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Romans 8

 

 1 Now (1) then there is no (*) condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, which (2) walk not (♣) after the (a) flesh, but after the Spirit.

 

(1) A conclusion of all the former disputation from Romans 1:16; even to this place; Seeing that we being justified by faith in Christ, do obtain remission of sins and imputation of righteousness, and are also sanctified, it followeth hereof, that they are grafted into Christ by faith, are out of all fear of condemnation.

(*) Though sin be in us, yet it is not imputed unto us through Christ Jesus.
(2) The fruits of the Spirit, or effects of sanctification, which is begun in us, do not engraft us into Christ, but do declare that we are grafted into him.

(♣) He annexeth the condition lest we should abuse the liberty.
(a) Follow not the flesh for their guide; for he is not said to live, after the flesh, that hath the holy Ghost for his guide, though sometimes he step away.

 

 2  (3) For the (b) (*) Law of the Spirit of (c) life which is in (d) (♣) Christ Jesus, hath (e) freed me from the law of sin and of death.

 

(3) A preventing of an objection; seeing that the virtue of the spirit which is in us, is so weak, how may we gather thereby, that there is no condemnation to them that have that virtue? Because saith he, that virtue of the quickening spirit which is so weak in us, is most perfect and most mighty in Christ, and being imputed unto us which believe, causeth us to be so accounted of, as though there were no relics of corruption, and death in us. Therefore hitherto Paul disputed of remission of sins, and imputation of fulfilling the Law, and also of sanctification which is begun in us; but now he speaketh of the perfect imputation of Christ's manhood, which part was necessarily required to the full appeasing of our consciences; for our sins are defaced by the blood of Christ, and the guiltiness of our corruption is covered with the imputation of Christ's obedience; and the corruption itself (which the Apostle calleth sinful sin) is healed in us by little and little, by the gift of sanctification; but yet it lacketh besides that another remedy, to wit, the perfect sanctification of Christ's own flesh, which also is to us imputed.
(b) The power and authority of the Spirit, against which is set the tyranny of sin.

(*) The power and authority of the Spirit, that is, the grace of regeneration.
(c) Which mortifieth the old man, and quickeneth the new man.
(d) To wit, absolutely and perfectly.

(♣) Whose sanctification is made ours.
(e) For Christ's sanctification being imputed unto us, perfecteth our sanctification which is begun in us.

 

 3  (4) For (that which was (f) impossible to the Law, in as much as it was (*) weak, because of the (g) flesh) God sending his own Son, in the (♣) similitude of (h) sinful flesh, and (♠) for (i) sin, (k) condemned sin in the flesh,

 

(4) He useth no argument here, but expoundeth the mystery of sanctification, which is imputed unto us; for because, that the virtue of the law was not such (and that by reason of the corruption of our nature) that it could make man pure and perfect; and for that it rather kindled the disease of sin, than did put it out and extinguish it, therefore God clothed his Son with flesh like unto our sinful flesh, wherein he utterly abolished our corruption, that being accounted thoroughly pure and without fault in him apprehended and laid hold on by faith, we might be found to have fully that singular perfection which the Law requireth, and therefore that there might be no condemnation in us.
(f) Which is not proper to the Law, but cometh by our fault.

(*) Or, of no strength.
(g) In man not born anew, whose disease the law could not heal it.

(♣) Christ did take flesh, which of nature was subject to sin, which notwithstanding he sanctified even in the very instant of his conception, and so did appropriate it unto him, that he might destroy sin in it, 2 Corinthians 5: 21 .
(h) Of man's nature which was corrupt through sin, until he sanctified it.

(♠) Or, by sin.
(i) To abolish sin in our flesh.
(k) Shewed that sin hath no right in us.

 

 4 That the (l) (*) righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled (5) in us, which walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

 

(l) The very substance of the law of God might be fulfilled, or that same which the law requireth, that we may be found just before God; for if with our justification there be joined that sanctification which is imputed to us, we are just, according to that perfect form which the Lord requireth.

(*) That which the Law requireth.
(5) He returneth to that which he said, that the sanctification which is begun in us, is a sure testimony of our engrafting into Christ, which is a most plentiful fruit of a godly and honest life.

