Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 6

Believers Are Dead to Sin, Alive to God

^1 (C1)What shall we say then? Are we to ^(C2)continue in sin so that grace may increase?^2 (F1)(C1)Far from it! How shall we who ^(C2)died to sin still live in it?³ Or do you not know that all of us who have been ^(C1)baptized into ^(C2)Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?⁴ Therefore we have been ^(C1)buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was ^(C2)raised from the dead through the ^(C3)glory of the Father, so we too may walk in ^(C4)newness of life.⁵ For ^(C1)if we have become ^(F1)united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be ^(F2)in the likeness of His resurrection,⁶ knowing this, that our ^(C1)old ^(F1)self was ^(C2)crucified with Him, in order that our ^(C3)body of sin might be ^(F2)done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;⁷ for ^(C1)the one who has died is ^(F1)freed from sin.

⁸ Now ^(C1)if we have died with Christ, we believe that ^(C2)we shall also live with Him,⁹ knowing that Christ, having been ^(C1)raised from the dead, ^(F1)is never to die again; ^(C2)death no longer is master over Him.¹⁰ For ^(F1)the death that He died, He died to sin once for all time; but ^(F2)the life that He lives, He lives to ^(F3)God.¹¹ So you too, consider yourselves to be ^(C1)dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

¹² Therefore sin is not to ^(C1)reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,¹³ and do not go on ^(C1)presenting ^(F1)the parts of your body to sin as ^(F2)instruments of unrighteousness; but ^(C2)present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and ^(F3)your body's parts as ^(F2)instruments of righteousness for God.¹⁴ For ^(C1)sin shall not ^(C2)be master over you, for ^(C3)you are not under ^(F1)the Law but ^(C4)under grace.

¹⁵ What then? ^(C1)Are we to sin because we are not under ^(F1)the Law but under grace? ^(F2)(C2)Far from it!¹⁶ Do you not ^(C1)know that the one to whom you present yourselves as ^(C2)slaves for obedience, you are slaves of that same one whom you obey, either of ^(C3)sin ^(F1)resulting in death, or of obedience ^(F2)resulting in righteousness?¹⁷ But ^(C1)thanks be to God that ^(F1)though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that ^(F2)(C2)form of teaching to which you were entrusted,¹⁸ and after being ^(C1)freed from sin, you became slaves to righteousness.^19 (C1)I am speaking ^(F1)in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just ^(C2)as you presented ^(F2)the parts of your body as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, ^(F3)resulting in further lawlessness, so now present ^(F2)your body's parts as slaves to righteousness, ^(F4)resulting in sanctification.

²⁰ For ^(C1)when you were slaves of sin, you were free in relation to righteousness.²¹ Therefore what ^(F1)(C1)benefit were you then ^(F2)deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is ^(C2)death.²² But now having been ^(C1)freed from sin and ^(C2)enslaved to God, you ^(F1)derive your ^(F2)(C3)benefit, ^(F3)resulting in sanctification, and ^(C4)the outcome, eternal life.²³ For the wages of ^(C1)sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is ^(C2)eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Chapter 7

Believers United to Christ

¹ Or do you not know, ^(C1)brothers and sisters (for I am speaking to those who know the ^(F1)Law), that the ^(F1)Law has jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives?² For ^(C1)the married woman is bound by law to her ^(F1)husband as long as he is alive; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law ^(F2)concerning the husband.³ So then, if while her husband is alive she ^(F1)gives herself to another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress if she ^(F2)gives herself to another man.

⁴ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were ^(C1)put to death ^(C2)in regard to the Law ^(C3)through the body of Christ, so that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.⁵ For while we were ^(C1)in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were ^(C2)brought to light by the Law, were at work ^(C3)in ^(F1)the parts of our body to bear fruit for death.⁶ But now we have been ^(C1)released from the Law, having ^(C2)died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in ^(C3)newness of ^(C4)the ^(F1)Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.

