Romans 6:1-9:33 What, then (or: consequently), shall we continue saying (or: declaring)? Should we continue prolonging our remaining (or: May we stay longer, remain on, habitually abide or persist) in the Sin (with the failure; by the missing of the target; centered in the error; in relation to the deviation from the goal), to the end that the Grace and Favor may increase to be more than enough?

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ What, then (or: consequently), shall we continue saying (or: declaring)? Should we continue prolonging our remaining (or: May we stay longer, remain on, habitually abide or persist) in the Sin (with the failure; by the missing of the target; centered in the error; in relation to the deviation from the goal), to the end that the Grace and Favor may increase to be more than enough? ² Certainly not (May it not come to be; May it not happen)! We, the very ones who once died by the Sin (or: died with the Sin; die in deviation; died with reference to missing the target; died to failure; die in error), how shall we [other MSS: could we] still (or: yet) continue living within it, centered in it, or in union with it? ³ Or are you continuing to be ignorant (are you remaining without experiential knowledge; do you continue not knowing) that as many of we who are immersed (or: were at one point baptized) into Christ Jesus are immersed (or: were then baptized) into His death? ⁴ We, then (or: consequently), were buried together (entombed together with funeral rites) in Him (or: by Him; with Him), through the immersion (baptism) into the death, to the end that just as (or: in the same manner as) Christ was roused and raised forth from out of the midst of dead folks THROUGH (through means of) THE GLORY (the glorious manifestation of splendor which calls forth praise; the notion; the renown; the reputation; the imagination) of The Father (or: which is the Father), thus also we can walk around (or: we also should likewise conduct ourselves and order our behavior) within newness of life (in union with life characterized by being new in kind and quality, and different from that which was former). ⁵ For since (or: You see, if) we have been birthed (have become; have come to be) folks engrafted and produced together (or: planted and made to grow together; brought forth together; congenital) in, by, to and with the result of the likeness of (or: effect of the similar manner from) His death, then certainly we shall also continue existing [in the effects of the likeness] of The Resurrection (or: which is the resurrection; or: from, and with qualities of, the resurrection), ⁶ while constantly knowing this by intimate experience, that our old, former humanity is crucified together (or: was simultaneously and jointly impaled and put to death on an execution stake) with [Him], to the end that the body of the Sin (the body belonging to the failure; the corporal manifestation that pertains to the deviation; the group of people [Adam] who missed the target) could and would be rendered useless and inoperative (idled-down to be unproductive; made null, inactive and unemployed), for us to no longer continually be a slave to the Sin (or: perform as a slave in the failure, for the Sin, or by deviating and thus missing the goal), ⁷ for you see, the One at one point dying (or: the one at some point suffering death) has been rightwised away from the Sin (or: set in the Way pointed out, away from the Failure; turned in the right direction, away from the deviation and missing of the target; placed into equity and right relationships, away from error; = has been moved away from The Sin, and has been brought into participation in covenant relationship). ⁸ Now since we died (or: if we die) together with Christ, we are continuously believing (relying; trusting) that we shall also continue living together in Him (by Him; for Him; to Him; with Him), ⁹ having seen and thus knowing and perceiving that Christ, being aroused and raised forth from out of the midst of dead folks, is no longer dying. His death is no longer exercising ownership (or: Death is no longer being lord or exerting mastery pertaining to Him; or: Death, from Him, is no longer functioning as a lord), ¹⁰ for what He died (or: You see, [the death] which He died), He died for the Sin (or: by the Failure; in the deviation; to the Sin; with the Error) once for all [time] (or: at once and only once); yet what He lives (or: Yet [the life] which He continues to live), He continues living in God (for God; to God; by God; with God). ¹¹ Thus you folks, also, be logically considering (reckoning, accounting and concluding) yourselves to exist being dead ones, indeed, by the failure to hit the target (or: in the Sin; to the deviation), yet ones continuously living by God (in God; for God; to God; with God), within Christ Jesus, our Owner (or: in union with [the] Anointed Jesus, our Lord and Master). ¹² Do not, then, let the Sin to continue reigning (or: Therefore, stop allowing the failure, the mistake, or the deviation from the goal to continue on the throne ruling as king) within your mortal body, [leading] into the continual listening in submissive obedience to its earnest desires (its full rushing of emotions, passions and lusts). ¹³ Also stop constantly placing your members (or: body parts) alongside (providing and presenting them) [as] tools (or: instruments) of injustice (disregard for what is right; activities discordant to the Way pointed out); but rather, you folks at once place yourselves alongside for disposal to God (or: stand yourselves with God, at [His] side; by and in God, present yourselves; set yourselves alongside [each other], for God) as it were being folks continually alive forth from out of the midst of dead ones, and your members [as] tools (instruments) of fair and equitable dealing in the Way pointed out in and by God (of justice and solidarity, for God; of being turned in the right direction, to God; of rightwised covenant relationships with God), ¹⁴ for your sin (your failure; your missing of the target) will not continue exercising mastery (or: You see, deviation from the goal shall not exert ownership and rule as your lord), for you folks are not under Law (or: do not exist being subject to [Torah] or custom), but rather under Grace (or: the Act which produced happiness, which was granted as a favor). ¹⁵ What, then? Should we (May we; Can we) occasionally sin (miss the target; fail), because we are not under law (subject to [Torah] or custom), but rather under grace (the act yielding happiness, granting joyous favor)? Certainly not (May it not come to be or happen)! ¹⁶ Have you not seen and thus know (Are you not aware) that to whom (for whom; or: in what) you habitually place yourselves alongside, presenting and providing yourselves as slaves into submissive, obedient hearing, you folks are, and continue being, [his or its] slaves – to whom (in what; for which) you habitually submit in obedient hearing – whether of failure (of sin; of missing the target) into death, or of submissive, hearing obedience into fair and equitable dealings of rightwised relationship