 

 5  (6) For they that are after the (m) flesh, savor (*) the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

 

(6) A reason why to walk after the flesh, agreeth not to them which are grafted into Christ, but to walk after the spirit agreeth and is meet for them; because, saith he, that they which are after the flesh, savor the things of the flesh, but they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit.
(m) They that live as the flesh leadeth them.

(*) The word comprehendeth all that which is most excellent in man, as will, understanding, reason, and wit.

 

 6  (7) For the wisdom of the flesh is death, but the wisdom of the Spirit is life and peace,

 

(7) He proveth the consequent; because whatever the flesh savoreth, that engendereth death; and whatsoever the spirit savoreth, that tendeth to joy and life everlasting.

 

 7  (8) Because the wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God; (9) for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be.

 

(8) A reason and proof, why the wisdom of the flesh is death; because, saith he, it is the enemy of God.
(9) A reason why the wisdom of the flesh is enemy to God; because it neither will, neither can be, subject to him. And by flesh he meaneth a man not regenerate.

 

 8  (10) So then they that are in the flesh, cannot please God.

 

(10) The conclusion: therefore they that walk after the flesh, cannot please God; whereby it followeth, that they are not engrafted into Christ.

 

 9  (11) Now ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, (*) because the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, the same is not his.

 

(11) He cometh to the others, to wit, to them which walk after the spirit, of whom we have to understand contrary things to the former; and first of all he defineth what it is to be in the spirit, or to be sanctified; to wit, to have the spirit of God dwelling in us; Then he declareth, that sanctification is so joined and knit to our grafting in Christ, that it can by no means be separated.

(*) Or, if so be.

 

 10  (12) And if Christ be in you, the (n) (*) body is dead, because of sin, but the (♣) Spirit is life for righteousness’ sake.

 

(12) He confirmeth the faithful against the relics of flesh and sin, granting that they are yet (as appeareth by the corruption which is in them) touching one of their parts (which he calleth the body, that is to say, a lump) which is not yet purged from the earthly filthiness in death; but therewithal willing them to doubt nothing of the happy success of their combat, because that even the little spark of the Spirit, (that is, of the grace of regeneration) which appeareth to be in them by the fruits of righteousness, is the seed of life.
(n) The flesh, or all that which as yet sticketh fast in the clefts of sin, and death.

(*) Or, flesh.

(♣) The Spirit of regeneration which abolisheth sin in our flesh, not all at once, but by degrees; wherefore we must in the meantime call to God through patience.

 

 11  (13) But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies, because that his Spirit (o) dwelleth in you.

 

(13) A confirmation of the former sentence. You have the selfsame Spirit, which Christ hath; Therefore at length it shall die the same in you, that it did in Christ, to wit, when all infirmities being utterly laid aside, and death overcome, it shall clothe you with heavenly glory.
(o) By the virtue and power of it, which shewed the same might first in our head, and daily worketh in his members.

 

 12  (14) Therefore brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live after the (*) flesh;

 

(14) An exhortation to oppress the flesh daily more and more by the virtue of the Spirit of regeneration, because (saith he) you are debtors unto God, for so much as you have received so many benefits of him.

(*) But to live after the Spirit.

 

 13  (15) For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye mortify the deeds of the body by the Spirit, ye shall live.

 

(15) Another reason of the profit that ensueth; for such as strive and fight valiantly, shall have everlasting life.

 

 14  (16) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

 

(16) A confirmation of this reason; they be the children of God, which are governed by his Spirit, therefore shall they have life everlasting.

 

 15  (17) For ye have not received the (p) Spirit of bondage, to (q) fear again, but ye have received the Spirit of (r) (♣) adoption, whereby we cry (*) Abba, Father.

 

(17) He declareth and expoundeth  by the way, in these two verses, by what right this name, to be called the children of God, is given to the believers; because saith he, they have received the grace of the Gospel, wherein God sheweth himself, not (as before in the publishing of the Law) terrible and fearful, but a most benign and loving father in Christ, so that with great boldness we call him Father, that holy Ghost sealing this adoption in our hearts by faith.
(p) By the Spirit is meant the holy Ghost, whom we are said to receive, when he worketh in our minds.
(q) Which fear is stirred up in our minds, by the preaching of the Law.
(r) Which sealeth our adoption in our minds, and therefore openeth our mouths.

