Romans 8:10

Amplified Bible

If Christ lives in you, though your [natural] body is dead because of sin, your spirit is alive because of righteousness [which He provides].

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
Your body will always be dead because of sin. But if Christ is in you, then the Spirit gives you life, because Christ made you right with God.

Revised Standard Version
But if Christ is in you, although your bodies are dead because of sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Yf Christ be in you the body is deed because of synne: but the sprite is lyfe for rightewesnes sake.

Hebrew Names Version
If Messiah is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

International Standard Version
But if Christ is in you, your bodies are dead because of sin, but the Spiritspirit">[fn] is life because of righteousness.

New American Standard Bible
If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

New Century Version
Your body will always be dead because of sin. But if Christ is in you, then the Spirit gives you life, because Christ made you right with God.

Update Bible Version
And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness.

Webster's Bible Translation
And if Christ [is] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness.

English Standard Version
But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

World English Bible
If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now if Christ be in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness.

Weymouth's New Testament
But if Christ is in you, though your body must die because of sin, yet your spirit has Life because of righteousness.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For if Crist is in you, the bodi is deed for synne, but the spirit lyueth for iustefiyng.

English Revised Version
And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness.

Berean Standard Bible
But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet the Spirit gives you life because of righteousness.

Contemporary English Version
But Christ lives in you. So you are alive because God has accepted you, even though your bodies must die because of your sins.

American Standard Version
And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness.

Bible in Basic English
And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Complete Jewish Bible
However, if the Messiah is in you, then, on the one hand, the body is dead because of sin; but, on the other hand, the Spirit is giving life because God considers you righteous.

Darby Translation
but if Christ be in you, the body is dead on account of sin, but the Spirit life on account of righteousness.

Etheridge Translation
And if the Meshiha be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Murdock Translation
But if Messiah is in you, the body is dead, in regard to sin; and the Spirit is alive in regard to righteousness.

King James Version (1611)
And if Christ in you, the body is dead because of sinne: but the spirit is life, because of righteousnesse.

New Living Translation
And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.

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

New Revised Standard
But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And if Christ bee in you, the body is dead, because of sinne: but the Spirite is life for righteousnesse sake.

George Lamsa Translation
And if Christ is within you, the body is dead because of sin: but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, if Christ is in you, the body, indeed, is dead by reason of sin, whereas, the spirit, is life by reason of righteousness;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And if Christ be in you, the body indeed is dead, because of sin: but the spirit liveth, because of justification.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And yf Christe be in you, the body is dead because of sinne: but the spirite is lyfe for ryghteousnesse sake.

Good News Translation
But if Christ lives in you, the Spirit is life for you because you have been put right with God, even though your bodies are going to die because of sin.

Christian Standard Bible®
Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.

King James Version
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Lexham English Bible
But if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Literal Translation
But if Christ is in you, the body indeed is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Young's Literal Translation
and if Christ [is] in you, the body, indeed, [is] dead because of sin, and the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles yf Christ be in you, then is the body deed because of synne. But the sprete is life for righteousnes sake.

Mace New Testament (1729)
and if Christ be in you, tho' the body is mortal in consequence of sin; the spirit gives life by justification.

New English Translation
But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is your life because of righteousness.

New King James Version
And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Simplified Cowboy Version
When you ride for Jesus, your body will die, but your spirit will live because you've been made right with God.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

Legacy Standard Bible
But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.

Contextual Overview

¹⁰If Christ lives in you, though your [natural] body is dead because of sin, your spirit is alive because of righteousness [which He provides].¹¹And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives 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. ¹²So then, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation, but not to our flesh [our human nature, our worldliness, our sinful capacity], to live according to the [impulses of the] flesh [our nature without the Holy Spirit]— ¹³for if you are living according to the [impulses of the] flesh, you are going to die. But if [you are living] by the [power of the Holy] Spirit you are habitually putting to death the sinful deeds of the body, you will [really] live forever. ¹⁴For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. ¹⁵For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God's judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, "Abba! Father!" ¹⁶The Spirit Himself testifies and confirms together with our spirit [assuring us] that we [believers] are children of God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

if Christ: John 6:56, John 14:20, John 14:23, John 15:5, John 17:23, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Ephesians 3:17, Colossians 1:27

the body: Romans 8:11, Romans 5:12, 2 Corinthians 4:11, 2 Corinthians 5:1-4, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, Hebrews 9:27, 2 Peter 1:13, 2 Peter 1:14, Revelation 14:13

but: John 4:14, John 6:54, John 11:25, John 11:26, John 14:19, 1 Corinthians 15:45, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, Philippians 1:23, Colossians 3:3, Colossians 3:4, Hebrews 12:23, Revelation 7:14-17

life: Romans 5:21, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Philippians 3:9

Reciprocal: Leviticus 13:40 - hair is fallen off his head John 6:50 - that John 14:17 - shall John 15:4 - I John 17:26 - and I Romans 8:2 - Spirit 2 Corinthians 5:15 - that they 2 Corinthians 5:17 - old Galatians 5:25 - we Philippians 3:10 - and the power Colossians 3:11 - and 1 John 4:4 - greater

Cross-References

Genesis 7:4
"For in seven days I am going to cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights; and I will destroy (blot out, wipe away) every living thing that I have made from the surface of the earth."