in the Way pointed out ([covenant] justice). ¹⁷ But Grace by God (or: Now [this is] happiness granted as favor in God): that you folks were existing, continuing to be slaves of the Sin (slaves of failure; slaves belonging to the missing the target), yet now you submissively hear and pay attention, so as to obey – from out of heart! – [the] type of instruction (or: chiseled and imprinted pattern of teaching) into which you are (or: at one point were) given over (handed over and entrusted; given alongside). ¹⁸ Now, being set free (or: liberated) from the Sin (failure; error), you folks are (or: were suddenly) enslaved (made slaves) to justice (= to covenant participation in solidarity) (or: in the Way pointed out; for fair and equitable dealings; by the Well-ordered, Righteous Existence [in Christ]; to rightwised relationship and [covenantal] behavior). ¹⁹ I am speaking humanly because of the weakness or sickness of your flesh (or: = your human condition; or: = the self that had been distorted by the System): for even as you folks presented (placed and provided alongside) your members [as; being] slaves by (for; in; to) the Uncleanness and by (for; in; to) the Lawlessness, [leading] into that Lawlessness, in this manner (or: thus) now you folks must place (provide and present) your members alongside [as] slaves of the Way pointed out (slaves of rightwised relationship in fair and equitable dealings; slaves of justice and righteousness) [leading] into the quality and sphere of being set-apart (or: into a holy consecration and a state of being sacredly different). ²⁰ For when you folks were existing being slaves of the Sin (slaves from failure; slaves of deviation from the goal), you were existing [as it were] being free [as; with regard] to the Way pointed out (= being not owned by rightwised relationships, fairness, equity and justice). ²¹ What fruit, then, were you having (did you used to hold or possess) at that time, upon which [situation or condition] you folks now continue to be ashamed and embarrassed? For, indeed, the outcome (the end; the goal; the fruition; the consummation; the destiny) of those things [is] death. ²² But now being folks set free from the Sin (from failure; from error; from missing the target; from deviation) yet being enslaved by (to; in; for) God, you folks continue having (habitually hold and possess) your fruit unto the quality and sphere of being set-apart (into a sacred difference). Now the outcome (goal, end and destiny) [of this is] life which belongs to, is proper to, pertains to and is connected to the Age (eonian life; Life of and for the ages). ²³ For you see, the subsistence pay (the ration money; the allowance) of the Sin (failure; the missing of the target; the deviation) [is] death, but God’s grace-effect (or: the result of the joyous and gracious gift of and from God; the effect of the favor, which is God,) [is] life which belongs to, is proper to, pertains to and is connected to the Age (eonian life; Life of and for the ages) within Christ Jesus, our Owner (or: in union with [the] Anointed Jesus, our Lord). ⁷ ¹ Or are you continuing to be ignorant (are you remaining without experiential knowledge and insight), brothers (= fellow covenant members) – for I am speaking to those having intimate experiential knowledge of Law (= those who understand Torah) – that the Law (or: culture; Torah) continuously performs as lord (owner; master) of the man for as long as he is living? ² For instance, the married woman (the woman under subjection to a husband or to an adult male) has been bound and remains tied up by Law and custom to the living husband (or: has been wrapped up and stands tied to law [= Torah; or: custom] by the living man). Yet if the husband may die, she has been released from employment and stands idle (or: has been brought down to living without labor and rendered inactive; she is discharged and brought down to unproductivity, being idled down) away from the husband’s law (or: from pertaining to the law [= Torah] and custom of the adult man). ³ Consequently (or: Accordingly), then, [with the] continued living of the husband, she will be dealing as an adulteress (or: bear the title “adulteress”) if she should become [attached] to, or [a lover] for, or [involved] with a different man (or: husband); but if the husband may die, she is free (she exists in a state of freedom) from the Law [= Torah], not to be an adulteress, pertaining to her becoming [a wife] for (or: to) a different man (or: husband). ⁴ So that, my brothers (= fellow covenant-believers), you folks also were made dead to the Law (or: were put to death by the Law [=Torah] and with the Law), through the body of the Christ, [proceeding] into the situation to become [the wife] for (or: to; in; with) a different One – in (to; for) the One being roused and raised forth from out of the midst of dead folks – to the end that we may bear fruit by God (or: produce a harvest in, for, to and with God). ⁵ For when we [= Adam/Israel] were existing within the flesh (or: = in the old alienated Adamic existence, with the flesh sacrifices and markers of the Law), the effects, impressions, emotions and impulses from the experiences, passions and suffering of the failures (the sins; the deviations which caused misses of the target) – the things through means of the Law [the Torah] – were continually operating (working within; energizing and effecting) within our members into the condition to produce fruit by Death (in death; to death; for Death). ⁶ But now (at the present time), we [= Israel] are (or: were instantly) rendered inactive (brought down to living without labor, released from employment, made unproductive; discharged) away from the Law (= the Torah; [some MSS add: of Death]), dying within that in which we were constantly being held down (held in possession and detained), so that it is [for] us to be habitually performing as slaves within newness of spirit (a newness pertaining to spirit and has its source in the Breath-effect; freshness and new quality of attitude) and not in oldness (obsoleteness; outdatedness) of Letter (or: not in outwornness of what is written). ⁷ What, then, shall we say (or: declare)? [Is] the Law (or: custom) sin (error; failure to hit the target; deviation from the goal)? Certainly not (May it not come to be)! Instead (or: But rather) I did not (or: do not) at any point experientially and intimately know the Sin, if not through Law ([= Torah]; or: custom). For besides, I had not seen and thus had not known (become conscious of) the full passion (earnest desire; lust; coveting; emotion upon something) if the Law and the custom were not continuously saying (or: except the [Torah] kept on saying), "You will continue not putting strong emotions upon something (or: You shall not repeatedly have a strong impulse or desire; You will not constantly crave or covet [other folks' possessions or their gods])." [Ex. 20:17; Deut. 5:21; comment: the "I" of this passage = Adam (Gen. 3) /Israel (Ex. 32) /Paul (in his pre-Christian experience)] ⁸ Yet the Sin (or: the failure; the error; the mistake; the missing of the target; the deviation