^7 (C1)What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? ^(F1)(C2)Far from it! On the contrary, ^(C3)I would not have come to know sin except ^(F2)through the Law; for I would not have known about ^(F3)coveting if the Law had not said, "^(C4)YOU SHALL NOT ^(F3)COVET."⁸ But sin, ^(C1)taking an opportunity ^(C2)through the commandment, produced in me ^(F1)coveting of every kind; for ^(C3)apart ^(F2)from the Law sin is dead.⁹ I was once alive apart ^(F1)from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin came to life, and I died;¹⁰ and this commandment, which was ^(F1)(C1)to result in life, proved ^(F2)to result in death for me;¹¹ for sin, ^(C1)taking an opportunity ^(C2)through the commandment, ^(C3)deceived me, and through it, killed me.^12 (C1)So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

¹³ Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? ^(F1)(C1)Far from it! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by bringing about my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.

The Conflict of Serving Two Masters

¹⁴ For we know that the Law is ^(C1)spiritual, but I am ^(C1)fleshly, ^(C2)sold ^(F1)(C3)into bondage to sin.¹⁵ For ^(C1)I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing ^(C2)what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate.¹⁶ However, if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with ^(C1)the Law, that the Law is good.¹⁷ But now, ^(C1)no longer am I the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me.¹⁸ For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my ^(C1)flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.¹⁹ For ^(C1)the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.²⁰ But if I do the very thing I do not want, ^(C1)I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me.

²¹ I find then ^(C1)the ^(F1)principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.²² For I joyfully agree with the law of God ^(F1)in ^(C1)the inner person,²³ but I see ^(C1)a different law in ^(F1)the parts of my body waging war against the ^(C2)law of my mind, and making me a prisoner ^(F2)of ^(C3)the law of sin, the law which is in ^(F3)my body's parts.²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from ^(F1)(C1)the body of this ^(C2)death?^25 (C1)Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh ^(C2)the law of sin.

Chapter 8

Deliverance from Bondage

¹ Therefore there is now no ^(C1)condemnation at all for those who are ^(C2)in ^(C3)Christ Jesus.² For ^(C1)the law of the Spirit of life ^(F1)in ^(C2)Christ Jesus ^(C3)has set you free from the law of sin and of death.³ For ^(C1)what the Law could not do, ^(F1)(C2)weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in ^(C3)the likeness of ^(F2)sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,⁴ so that the ^(C1)requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who ^(C2)do not walk ^(F1)according to the flesh but ^(F1)according to the Spirit.⁵ For those who are in accord with the flesh set their minds on ^(C1)the things of the flesh, but those who are in accord with the Spirit, ^(C2)the things of the Spirit.^6 (C1)For the mind ^(F1)set on the flesh is ^(C2)death, but the mind ^(F1)set on the Spirit is life and peace,⁷ because the mind ^(F1)set on the flesh is ^(C1)hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,⁸ and those who are ^(C1)in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ However, you are not ^(C1)in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God ^(C2)dwells in you. But ^(C3)if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.^10 (C1)If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is ^(F1)alive because of righteousness.¹¹ But if the Spirit of Him who ^(C1)raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, ^(C2)He who raised ^(C3)Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies ^(F1)through His Spirit who dwells in you.

¹² So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—¹³ for ^(C1)if you are living in accord with the flesh, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you are ^(C2)putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.¹⁴ For all who are ^(C1)being led by the Spirit of God, these are ^(C2)sons and daughters of God.¹⁵ For you ^(C1)have not received a spirit of slavery ^(F1)leading to fear again, but you ^(C2)have received ^(F2)a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, "^(C3)Abba! ^(F3)Father!"¹⁶ The Spirit Himself ^(C1)testifies with our spirit that we are ^(C2)children of God,¹⁷ and if children, ^(C1)heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, ^(C2)if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time ^(C1)are not worthy to be compared with the ^(C2)glory that is to be revealed to us.¹⁹ For the ^(C1)eagerly awaiting creation waits for ^(C2)the revealing of the ^(C3)sons and daughters of God.²⁰ For the creation ^(C1)was subjected to ^(C2)futility, not willingly, but ^(C3)because of Him who subjected it, ^(F1)in hope²¹ that ^(C1)the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.²² For we know that the whole creation ^(C1)groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.^23 (C1)And not only that, but also we ourselves, having ^(C2)the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves ^(C3)groan within ourselves, ^(C4)waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, ^(C5)the redemption of our body.²⁴ For ^(C1)in hope we have been saved, but ^(C2)hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?²⁵ But ^(C1)if we hope for what we do not see, through perseverance we wait eagerly for it.<