Genesis 7:10
And after the seven days [God released the rain and] the floodwaters came on the earth.

Genesis 8:12
Then he waited another seven days and sent out the dove, but she did not return to him again.

Psalms 40:1
I waited patiently and expectantly for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry.

Isaiah 8:17
And I will wait for the LORD who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; and I will look eagerly for Him.

Isaiah 26:8
Indeed, in the path of Your judgments, O LORD, We have waited expectantly for You; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire and deep longing of our souls.

Romans 8:25
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait eagerly for it with patience and composure.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And if Christ be in you,.... Not as he is in the whole world, and in all his creatures, or circumscriptively, and to the exclusion of himself elsewhere; for his person is above in heaven, his blood is within the vail, his righteousness is upon his people, and his Spirit and grace are in them; and so he comes to be in them, he is formed in their hearts by the Spirit of God in regeneration, when the Father reveals him not only to them, but in them; and he himself enters and takes possession of them as his own, manifests himself to them, communicates his grace, and grants them communion with him. This being their case,

the body is dead because of sin: by which is meant, not the body of sin, though this is called a body, and a body of death, yet is not dead, much less is it so by reason of sin; but this fleshly body, because liable to afflictions, which are called deaths, has the seeds of mortality in it, and shall in a little time die, notwithstanding the gift of it to Christ, though it is redeemed by his blood, and united to him; the reason of it is not merely the decree of God, nor does it arise from the original constitution of the body, but sin is the true reason of it, sin original and actual, indwelling sin, but not by way of punishment for it, for Christ has bore that, death is one of the saints' privileges, it is for their good, and therefore desired by them; but that they might be rid of it, and free from all those troubles which are the consequences of it:

but the spirit is life, because of righteousness; not the Spirit of God, who lives in himself, is the author of life to others, of natural and spiritual life, continues as a principle of life in the saints, is the pledge of everlasting life, and is so to them because of the righteousness of Christ nor grace, or the new creature, which is sometimes called Spirit, and may be said to be life, it lives unto righteousness, and is owing to and supported by the righteousness of the Son of God; but the soul of man is here meant, in opposition to the body, which is of a spiritual nature, immaterial and immortal; and this may be said in believers to be life or live, for it not only lives naturally, but spiritually; it lives a life of holiness from Christ, a life of faith upon him, and a life of justification by him, and will live eternally; first in a separate state from the body after death, till the resurrection morn, it does not die with the body, nor sleep with it in the grave, nor is it in any "limbus" or state of purgatory, but in paradise, in heaven, in the arms and presence of Christ, where it is not inactive, but employed in the best of service: and after the resurrection it will live with the body in glory for evermore; and this is owing to righteousness, not to the righteousness of man, but the imputed righteousness of Christ; for as it was sin, and loss of righteousness thereby which brought death on man, the righteousness of Christ is that on which believers live now, and is their right and title to eternal life hereafter.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And if Christ be in you - This is evidently a figurative expression, where the word “Christ” is used to denote his spirit, his principles; that is, he influences the man. Literally, he cannot be in a Christian; but the close connection between him and Christians, and the fact that they are entirely under his influence, is expressed by this strong figurative language. It is language which is not infrequently used; compare Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27.

(The union between Christ and his people is sometimes explained of a merely relative in opposition to a real union. The union which subsists between a substitute, or surety, and the persons in whose room he has placed himself, is frequently offered in explanation of the Scripture language on the subject. In this view, Christ is regarded as legally one with his people, inasmuch, as what he has done or obtained, is held as done and obtained by them. Another relative union, employed to illustrate that which subsists between Christ and believers, is the union of a chief and his followers, which is simply a union of design, interest, sentiment, affection, destiny, etc. Now these representations are true so far as they go; and furnish much interesting and profitable illustration. They fall short, however, of the full sense of Scripture on the point. That there is a real or vital union between Christ and his people, appears from the language of the inspired writers in regard to it.

The special phraseology which they employ, cannot well be explained of any relative union At all events, it is as strong as they could have employed, on the supposition, that they had wished to convey the idea of the most intimate possible connection. Christ is said to be “in them,” and they are represented as “in him.” He “abides in them, and they in him.” They “dwelt” in each other; John 14:20; Joh 15:4; 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:12. Moreover, the Scripture illustrations of the subject furnish evidence to the same effect. The mystical union, as it has been called, is compared to the union of stones in a building, branches in a vine, members in a human body, and even to what subsists between the Father and the Son; 1 Peter 2:4; Ephesians 2:20, Ephesians 2:22; John 15:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; John 17:20-23. Now if all these are real unions, is not this union real also? If not, where is the propriety or justice of the comparisons? Instead of leading us to form accurate notions on the subject, they would seem calculated to mislead.