from the goal), taking (receiving in the hand and thus, getting) a starting point (a base of operation; an occasion; a means of beginning) through the implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive; commandment [to Adam, then to Israel]), works (or: worked) down to effect and produce within me every full passion, strong impulse, over-desire and craving emotion upon things – for apart from Law (or: a custom; or: [Torah]) sin (error; failure; missing the target) [is] dead (or: [was] lifeless). ⁹ Now I was at one time (or: formerly) habitually living apart from Law (or: I was once alive, independent from custom and [Torah]); yet, in connection with the coming of the implanted goal (of the impartation of the finished product within; of the inward commandment and directive), the Sin becomes alive again (or: deviation, failure, error and the missing of the target revived and comes back to life), but I die (or: and I died; yet I die). ¹⁰ Also, the implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive; commandment) – the one [meant to lead] into Life – this was found by me (for me; in me; to me) [to be leading] into death. ¹¹ For the Sin (failure; error; the miss when shooting at a target; the deviation from the goal), taking a starting point (receiving an occasion and base of operation) through the implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive; commandment [to Adam, then to Israel]), completely makes me unable to walk the Path (made me incapable to walk out [customs of the Law]; thoroughly cheats and deludes me, making me lose my Way; deceives me; [comment: reference to Eve in Gen. 3:13]) and through it kills me off (or: slaughtered me). ¹² And thus (or: Consequently) the Law [= the Torah], indeed, [is] set-apart (holy; sacred; consecrated) and the implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive; commandment) [is] set-apart (holy; sacred) and in accord with the Way pointed out (fair; equitable; just; = related to covenant) and good (virtuous). ¹³ Then did the good come to be death for me (in me; to me)? Certainly not (may it not come to be)! But rather, the Sin (failure; error; the miss; the mistake; the deviation) – to the end that sin (failure; error; etc.) may be brought to light and made visible (or: in order that it may be made to appear and be shown as being sin) – is constantly producing (or: working down) death through the good [i.e., the commandment], to the end that the Sin (failure; the miss; error; the deviation), through the implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive; commandment), may come to be in accord with a throwing-beyond that is missing the target (or: may happen according to excess which is failing; may become extremely erroneous; should come to be in line with a deviating shooting over the goal; or, substantively: may become an exceeding failure, and excessive sinner or a total outcast). ¹⁴ For you see, we have seen and are aware (or: on the one hand I recognize and know) that the Law (= Torah; or: law; custom; principle) constantly exists being spiritual (is pertaining to spirit; is having the qualities of a Breath-effect; is relating to attitude), yet (or: on the other hand) I [= Israel? or, Adam] myself am (or: exist being) fleshly (composed of flesh; carnal; flesh-oriented; or: = affected by the alienated self), being one having been and now remaining sold under [the power and control of] the Sin (under failure and the miss of the Target [of Torah?]). ¹⁵ For what I am constantly producing (habitually working down to accomplish; [= keeping customs of the Torah]) I do not intimately know (experience in my understanding). You see, that which I continually will (habitually intend and purpose), this I do not habitually practice. But rather, that which I constantly hate, this I continue to do or repeatedly perform! ¹⁶ Now if what I am not continually willing (not habitually intending), this I am habitually doing or producing, I am constantly concurring with (conceding; agreeing with; a prophetic voice with) the Law [= the Torah], that [it is] ideal (fine; excellent; beautiful). ¹⁷ Yet now (= as the case really stands) I myself am no longer habitually producing (continuously working down and effecting) this, but rather the Sin (the failure; the personified error of missing the Target; the deviation [from Torah and its boundary markers]) [which is] continuously housing herself (or: making its home; inhabiting; dwelling; = living) within me. ¹⁸ For I have seen and thus know that good (or: virtue) is not habitually making its home (housing itself; dwelling; = living) within me – that is, within my flesh (= alienated self; or: = life under Torah) – for the [ability or condition] to will (or: intend; purpose) is continually lying near beside me, but the [ability, condition or circumstance] to constantly produce (work down, effect and accomplish) the ideal (the fine; the excellent; the beautiful) [is] not. ¹⁹ For that which I constantly intend (will; purpose) – a good thing (a noble deed; a virtuous act) – I do not normally do (or: I am not consistently doing what I continually will, intend and purpose: [something] good), but rather, that which I continuously do not intend (or: will) – a worthless (ugly; ignoble; base; bad; evil) thing – this I habitually put into practice! ²⁰ Yet if that which I am not willing (intending), this I am constantly doing, I, myself, am no longer producing (working down and effecting) it, but rather, [it is] the Sin (the failure; the error; the missing of the Goal; the deviation [from Torah-keeping]) continuously housing herself (making its home; dwelling) within me [= Adam, or an Israelite, personified]. ²¹ Consequently I keep on finding the principle (or: this law) in me – in the person normally willing (purposing; intending) to habitually do (perform; produce) the ideal (the beautiful; the fine) – that in me (or: with me; for me) the worthless (the ugly; the ignoble; the base; the evil) is constantly lying close by. ²² For habitually I am pleased with (take enjoyment and delight with) the principle and law which is God (or: the principle of God; or: the Law from God), down in (or: in correspondence with; on the level of) the inner human (or: the interior person within; the inside humanity), ²³ yet I constantly see (or: observe) a different principle (or: law), within my members, [which is] by the Law (or: custom; or: [= Torah]) repeatedly taking the field to wage war against my mind (or: warring in opposition to, and in the place of, the law of, and which is, my mind), and repeatedly taking me prisoner and leading me into captivity within the principle (or: in union with the Law) of the Sin (the failure; the error; the miss of the Target; the deviation from [Torah-keeping]) – the one continuously existing (or: now being) within my members. ²⁴ I [am] a wretched (callous-weighted [from hard work], miserable, distressed, enduring-severe-effort-and-hardship) man (or: human)! What will be progressively rescuing me from out of the body of this death (or: from out of this body of the death; out of this body which pertains to death and which has its