(♣) So he nameth the holy Ghost of the effect, which he causeth in us, when he proposeth us salvation by the Law with an impossible condition, who also doeth seal our salvation in our hearts by Christ’s free adoption, that we consider not God now as a rigorous Lord, but as a most merciful Father.

(*) Galatians 4:5 .

 

 16 The same Spirit (*) beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.

 

(*) So that ye have two witnesses, God’s Spirit and ours, who is certified by the Spirit of God.

 

 17  (18) If we be children, we are also (s) (*) heirs, even the heirs of God, and heirs annexed with Christ, (19) if so be that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.

 

(18) A proof of the consequent of the confirmation; because that he which is the Son of God, doth enjoy God with Christ.
(s) Partakers of our father's goods, and that freely, because we are children by adoption.

(*) Freely made partakers of the Father’s treasures.
(19) Now Paul teacheth by what way the sons of God do come to that felicity, to wit, by the cross, as Christ himself did; and therewithal openeth unto them fountains of comfort; as first, that we have Christ a companion and fellow of our afflictions; secondly, that we shall be also fellows in that everlasting glory.

 

 18  (20) For I (t) count that the afflictions of this present time are not (*) worthy of the glory, which shall be shewed unto us.

 

(20) Thirdly, that this glory which we look for, doth a thousand parts surmount the misery of our afflictions.
(t) All being well considered, I gather.

(*) Or, of like value.

 

 19  (21) For the fervent desire of the (u) creature waiteth when the sons of God shall be revealed,

 

(21) Fourthly, he plainly teacheth us that we shall certainly be renewed from that confusion and horrible deformation of the whole world, which cannot be continual, as it was not at the beginning; But as it had a beginning by the sin of man, for whom it was made by the ordinance of God, so shall it at length be restored with the elect.
(u) All this world.

 

 20 Because the (*) creature is subject to (x) (♣) vanity, not of its (y) own will, but by reason (z) of him, which hath subdued it under (a) hope,

 

(*) The creatures shall not be restored before that God’s children be brought to their perfection; in the mean season they wait.

(x) Is subject to a vanishing and sitting state.

(♣) That is, to destruction, because of man’s sin.
(y) Not by their natural inclination.
(z) That they should obey the Creator's commandment, whom it pleased to shew by their sickly state, how greatly he was displeased with man.
(a) God would not make the world subject to everlasting curse, for the sin of man, but gave it hope that it should be restored.

 

 21 Because the creature also shall be delivered from the (b) bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.

 

(b) From the corruption which they are now subject to, they shall be delivered and changed into the blessed state of incorruption, which shall be revealed when the sons of God shall be advanced to glory.

 

 22 For we know that every (*) creature groaneth with us also, and (c) travaileth in pain together unto this present.

 

(*) He meaneth not the Angels, neither devils, nor men.

(c) By this word is meant, not only exceeding sorrow, but also the fruit that followeth of it.

 

 23  (22) And not only the creature, but we also which have the (♣) firstfruits of the Spirit, even we do sigh in (d) ourselves, waiting for the adoption, even (*) (e) the redemption of our (♠) body.

 

(22) Fifthly, if the rest of the world looks for a restoring, groaning as it were for it, and that not in vain, let it not grieve us also to sigh, yea, let us be more certainly persuaded of our redemption to come, forasmuch as we have the firstfruits of the Spirit.

(♣) And yet are far from perfection.
(d) Even from the bottom of our hearts.

(*) Luke 21:28 .
(e) That last restoring, which shall be the accomplishment of our adoption.

(♠) Which shall be in the resurrection when we shall be made conformable to our head, Christ.

 

 24  (23) For we are saved by hope, but (f) hope that is seen, is not hope; for how can a man hope for that which he seeth?

 

(23) Sixthly, hope is necessarily joined with faith; seeing then that we believe those things, which we are not yet in possession of, and hope respecteth not the thing that is present, we must therefore hope and patiently wait for that which we believe shall come to pass.
(f) This is spoken by the figure Metonymy; Hope, for that which is hoped for.

