ’s Spirit in him.

10 b ut if Christ be in you, the body is dead on account of sin, but the Spirit life on account of righteousness.

If Christ is in you, your spirit lives because you are right with God, and yet your body is dead because of sin.

11 B ut if the Spirit of him that has raised up Jesus from among dead dwell in you, he that has raised up Christ from among dead shall quicken your mortal bodies also on account of his Spirit which dwells in you.

The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. If the same Holy Spirit lives in you, He will give life to your bodies in the same way.

12 S o then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to flesh;

So then, Christian brothers, we are not to do what our sinful old selves want us to do.

13 f or if ye live according to flesh, ye are about to die; but if, by the Spirit, ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live:

If you do what your sinful old selves want you to do, you will die in sin. But if, through the power of the Holy Spirit, you destroy those actions to which the body can be led, you will have life.

14 f or as many as are led by Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

All those who are led by the Holy Spirit are sons of God.

15 F or ye have not received a spirit of bondage again for fear, but ye have received a spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

You should not act like people who are owned by someone. They are always afraid. Instead, the Holy Spirit makes us His sons, and we can call to Him, “My Father.”

16 T he Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God.

For the Holy Spirit speaks to us and tells our spirit that we are children of God.

17 A nd if children, heirs also: heirs of God, and Christ's joint heirs; if indeed we suffer with, that we may also be glorified with.

If we are children of God, we will receive everything He has promised us. We will share with Christ all the things God has given to Him. But we must share His suffering if we are to share His shining-greatness.

18 F or I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy with the coming glory to be revealed to us.

I am sure that our suffering now cannot be compared to the shining-greatness that He is going to give us.

19 F or the anxious looking out of the creature expects the revelation of the sons of God:

Everything that has been made in the world is waiting for the day when God will make His sons known.

20 f or the creature has been made subject to vanity, not of its will, but by reason of him who has subjected, in hope

Everything that has been made in the world is weak. It is not that the world wanted it to be that way. God allowed it to be that way. Yet there is hope.

21 t hat the creature itself also shall be set free from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.

Everything that has been made in the world will be set free from the power that can destroy. These will become free just as the children of God become free.

22 F or we know that the whole creation groans together and travails in pain together until now.

We know that everything on the earth cries out with pain the same as a woman giving birth to a child.

23 A nd not only, but even we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, we also ourselves groan in ourselves, awaiting adoption, the redemption of our body.

We also cry inside ourselves, even we who have received the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the first of God’s gifts to us. We are waiting to become His complete sons when our bodies are made free.

24 F or we have been saved in hope; but hope seen is not hope; for what any one sees, why does he also hope?

We were saved with this hope ahead of us. Now hope means we are waiting for something we do not have. How can a man hope for something he already has?

25 B ut if what we see not we hope, we expect in patience.

But if we hope for something we do not yet see, we must learn how to wait for it.

26 A nd in like manner the Spirit joins also its help to our weakness; for we do not know what we should pray for as is fitting, but the Spirit itself makes intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered.

In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us where we are weak. We do not know how to pray or what we should pray for, but the Holy Spirit prays to God for us with sounds that cannot be put into words.

27 B ut he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for saints according to God.

God knows the hearts of men. He knows what the Holy Spirit is thinking. The Holy Spirit prays for those who belong to Christ the way God wants Him to pray.

28 B ut we do know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to purpose.

We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are chosen to be a part of His plan.

29 B ecause whom he has foreknown, he has also predestinated conformed to the image of his Son, so that he should be firstborn among many brethren.

God knew from the beginning who would put their trust in Him. So He chose them and made them to be like His Son. Christ was first and all those who belong to God are His brothers.

30 B ut whom he has predestinated, these also he has called; and whom he has called, these also he has justified; but whom he has justified, these also he has glorified.

He called to Himself also those He chose. Those He called, He made right with Himself. Then He shared His shining-greatness with those He made right with Himself.

31 W hat shall we then say to these things? If God for us, who against us?

What can we say about all these things? Since God is for us, who can be against us?

32 H e who, yea, has not spared his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him grant us all things?

God did not keep His own Son for Himself but gave Him for us all. Then with His Son, will He not give us all things?

33 W ho shall bring an accusation against God's elect? God who justifies:

Who can say anything against the people God has chosen? It is God Who says they are right with Himself.

34 w ho is he that condemns? Christ who has died, but rather has been raised up; who is also at the right hand of God; who also intercedes for us.

Who then can say we are guilty? It was Christ Jesus Who died. He was raised from the dead. He is on the right side of God praying to Him for us.

35 W ho shall separate us from the love of Christ? tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Who can keep us away from the love of Christ? Can trouble or problems? Can suffering wrong from others or having no food? Can it be because of no clothes or because of danger or war?

36 A ccording as it is written, For thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we have been reckoned as sheep for slaughter.

The Holy Writings say, “Because of belonging to Jesus, we are in danger of being killed all day long. We are thought of as sheep that are ready to be killed.”

37 B ut in all these things we more than conquer through him that has loved us.

But we have power over all these things through Jesus Who loves us so much.

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

For I know that nothing can keep us from the love of God. Death cannot! Life cannot! Angels cannot! Leaders cannot! Any other power cannot! Hard things now or in the future cannot!

39 n or height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The world above or the world below cannot! Any other living thing cannot keep us away from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.