origin, character and qualities in death)? [comment: Paul continues his rhetoric of personifying Adam's and Israel's predicament] ²⁵ The Grace and joyous favor of God! – through Jesus Christ our Owner (Lord)! [other MSS: The grace of {the} Lord; other MSS: Yet {there is} grace and favor in God (or: by God; with God), through Jesus Christ our Lord (or: Master); other MSS: I habitually give thanks to, and speak of the goodness of grace in, God!] Consequently then, I myself in (or: by; with) the mind, indeed, (or: on the other hand) continuously perform as a slave to and for the principle and law which is God (or: in God’s Law; by and with God’s principle), yet in (or: by) the flesh (= with the self which is oriented to society and the System; or: = customs and cultus of the Torah), to, for and in a principle of failure (with a law of sin or error; or: for a law from missing the Target; or: by Sin’s law). ⁸ ¹ Nothing, consequently, [is] now a result of condemnation in (or: a commensurate effect of a decision for; a corresponding result of a negative evaluation which falls in line with a decision or follows the pattern which divides [folks] down, with) those within Christ Jesus (or: [There is] not one thing [that is] really now an effect of a downward-judging to, in or with the folks in union with [the] Anointing of Jesus)! [A, D & later MSS here add: {They} are not habitually walking around (= living their lives) in accord with (or: corresponding to) flesh] [Aleph2, D2 & later MSS here add: but to the contrary, in the sphere of spirit and attitude (or: Breath-effect; or: {the} Spirit).] ² For the principle and law of, from and which is the spirit and attitude of 'The Life within Christ Jesus' (or: For you see, the Law of Life’s spirit, joined with [the] Anointing of Jesus; or: For the Spirit’s law of life within Christ Jesus; or: the Law [= Torah] from the Breath-effect, which is Life in union with [the] Anointed Jesus) frees you away from the Law of the Sin (or: the principle of failure and the missing of the target; the code of behavior that produces error; the principle of deviation from the goal) and the Death (or: immediately set you [other MSS: me] at liberty from the law that deals with and has the character of sin and death). [comment: = the principle of the old Adamic life, and Israel's Torah] ³ You see, [because of] the powerlessness and inability of the Law (from the written code; = associated with Torah) – within which it kept on making [folks] weak and feeble ([note: the active voice]; but as an intransitive: in which [incapability] it was constantly falling sick and continued being without strength) through the flesh (= the alienated self oriented toward the System; or: = Torah culture and cultus, with boundary-marker observances) – in sending His own Son (or: by sending the Son, Who is Himself) within a result of a likeness of flesh that is connected with sin (or: in an effect of being made similar to sin’s flesh; = in union with a result from being made like the alienated existence that is marked by failure), and concerning sin (or: encircling failure and error; to address a missed target; surrounding deviation; [note: or, as a technical term for the sin offering: = to be the sin-offering; see: Lev. 4:32; 5:6-9; 2 Chron. 29:24; Ps. 40:6; Ezk. 42:13, LXX]), God gives a commensurate decision from a corresponding negative evaluation which falls in line with and follows the pattern which divides down (or: condemned; gives a down-oriented verdict; passed down a sentence on and gave judgment against) the Sin within the flesh [system] (or: the failure, the error, the miss of the target and the deviation [which is] in union with the human condition; or: = the mistake of the estranged, System-dominated self), ⁴ to the end that the effects of the fair and equitable Deed in which wrong was set right, resulting from being turned in the right direction within the Way pointed out, which is the principle, (or: so that the effect of the right relationships which come from [His] law and custom; or: in order that the result of the equity of the Law) may be fulfilled and become full within us – in those habitually walking about (or: = for the folks ordering their behavior and living their lives) not in accord with flesh (or: = not corresponding to the human condition; or: = on the level of Torah-keeping boundary-markers), but rather in accord with spirit (or: down from [the] Spirit; corresponding to [His] Attitude; on the level of and in the sphere of Breath-effect). ⁵ You see, those continuously existing in accord with flesh (or: = in correspondence to Torah-keeping and cultural boundaries; or: = the human condition) habitually think about, have an understanding and outlook based upon, are inclined to, set their mind on and are disposed to the things of the flesh (= the human condition with its cultural traditions, religious cultus and national boundary markers), yet those in accord with spirit (or: down from [the] Spirit; on the level of Breath-effect; in line with [His] Attitude) [think about; have an outlook from] the things and matters of the spirit (or: the Spirit; Breath-effect; the Attitude). ⁶ For the result of the thinking (mind-set; effect of the way of thinking; disposition; result of understanding and inclination; the minding; the opinion; the thought; the outlook) of the flesh (= the human condition or the System of culture and cultus; or: = outward Torah ceremony) [is; brings] death, yet the result of the thinking (mind-set; disposition; thought and way of thinking; outlook) of the spirit (or: the Spirit; the Breath-effect; the Attitude) [is; brings] Life and Peace. ⁷ Because of that, the result of the thinking (disposition; thought processes; mind-set, outlook) of the flesh (= attention to Torah boundary-markers, custom and cultus; or: = the human condition) [is; brings] enmity, alienation and discord [streaming] into God (or: hostility unto, or active hatred with a view to, God), for it continues not being humbly aligned and supportive (habitually placed under and submitted; or, as a middle: subjecting, humbly arranging or marshaling itself) to the principle and law which is God (or: in God’s principle; by the Law from God), for neither is it able nor does it have power. ⁸ Now the folks continuously existing in the midst of (or: So people being in union with, or centered in,) flesh (= the alienated human condition; or: = the religious system involving flesh sacrifices, Torah boundary-markers/customs) have no power and are not able at any point to please God (or: to fit or adapt to God; or: to be content with God; or: to be acceptable in God). ⁹ Yet you folks are not constantly existing within the midst of flesh (or: you are not in union with nor centered on [the alienated human condition, or Torah-keeping with flesh sacrifices]), but rather within spirit, in union with Breath-effect and centered on [His] attitude, since indeed God’s Spirit (or: if so be that [the] Breath-effect which is God; or: if as is the fact that an attitude which corresponds to God) is continuously housing Itself (making His abode; residing; dwelling; by idiom: