Walking by the Spirit (Ezekiel 36:16–38; Galatians 5:16–26)
1 UST So now, God absolutely does not condemn anyone whom he has united with the Messiah Jesus. BSB BSB: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2 UST { This is true} because the principle that pertains to the life- giving Holy Spirit has caused you{ believers} to no longer be controlled by the principle that causes people to sin and die{ eternally}.{ It did this} by uniting you with the Messiah Jesus. BSB BSB: For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.
3 UST Indeed, God{ accomplished} what the laws{ he gave the Jews} could not accomplish, because they could not prevent people from living sinfully. Through{ the crucifying of}{ his Son’ s} body, God removed{ how} sinning{ controls people}.{ He did this} by sending his own Son{ Jesus}{ to the world} in a human body{ that was} like the bodies of sinful people.{ God sent his Son} in order to{ remove} that which causes man to sin. BSB BSB: For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,
4 UST { God did these things} so that we{ believers} could do the righteous acts that the laws{ he gave the Jews} required. We can live as people whom living sinfully does not control. Rather,{ we can live as people} whom the{ Holy} Spirit controls. BSB BSB: so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5 UST { This is true} because those{ people} whom living sinfully controls think about those things that are related to living sinfully. However, those people whom the{ Holy} Spirit controls think about those things that are related to the{ Holy} Spirit. BSB BSB: Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
6 UST Indeed, focusing on living sinfully will cause{ a person} to die{ eternally}. However, focusing on the{ Holy} Spirit will cause{ a person} to live{ eternally and} peacefully. BSB BSB: The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,
7 UST { This is true} because{ people} who focus on living sinfully are God’ s enemies.{ This is} because they do not voluntarily obey the laws God gave{ the Jews}; they are incapable{ of doing so}. BSB BSB: because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
8 UST But those whom living sinfully controls are incapable of pleasing God. BSB BSB: Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God.
10 UST Now, since the Messiah resides within you{ believers}, the{ Holy} Spirit gives{ you}{ eternal} life because he has made you righteous.{ This is true} even though your bodies will die because you sin. BSB BSB: But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
11 UST The{ Holy} Spirit does indeed reside within you.{ He came} from God, who caused Jesus to become alive again after he had died.{ Since this is true,} God, who caused the Messiah Jesus to become alive again after he had died, will also cause your physical bodies to become alive{ again} by his Spirit. This{ Spirit} resides within you. BSB BSB: And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
Heirs with Christ 12 UST Therefore,{ my} fellow believers, we are obligated.{ But we are not obligated} to live sinfully,{ which means} to live like those whom living sinfully controls. BSB BSB: Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation, but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.
13 UST Indeed, if you live like those whom living sinfully controls, you will die{ eternally}. However, if the{ Holy} Spirit enables you to stop doing what is sinful with your bodies, you will live{ eternally}. BSB BSB: For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 UST { This is} because those people whom God’ s Spirit guides are God’ s{ spiritual} children. BSB BSB: For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
17 UST Since we are{ God’ s spiritual} children, we are also those who will inherit{ blessings from God}. We inherit{ blessings from God himself} and also together with the Messiah{ Jesus}.{ This is true} only if we keep suffering together with the Messiah in order for God to also glorify us together with the Messiah. BSB BSB: And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.
Future Glory (2 Corinthians 5:1–10)
21 UST that God would also enable what he created to stop decaying and let it freely experience the same glorious status that belongs to his{ spiritual} children. BSB BSB: that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
22 UST Indeed, we are aware that,{ even} at the present time, everything God has created keeps groaning and suffering together{ like a mother experiencing pain before bearing a child}. BSB BSB: We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time.
23 UST { It is} not only{ what God created that groans}! On the contrary, even we ourselves who possess the{ Holy} Spirit as the first portion{ from God} feel suffering.{ We feel this way} while we eagerly wait for God to{ spiritually} adopt us, which will be when God redeems our bodies. BSB BSB: Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
24 UST { This is so} because God rescued us while we confidently expect this. If we{ already} had what we have been confidently expecting, then we would have nothing to confidently expect.{ This is} because surely nobody confidently expects something that he{ already} has. BSB BSB: For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see?
25 UST Yet, if we keep on confidently expecting what we do not yet have, then we will keep on eagerly waiting for it while persevering. BSB BSB: But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.
26 UST The{ Holy} Spirit similarly also assists us because we are weak.{ This is} because we are not aware for what we should pray. However, the{ Holy} Spirit personally pleads on our behalf by groaning without speaking words. BSB BSB: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.
27 UST Now God is the one who investigates what we think and feel. He is aware of what the{ Holy} Spirit intends, because the Spirit pleads for the sake of God’ s people according to{ what} God{ wants}. BSB BSB: And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
God Works in All Things (Ephesians 1:3–14)
28 UST We are certain that God makes all things that happen to benefit those who love him.{ They are} the people whom God called because he previously planned{ to do so}. BSB BSB: And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
29 UST { This is} because those whom God chose in advance, he also decided in advance to make resemble his Son{ Jesus}.{ God did these things} in order for his Son{ Jesus} to have first place among many{ spiritual} siblings. BSB BSB: For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
30 UST Certainly, the people whom God chose in advance{ to become his people}, he also summoned to become his people. And those people whom God summoned{ to become his people}, he also made righteous. And those people whom God made righteous, he will also make glorious. BSB BSB: And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
33 UST Surely no one can{ rightly} accuse those whom God chose{ to become his people}!{ This is because} God is the one who makes people righteous. BSB BSB: Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 UST Surely no one can condemn{ God’ s people}!{ This is because} the Messiah Jesus is the one who died. Furthermore, he is the one whom God made alive again. He is also at the place of highest honor next to God, and he even pleads for our sake. BSB BSB: Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us.
More than Conquerors (Psalm 44:1–26)
35 UST Surely no one can make Jesus stop loving us! If people trouble us or distress us or persecute us, or if we are hungry or naked or in danger, or if people kill us with swords, surely none of those things can make Jesus stop loving us! BSB BSB: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36 UST This is what{ God meant when} he said{ in the Scriptures},“They constantly kill us because of you{, God}. They consider us to be like sheep for them to slaughter.” BSB BSB: As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 UST However, he who loved us enables us to completely overcome all of these things{ that might happen to us}. BSB BSB: No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 UST In fact, God has persuaded me that{ none of these things}— whether being dead, or what happens while we are alive, or angels, or demons who rule, or things that are happening to us, or things that will happen to us, or powerful demons, BSB BSB: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 UST or what is above{ us}, or what is below{ us}, or anything else that God created— can stop God from loving us!{ God loves us} because we are united to the Messiah Jesus, our Lord! BSB BSB: neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.