 

 25 But if we hope for that we see not, we do with patience abide for it.

 

 26  (24) Likewise the Spirit also (g) helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh (h) request for us with sighs, which cannot be expressed.

 

(24) Seventhly, there is no cause why we should faint under the burden of afflictions, seeing that prayers minister unto us a most sure help, which cannot be frustrate, seeing they proceed from the spirit of God, which dwelleth in us.
(g) Beareth our burden, as it were that we faint not under it.
(h) Provoketh us to prayers, and telleth us as it were within, what we shall say, and how we shall groan.

 

 27 But he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the (i) meaning of the Spirit, for he (*) maketh request for the Saints, (k) according to the will of God.

 

(i) What sobs and sighs proceed from the instinct of his Spirit.

(*) In that he stirreth their hearts to pray, and sheweth both whom to ask and how.
(k) Because he teacheth the godly to pray according to God's will.

 

 28  (25) Also we know that (l) all things work together for the best unto them that love God, even to them that are called of his (m) purpose.

 

(25) Eighthly, we are not afflicted, either by chance or to our harm, but by God's providence for our great Profit; who as he chose us from the beginning, so hath he predestinated us to be made like to the image of his Son; and therefore will bring us in his time, being called and justified, to glory, by the cross.
(l) Not only afflictions, but whatsoever else.
(m) He calleth that, Purpose, which God hath from everlasting appointed with himself according to his good will and pleasure.

 

 29 For those which he (*) knew before, he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

 

(*) He sheweth by the order of our election that afflictions are means to make us like the Son of God.

 

 30 Moreover whom he (n) predestinate, them also he called, and whom he called, them also he justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

 

(n) He useth the time past, for the time present, as the Hebrew use, who sometimes set down the thing that is to come, by the time that is past, to signify the certainty of it; and he hath also a regard to God's continual working.

 

 31  (26) What shall we then say to these things? If God be on our side, who can be against us?

 

(26) Ninthly, we have no cause to fear that the Lord will not give us whatsoever is profitable for us, seeing that he hath not spared his own Son to save us.

 

 32 Who spared not his own Son, but gave him for us all to death, how shall he not with him (o) give us all things also?

 

(o) Give us freely.

 

 33  (27) Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s chosen? It is (p) God that (*) (♣) justifieth;

 

(27) A most glorious and comfortable conclusion of the whole second part of this Epistle, that is, of the treatise of justification. There are no accusers that we have need to be afraid of before God, seeing that God himself absolveth us as just; and therefore much less need we to fear damnation, seeing that we rest upon the death and resurrection, the almighty power and defense of Jesus Christ. Therefore what can there be so weighty in this life, or of so great force and power, that might fear us, as though we might fall from the love of God, wherewith he loveth us in Christ; Surely nothing. Seeing that it is in itself most constant and sure, and also in us being confirmed by steadfast faith.
(p) Who pronounceth us, not only guiltless, but also perfectly just in his Son.

(*) Isaiah 50:8 .

(♣) Who pronounceth his just in his Son Christ.

 

 34 Who shall condemn? It is Christ which is dead, yea, or rather, which is risen again, who is also at the right hand of God, and maketh request also for us.

 

 35 Who shall separate us from the love of (q) (*) Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

 

(q) Wherewith Christ loveth us.

(*) Wherewith he loved us, or God in Christ; which love is grounded upon his determinate purpose, and Christ is the pledge thereof.

 

 36 As it is written, (*) For thy sake are we (♣) killed all day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

 

(*) Psalm 44:22 .

(♣) Which is to signify the condition of Christ’s Church.

 

 37  (r) Nevertheless, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

 

(r) We are not only not overcome with so great and many miseries and calamities, but also more than conquerors in all of them.

 

 38 For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor (*) principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

 

(*) Paul setteth forth by these words the wonderful nature of the spirits, as well the good, Ephesians 1:21; Colossians 1:1; as the evil spirits, Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 2:15 .

 

 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the (*) love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

 

(*) That is, wherewith God loveth us in his Son Christ Jesus.