cohabiting; living together as husband and wife) within and among you folks. Yet if anyone is not continuously having, or not habitually and progressively holding, Christ’s Spirit and [the Messiah's] Attitude (or: So if a certain person is not regularly possessing a Breath-effect which is Anointed), this one is not habitually existing from Him as his Source (or: is not now having His character or qualities; or: presently is not His). ¹⁰ But since Christ (or: Yet if [the] Anointing) [is] within you folks, on the one hand the body is dead (lifeless) because of sin (through failure, deviation and missing the target), yet on the other hand, the Spirit, Attitude and Breath-effect [is] Life because of justice, [covenant] rightwisedness and equitable relationships within the Way pointed-out (or: on account of [His] covenant faithfulness which set us in the Right [Christ], turning us into the Right Direction). ¹¹ Now since the Breath-effect (or: Spirit; Attitude) of the One arousing and raising Jesus forth from out of the midst of dead folks is continuously housing Itself (making His abode; residing; making His home; by idiom: living together as husband and wife) within, and in union with, you folks, the One raising Christ Jesus forth from out of dead ones will also continue progressively giving Life to (or: will even habitually make alive) the mortal bodies of you folks (or: your mortal bodies) through the constant indwelling of His Spirit (or: the continual in-housing of His Breath-effect; the continuous internal residing of the Attitude, which is Him,) [other MSS: because of His habitually-indwelling Spirit] within and among you folks. ¹² So then brothers (or: Consequently then, fellow believers), we do not continue being debtors to the flesh (or: we are not folks under obligation in the [alienated human condition, or by the system of flesh sacrifices and Torah observance]), [i.e.,] of the [situation] to be continually living down on the level of and in accord with flesh, ¹³ for you see, if you folks are continuously living down on the level of, and in accord with, flesh (= the alienated self, or, the system of flesh sacrifices and Torah observance), you are progressively about to be dying away. Yet since (or: if) in spirit (or: by [the] Breath-effect; with [His] Spirit; for [the] Attitude), you folks constantly put to death (or: deprive of life; extirpate) the practices and activities of the body (= works of flesh traditions; Torah cultus) you will continue living (or: will be continuously living and progressively possessed of vitality). ¹⁴ For as many as are being continuously led by God’s Spirit (or: habitually brought or conducted in [the] Breath-effect which is God; progressively driven along with an attitude from God), these folks are God’s sons (these continuously exist being sons of God; or: = these are folks who have the character and qualities of God). [comment: echo of the Exodus] ¹⁵ For you folks did (or: do) not receive again a spirit of slavery to fear (or: get slavery’s spirit or breath-effect again, unto fear; or: take an attitude which personifies being a slave [in Egypt or under the Law, leading] into fear again), but rather you received a spirit of being placed as a son (or: a Breath-effect which set you in the position of a son; or: you receive an attitude of one having been adopted [in accord with Greek or Roman law]), within which (or: in union with Whom) we are habitually crying out, “Abba (Dad), O Father!” ¹⁶ The same Spirit (or: spirit; or: The Breath-effect Himself; or: This very attitude) is constantly witnessing together with our spirit (is continuously bearing joint-testimony to our spirit; is habitually co-witnessing for our spirit; is progressively adding confirming testimony and evidence in our attitude) that we are, and continuously exist being, God’s children (ones born of God; children from God [not of the child-escort {Gal. 3:24}], by natural descent). ¹⁷ Now since children (or: Yet if ones born by natural descent), also heirs (possessors and enjoyers of an allotted inheritance; those who hold sway over the allotted portion): on the one hand, God’s heirs, on the other, Christ’s joint-heirs (or: indeed possessors and enjoyers of an allotment pertaining to God and from God, yet possessors and enjoyers together in an allotment pertaining to Christ and belonging to Christ) if so be (or: provided) that we are continually affected by sensible experiences together – feeling together; receiving impressions, undergoing passion or suffering together – to the end that we may also be glorified together (or: can be given a shared appearance; would together receive a manifestation of that which calls forth praise; should be given a joint-approval and a joint-reputation; may be thought of and imagined together [in covenant relationship]). ¹⁸ You see, I have come to a reasoned conclusion (or: I am reckoning and logically considering) that the effects of the sensible experiences – sufferings, impressions, passions or feelings – of the current season (or: of the situation fitted to the present time) [are] not equivalent (do not balance the scales; are not of equal value or worth), [being] face to face with the glory (or: [are] of insufficient weight when put in balance to the manifestation which calls forth praise as well as the reputation and good opinion) which is progressively about to be disclosed unto us, and for us (or: unveiled into our midst; revealed to and [enter] into us). ¹⁹ For the looking away and watching with the head stretched forward alertly (or: peak expectation; premonition; intuitive opinion; or: = the concentrated and undivided focus) of the creation is constantly receiving and taking away from out of the unveiling of God’s sons (or: = the uncovering and revealing of folks who have the character and qualities of God; or: the disclosure pertaining to the sons of God; or: the unveiling and revelation which belongs to God’s sons; or, as an ablative: the disclosure from God's sons). ²⁰ For you see, the creation (or: that which was formed, framed and founded) was placed, arranged and humbly aligned under subjection in emptiness (or: subordinated to vanity; subjected by futility; arranged under, in unprofitableness, for frivolous idleness; made supportive to futility), not voluntarily or willingly (from out of [its] being), but rather because of (through; on account of; for the sake of) the one (or: the One) placing [it] under and arranging [it] in subjection (or: in supportive alignment) – based upon an expectation (or: expectant hope) – ²¹ because (or: that) even the creation itself will continue being progressively set free (will be habitually liberated and constantly made free) from the slavery of decay – even the bondage of deterioration which leads to fraying and ruin – [and released] into the freedom of the glory and splendor of God’s children (or: into the liberty of the manifestation of that which calls forth praise from, and a good opinion which pertain to, God’s born-ones; or: unto the freedom coming from God's imagination pertaining to God's children; or: into the midst of the freedom of the glory