This real and vital union is formed by the one Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit pervading the Head and the members of the mystical body; 1 Corinthians 6:17; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 1Jo 3:24; 1 John 4:13. It is true, indeed, that the essential presence of Christ’s Spirit is everywhere, but he is present in Christ’s members, in a special way, as the fountain of spiritual influence. This spiritual presence, which is the bond of union, is manifested immediately upon a man’s reception of Christ by faith. From that hour he is one with Christ, because the same Spirit lives in both. Indeed this union is the foundation of all the relative unions which have been employed to illustrate the subject; without it, we could have no saving relation to Christ whatever. That it is mysterious cannot be denied. The apostle himself affirms as much, Ephesians 5:32; Colossians 1:27. Although we know the fact, we cannot explain the manner of it, but must not on this account reject it, any more than we would the doctrine of the Spirit’s essential presence, because we do not understand it.)

The body is dead - This passage has been interpreted in very different ways. Some understand it to mean that the body is dead in respect to sin; that is, that sin has no more power to excite evil passions and desires; others, that the body must die on account of sin but that the spiritual part shall live, and even the body shall live also in the resurrection. Thus, Calvin, Beza, and Augustine. Doddridge understands it thus: Though the body is to die on account of the first sin that entered into the world, yet the spirit is life, and shall continue to live on forever, through that righteousness which the second Adam has introduced.” To each of these interpretations there are serious objections, which it is not necessary to urge. I understand the passage in the following manner: The body refers to that of which the apostle had said so much in the previous chapters - the flesh, the man before conversion. It is subject to corrupt passions and desires, and may be said thus to be dead, as it has none of the elements of spiritual life. It is under the reign of sin and death. The word μέν men, indeed, or truly, has been omitted in our translation, and the omission has obscured the sense. The expression is an admission of the apostle, or a summary statement of what had before been shown. “It is to be admitted, indeed, or it is true, that the unrenewed nature, the man before conversion, under the influence of the flesh, is spiritually dead. Sin has its seat in the fleshly appetites; and the whole body may be admitted thus to be dead or corrupt.”

Because of sin - Through sin δἰ ἁμαρτία di' hamartia; by means of sinful passions and appetites.

But the spirit - This stands opposed to the body; and it means that the soul, the immortal part, the renovated man, was alive, or was under the influence of living principles. It was imbued with the life which the gospel imparts and had become active in the service of God. The word “spirit” here does not refer to the Holy Spirit, but to the spirit of man, the immortal part, recovered, renewed, and imbued with life under the gospel.

Because of righteousness - Through righteousness διὰ δικαιοσύνην dia dikaiosunēn. This is commonly interpreted to mean, with reference to righteousness, or that it may become righteous. But I understand the expression to be used in the sense in which the word is so frequently used in this Epistle, as denoting God’s plan of justification; see the note at Romans 1:17. “The spirit of man has been recovered and made alive through his plan of justification. It communicates life, and recovers man from his death in sin to life.”

The “body” in this passage has generally been understood in the literal sense, which, doubtless, ought not to be rejected without some valid reason. There is nothing in the connection that demands the figurative sense. The apostle admits that, notwithstanding of the indwelling of the Spirit, the body must die. “It indeed (μεν men ) is dead because of sin.” The believer is not delivered from temporal death. Yet there are two things which may well reconcile him to the idea of laying aside for a while the clay tabernacle. The “mortal body,” though it now die, is not destined to remain forever under the dominion of death, but shall be raised again incorruptible and glorious, by the power of the same Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead. Meanwhile, “the spirit, or soul, is life, because of righteousness.” In consequence of that immaculate righteousness, of which Paul had had said so much in the previous part of this Epistle, the souls of believers, even now, enjoy spiritual life, which shall issue in eternal life and glory.

Those who understand σῶμα sōma figuratively in the 10th verse, insist, indeed, that the resurrection in the 11th, is figurative also. But “the best commentators” says Bloomfield, “both ancient and modern, with reason prefer the literal view, especially on account of the phrase θνητα thnēta σῶματα sōmata which seems to confine it to this sense.”)

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 8:10. And if Christ be in you, c.] This is the criterion by which you may judge of the state of grace in which ye stand. If Christ dwell in your hearts by faith, the body is dead because of sin, δι' ἁμαρτιαν, in reference to sin the members of your body no more perform the work of sin than the body of a dead man does the functions of natural life. Or the apostle may mean, that although, because of sin, the life of man is forfeited; and the sentence, dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return, must be fulfilled on every human being, until the judgment of the great day; yet, their souls being quickened by the indwelling Spirit of Christ, which enables them to live a life of righteousness, they receive a full assurance that their bodies, which are now condemned to death because of sin, shall be raised again to a life of immortal glory.