from the children [who] belong to God; or: toward centering in the liberty from the glory, which is God, [and] belongs to the children). ²² You see, we have seen, and thus know and are aware, that all the creation keeps on sighing, groaning or querulously moaning together, and yet progressively travailing together as in childbirth (continues suffering common birthing pains) until now (to the point of the present moment). ²³ Yet not only [this], but further, even we ourselves – constantly holding (or: having; possessing) the firstfruit of, and which is, the Spirit (or: the Firstfruit whose source is the Breath-effect; or: the first offering, or first portion, which is spirit and breath, and is from the Attitude) – we ourselves also continually sigh and groan within (in the center of) ourselves, continuously accepting and with our hands taking away from out of a placing in the condition of a son (or: [the] deposit of the Son; a setting in place which is the Son; a constituting as a son; a placing in the Son): the ransom-paid redemption of our body (or: [and] the loosing from destruction pertaining to the [corporate] body, which is us; or: = the unbinding and release of body [of Adam; of humanity], which belongs to us). ²⁴ For in the expectation and with hope we are suddenly made whole and healthy (or: You see, by the expectation we are delivered and saved; or: For we were at one point rescued to expectation; or: To be sure, we were kept safe for the expectation)! Now expectation (or: expectant hope) being continuously seen or observed is not expectation or hope, for who continues hoping in expectation for what he also constantly sees or observes? ²⁵ Yet since (or: even if) we continue expecting what we are not seeing (or: observing), we continue taking away and accepting from out of it through remaining under [our present situation and circumstances] (or: through patient, humble, persistent, supportive endurance). ²⁶ Now similarly (or: likewise; in like manner), the Spirit also (or: even the Breath-effect; the Attitude) habitually takes hold together on the opposite side of a situation so as to assist in our weakness (or: joins with a helping hand in our lack of strength and infirmity), for we have not seen, and thus do not know nor are aware of, the thing which we should think, speak or do toward things going well and being good – to accord with what must be (or: can pray commensurately to what is necessary and down from what is binding), but rather the Spirit Himself (the Breath-effect Itself; this Attitude itself) from above constantly hits the target within us (or: falls in on our behalf; instead of us hits within; falls in for and over us; or: makes hyper-intercession) with unexpressed, unutterable or inexpressible groanings (or: in sighs too deep for words; with wordless and inarticulate battle cries of deep emotion; in shouts of victory from the core of His Being). ²⁷ But the One continuously searching (tracing; exploring; trying to find out [concerning]) the hearts has seen, and thus knows and is aware of, what [is] the effect of the mind-set and way of thinking of the Breath-effect (or: the Spirit’s opinion and thinking; or: the frame of mind and thought of the [person’s] spirit and attitude), that (or: because) down from God (or: in accord with God; on the level of and commensurate with God) it (or: It; He) continually hits on target within (encounters and falls in union; obtains within while interceding), over [the situation of] and for the sake of [the] set-apart folks (saints; holy ones; sacredly different people). ²⁸ Now [look], we have seen, and thus know and are aware, that to those habitually or progressively loving God – to the folks being called and invited according to [the] purpose (or: for, in and with the people progressively experiencing love for God – in, with, by and for the people being invited down from an advanced placing, congruent with a design and corresponding to a before-placing and a prior setting forth) – He is constantly working all things together into good and is progressively working all humanity together into that which is advantageous, worthy of admiration, noble and of excellent qualities. [with other MSS: Yet we know that God is continuously joining everything together (or: working together with everything) into goodness by those continuously loving God'85] ²⁹ because those whom He foreknew (whom He knows from previous intimate experience), He also marked out beforehand (determined, defined and designed in advance) [as] copies (joint-forms) of the image (material likeness; portrait; mirrored image) of His Son (or: He previously divided, separated and bounded conformed patterns from the image of His Son) into the [situation for] Him to be (or: to continually exist being) the Firstborn among, within the center of, and in union with many brothers (= a vast family of believers)! ³⁰ Now [in fact, consider this]: those whom He at one point before-marked-out (or: designates beforehand; [A reads: knew from prior intimate experience]), these He also at once called (or: calls; invited), and whom He called (or: calls; invites), these He also in one stroke rightwised (or: makes right, frees from guilt while making them fair and placing them in [covenant] relationships in the Way pointed). Now further, those whom He rightwised (or: rightwises; turns in the right direction; = included in covenant), these He also instantly glorified (or: makes of reputation which calls forth praise; gives a splendid appearance; gives honorable thoughts and imaginations; clothes with splendor). ³¹ What, then, shall we say to (or: declare in the face of) these things? Since (or: If) God [is] over (thus: = above) us (or: on our behalf; for us), who or what [is; will be; can be; will appear] down against us? [Nobody! Nothing!] ³² Surely (or: Actually; In fact; Certainly), He Who at one point did not spare (or: spares not) His own Son, but further, over [the situation] of us all (or: on behalf of all of us), He at one point handed Him over (or: gives Him up [into the hands of another]), how will He not also, in grace and joyous favor, freely be constantly and progressively giving all things (or: The Whole) to us, together with Him? ³³ Who will bring charges down on (institute proceedings against) God’s selected and chosen ones (the folks picked out by God; the ones gathered out and laid in order, who belong to God)? God [is] the One continually and progressively rightwising [them] (or: constantly turning them in the right direction, repeatedly placing [them] in the Way pointed out and keeping them in right relationships, = now freeing [them] from guilt and including [them] in covenant). ³⁴ Who [is] the one habitually bringing commensurate evaluations or corresponding decisions (or: constantly condemning and giving a verdict down against; or, as a future: will be separating by following the patterns so as to be indicting or passing sentence)? Now Christ Jesus [is] at the same time the One dying, yet very much more being aroused and raised [some MSS add: forth from out of dead ones], Who also exists (or: is) within God’s right side (at God’s right hand or position; [note: the place of honor, power and offensive weapons, yet also the place of acceptance and receiving]), Who also continuously hits on-target within (or: falls in with the situation and addresses the concerns) over our [situation and predicament] (and: on our behalf)! [or as a question, and with other MSS: {Will} Christ Jesus ...?] ³⁵ Who or what will be separating, dividing or parting us away from the Love of and from Christ (or: the separation-overcoming love which is Christ; [other MSS: the God's love within Christ Jesus])? Pressure (squeezing; affliction; tribulation; oppression), or confinement in a narrow, tight place (distress; difficulty; trouble), or pursuit (the chase of persecution), or famine (or: hunger; deprivation of food), or nakedness (lack of sufficient clothing; deprivation of necessities), or danger (peril; risk), or sword (or: large butcher knife; or: curved weapon for close combat)? ³⁶ Accordingly as it has been written, "On Your account (For Your sake; By reason of You) we are progressively being put to death the whole day! We are logically considered (accounted) as sheep which belong to slaughter (are associated with slaughter)." [Ps. 44:23] ³⁷ But rather (or: On the contrary), within all these things we are habitually over-conquering (we are remaining completely victorious; we continue more than conquering) through the One loving us. ³⁸ For you see, I have been persuaded and now stand convinced that neither death, nor life (or: living existence), nor agents (or: messengers), nor sovereignties (rulers; those in prime position; or: beginnings), nor things being now here (being placed within, at present), nor things about to be (impending, or about to consecutively come), nor powers (or: capabilities), ³⁹ nor height (effect of being high), nor depth (or: deep places), nor any other or different created thing (or: founded thing; institution) will be having power or be able to separate, divide or part us from God’s Love (or: from the acceptance from God; from the urge toward reunion which is God) which is within Christ Jesus, our Owner (Lord; Master; Possessor). ⁹ ¹ Truth I presently speak within Christ (or: I am constantly speaking reality in union with [the] Anointed One; centered in [the] Anointing), I am not now lying (or: I do not habitually lie), my conscience (my joint-knowing from having seen together) habitually giving joint-witness (testifying together; giving corroborating evidence) to me (in me; for me; with me) within [the] Holy Spirit (or: in a set-apart spirit and attitude; in union with a Sacred Breath), ² that to me (or: for me; in me) a great distressing sorrow (or: an annoying grief), as well as unintermittent (unceasing) consuming pain, continues being in my heart. ³ For you see, I kept on claiming, while having goodness, holding well-being and possessing ease, that I myself am to be (or: to continuously exist [as]) a result or an effect of something set up as an offering devoted to God (= a sacrifice; [comment: this would correspond to Jesus telling His disciples to follow Him, bearing their crosses]), forth from the Anointing (or: = [thus being separated] from [the body] of Christ; or: arising from the Christ) over [the situation of] (or: for the sake of) my brothers, my relatives (kinsmen; joint or commonly born ones; fellow countrymen) according to flesh (= in the sphere of natural human birth), ⁴ the very ones who are Israelites, whose [is] the placing in the condition of a son (or: the deposit of the Son; the setting in place which is the Son; the constituting as a son) and the glory (the things which call forth praise and bring a splendid reputation) and the arrangements(or: covenants; [other MSS: the Covenant) and the placing of the Law (or: even the setting of custom and legislation by/as [Torah]) and the sacred service and the promises, ⁵ whose [are] the fathers (= ancestors) and forth from out of the midst of whom [is] the Christ, the [descendant] down the line of flesh (or: on the level of the human realm) – the One continuously being upon all mankind: God, worthy of praise and blessing on into the ages! It is so (or: – corresponding to natural descent – [is] the Anointed One [= the Messiah] who exists being God: One with a message of goodness, ease and well-being – superimposed on all things – on into the indefinite time periods! Amen – count on it)! ⁶ Yet [it is] not such as that God's Word has fallen out (thus: = failed in its purpose), for in consideration of all the folks [springing] forth from out of Israel – not [all] these folks [are] Israel! ⁷ Neither because they exist being seed of Abraham [are] all children! But rather (or: To the contrary), "In Isaac shall a seed (= a descendant) continue being called in you (or: For you, a seed will continue being named in Isaac; To you, offspring will continue being invited in union with Isaac)." [Gen. 21:12] ⁸ That is, [some MSS: That is because] the children of the flesh (= those born physically by humans; or: = the self that is produced by influence from the alienated System) – these [are] not the children of God! But rather, “the children of The Promise” is He continually considering into [being] seed (or: He is constantly counting into [the] Seed; [that] is habitually reckoned and reasonably concluded for a seed). ⁹ For the Word (or: message) of Promise [is] this: "Corresponding to (or: At; In line with) this season (or: In accord with this fitting situation and fertile moment) I will be coming, and then a son will be existing for Sarah (or: shall progressively be by Sarah and will be existing in Sarah)." [Gen. 18:14] ¹⁰ Yet not only so, but further, Rebecca, also, continued having a marriage-bed (= was habitually having sexual intercourse and conceiving children) from the midst of one man, Isaac, our father (= ancestor). ¹¹ For you see, not as yet being born ones, nor ones practicing (performing; accomplishing) anything good or vile (mean; sorry; careless; bad [p46 reads: worthless; of bad quality; corrupt; evil]) – to the end that God's purpose and aim, which He designed and set beforehand, may continually remain (abide; dwell) down from (corresponding to and in accord with) election (a selection; a choosing-out; a choice), not forth from out of works (or: actions), but instead from out of the One repeatedly calling (or: from the continual summoning) – ¹² It was said (or: declared) to her that, "The greater (by implication: the older) will continue performing as and be a slave to and for the smaller (by implication: the younger; the inferior)." [Gen. 25:23] ¹³ Just as it has been written, "Jacob I love (participate in and accept as on the same ground), yet Esau I regard with ill-will (I hate; I am unfriendly to; I esteem with little affection)." [Mal. 1:2-3] ¹⁴ What, then, shall we continue saying? Not [that there is] injustice (behavior contrary to the Way pointed out) with God? Of course not (May it not come to be)! ¹⁵ For He is saying to Moses, "I will continue being merciful to (will progressively relieve the distress and misery of) whomever I should presently be merciful (or: I may continuously relieve of distress and misery), and I will continue being compassionate to whomever I should (or: may; would) be continuously compassionate." [Ex. 33:19] ¹⁶ Consequently, then, [it is] not of or from the one constantly exercising [his] will (or: [it does] not pertain or belong to habitually intending or designing), nor of the one constantly rushing forward (or: nor does it pertain or belong to the one continuously running or habitually racing), but rather of, from, pertaining to and belonging to God, the One constantly being merciful (or: but from God’s habitually and continuously relieving from distress and misery; or: but to the contrary, [it is] from the One repeatedly dispensing mercy, which is God). ¹⁷ For the Scripture is saying to Pharaoh that, "Into this itself (or: For this very thing) I roused you forth (I awakened and stirred you to come out), so that I may (or: would) display and demonstrate in you My power and ability, so that My Name would be thoroughly proclaimed (preached and published far and wide) within all the land (or: in the entire earth)." [Ex. 9:16] ¹⁸ Consequently, then, on whom He from time to time wills (or: to whom His will is presently directing) He is continuously merciful (He constantly relieves from distress and misery). Yet whom He from time to time wills (intends; designs), He continues progressively hardening. ¹⁹ You will ask me (or: protest to me), then, "Why, then, is He still blaming and continuing to find fault? For who (which one; what) has resisted (stood against or in place of)His intention (the effect of His deliberated purpose and resolve) and is yet still so standing?" ²⁰ O man (or: human)! On the contrary, even more, what (or: who) are you – the one habitually answering back to God (or: replying against God; from a position of standing instead and in opposition, judging for God; disputing with God)? "The thing molded and formed will not proceed to be saying to the One molding and forming, 'Why do you make me thus (or: did you create and construct me this way)?'" [cf Isa. 29:16; 45:9; 64:8] ²¹ Or does not the Potter hold authority or have a right pertaining to clay, forth from out of the same kneaded mixture (effect of uniform mixture) to make the one a container (a vessel; an instrument; a utensil) into honor and value, yet the other into an unhonored one (a worthless one; one without value; one deprived of privileges; or: = one for common use)? ²² Now since (or: So what if) God – habitually willing (or: repeatedly intending) to display and demonstrate inherent fervor, natural impulse, propensity and disposition (or: teeming passion; swelling desire; or: anger, wrath and indignation), and also to make known by personal experience His power and ability – in much long-suffering (long-breathing; forbearance) bears and carries (or: brought forth and produced; or: enduringly supports while moving) containers (vessels; instruments; utensils) of natural impulse (belonging to a passionate disposition; displaying inherent fervor; from teeming passion and swelling desire; or: of anger; having the character of wrath; owned by indignation), being folks having been fully outfitted, thoroughly prepared and made correspondingly adequate for loss (or: having equipped, adapted and adjusted themselves down into ruin, waste and destruction [of their well-being]), and now continuing in this condition, ²³ [it is] to the end that He could and would (or: may) also at some point make known by intimate experience the wealth of His glory (or: of His manifestation of that which calls forth praise; of the glory which is Him; which pertains to His reputation; from His imagination and opinion) upon containers of mercy (instruments of mercy), which He beforehand prepares into [being] (or: made ready and provides into the midst of) a manifestation of [that] glory ²⁴ – even us, whom He calls (or: at one point summoned; invites), not only from out of the Jews, but further, even from out of the nations (or: out of the ethnic multitudes, also; forth from the Gentiles, too). ²⁵ And so, as He is saying in Hosea, "The one [that is] not My people, I will be continually (or: one-after-another) calling, 'My people,' and her being one that had not been loved, 'Beloved one;' ²⁶ "and it will proceed being in the place where it was declared to them, 'You folks [are] not My people,' there they will continue being called 'sons of [the] Living God.'" [Hos. 2:23; 1:10] ²⁷ Now Isaiah is repeatedly crying out over Israel, "If ever (or: Even if) the number of the sons of Israel may (or: should; would) be as the sand of the sea, [even] the destitute remainder (or: the fully forsaken; [even] the minority under the effect of lack; the subjected, left-behind surviving group; the failing part left below) will continue being delivered (saved, healed and made whole; rescued); ²⁸ "for the Lord [= Yahweh] will progressively produce a Word of bringing ends together (or: will repeatedly construct a thought of completing combinations; will continue doing an accounting of combining goals together; will continue creating [the] message of finishing things together; will habitually perform [the] Logos of combined maturities and joined destinies) and of cutting things together (of combined or summary cuttings) upon the land (or: earth)." [Isa. 10:22-23] ²⁹ And further, just as Isaiah before declared, "Except the Lord [= Yahweh] of Hosts left a seed down within for us (or: conserved a seed in or by us), we would become as Sodom, and we would be made like as (or: likened to) Gomorrah." [Isa. 1:9] ³⁰ What, then, shall we continue declaring? That [the] nations (ethnic multitudes; Gentiles; non-Israelites) – the ones not constantly pursuing (pressing forward rapidly after) rightwisedness (covenant inclusion which is right and fair relationship with equitable dealings in accord to the Way pointed out; a turning in the right direction on the Path) – overtook, seized and took-down this rightwisedness as a possession: yet [it is] a rightwisedness (a turning to equity and justice in the Way; = covenant membership and participation) that [is] forth from out of the midst of faith, trust and conviction (or: [Christ's] faithfulness)! ³¹ However Israel, habitually pursuing a Law which was rightwisedness (right and fair relationship with equitable dealings in accord to the way pointed out [to them]; right living on the path) did not precede [the others] into [that] principle or custom (or: did not outstrip or sooner arrive unto [such] a law or custom [other MSS add: which was justice and rightwised living]; = did not reach, ahead of other folks, what the Torah promised). ³² Through what cause (or: Why)? Because [it was] not forth from out of a source of faith, trust and conviction, but rather as from out of works (actions) as its source. They dash against, trip and stumble on (or: by) the Stone that caused the Stumbling-effect, ³³ Just as it has been written, "Look and consider! I am repeatedly placing in Zion a 'Stone of Stumbling,' and a 'Rock of a trap-snare.' And the one habitually believing upon Him (or: It) will not continue being brought to shame, disgrace, or disappointment." [Isa. 28:16]