wherein we stand, and boast in the hope of the glory of 3 God. (And not only so, but we boast also in afflictions; 4 knowing that affliction worketh patience; and patience, 5 experience; and experience, hope. And hope will not make us ashamed; for the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the holy spirit which hath been given us.) 6 For though we were weak, still Christ died in due season 7 for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will any one die (yet perhaps for a good man some would 8 even dare to die:) but God enhanceth his love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for 9 us. Much more therefore, having been now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from anger through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more, having been 11 reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we boast likewise in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation. 12 Concerning this matter †, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and thus death hath passed 13 upon all men, inasmuch as all have sinned: (for until the law, sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed, when 14 there is no law: nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those that had not sinned after the likeness of Adam's transgression, who is a resemblance of 15 him that was to come :) yet the free gift likewise is not so, as was the offence; for if through the offence of one many § have died; much more the favour of God, and the gift which is through the favour of one man, Jesus 16 Christ, hath abounded unto many . Neither is the gift • Or, magnifieth, or maketh more conspicuous. See ch. iii. 5. § "Oi #02201, the many, the great body of mankind. See ver. 18. Newcome. Gr. the many. so, as it was by one who sinned: for the judgement was of one offence to condemnation, but the free gift is of 17 many offences to justification. For if, by the offence of one, death reigned by one; much more those who receive the abounding of favour and of the gift of justifica18 tion, will reign in life by one, even Jesus Christ. So then as, by the offence of one, judgement came upon all men to condemnation; so likewise, by the righteousness of one, the free gift hath come upon all men to justifica19 tion of life. For as by the disobedience of one many* were made sinners, so likewise by the obedience of one 20 many * will be made just t. Now the law entered in privily, so that offences abounded. But where sin abounded, the favour of God hath much more abounded: 21 that, as sin hath reigned through death, so favour likewise might reign by justification to everlasting life, by Jesus Christ our Lord. CH. VI. WHAT shall we say then? shall we continue in sin, 2 that the favour of God may abound? By no means. How shall we, that have died to sin, live any longer in 3 it? Know ye not that as many of us as have been baptized into Jesus Christ, have been baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him by baptism into death; that, as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, so we also should walk in 5 newness of life. For if we have been planted together in * Gr. the many. Though the construction of this paragraph is intricate and obscure, nothing can be more obvious than this, that it is the apostle's intention to represent all mankind, without exception, as deriving greater benefit from the mission of Christ, than they suffered injury from the fall of Adam. The universality of the apostle's expressions is very remarkable. The same "many," who were made sinners by the disobedience of the one, are made righteous by the obedience of the other. If all men are condemned by the offence of one, the same all are justified by the righteousness of the other. These universal terms, so frequently repeated, and so variously diversified, cannot be reconciled to the limitation of the blessings of the gospel to the elect alone, or to a part only of the human race. Compare 1 Cor. xv. 22, 23. See Chancy on Universal Salvation, Prop. iv. p. 22, &c. the likeness of his death, we shall be planted together in the likeness of his resurrection also: knowing this, 6 that our old man hath been crucified with him, that For in that he but in that he the body of sin might be destroyed, that we should no 7 longer be servants to sin. For he that is dead, is set free 8 from sin. But, I say, if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall live also with him knowing that 9 Christ, having been raised from the dead, dieth no more; 10 death hath no more dominion over him. died, he died with regard to sin once: 11 liveth, he liveth with regard to God. In like manner reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed with regard to sin, but alive with regard to God through Jesus Christ *. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that 13 ye should obey itt: nor yield your members to sin, as instruments of unrighteousness; but yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and yield your 14 members to God, as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under a covenant of favour. 12 15 What then? shall we sin because we are not under 16 law, but under a covenant of favour? By no means. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of sin [unto 17 death], or of obedience unto justification? But thanks be to God, that though ye were the servants of sin, yet ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which 18 ye were delivered over: and, having been made free from 19 sin, are become the servants of righteousness: (I speak familiarly, because of the weakness of your flesh) for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity, unto iniquity; so now yield your mem20 bers servants to righteousness, unto holiness. For when 21 ye were the servants of sin, ye were free with regard to * Jesus Christ our Lord. R. T. righteousness. What fruit therefore had ye at that time in the things of which ye are now ashamed? for the end 22 of those things is death. But now, having been made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the 23 wages of sin are* death: but the free gift of God is* everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. CH. VII. Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to those who know the law,) that the law hath dominion over a person 2 as long as it subsisteth? For the woman that hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he liveth; but if the husband die, she is delivered from 3 the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she will be called an adulteress: but if her husband die, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be mar4 ried to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also have been made dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye might be married to another, even to him who hath been raised from the dead, that we might bring forth 5 fruit unto God. For, when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were under the law, wrought in 6 our members, to bring forth fruit unto death: but now 7 we are delivered from the law, having died to that + by which we were holden; so that we serve in the newness of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? By no means: nay, I had not known sin, but by the law for I had not known the guilt of desire, unless the law had 8 said, "Thou shalt not desire." But sin took occasion by the commandment, and wrought in me all manner of 9 desire. For without law sin is dead. Now I was alive without law once: but, when the commandment came, 10 sin revived, and I died: and the commandment, which * will be, N. that being dead by which, &c. R. T. 11 was appointed unto life, I found to be unto death. For sin, having taken occasion by the commandment, deceiv 12 ed me, and by it put me to death. So that the law is holy; and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? By no means: but sin that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin through* the 14 commandment might become exceedingly sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold 15 to sin. For that which I do, I approve not: for what I 16 would, that I do not; but what I hate, that I do. But if I do that which I would not, I consent to the law, that 17 it is good. And now it is no more I that do it, but sin 18 which dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh), dwelleth no good t: for to will is present with me; but to perform that which is good, I 19 find not. For the good which I would, I do not; but 20 the evil which I would not, that I do. But if I do that which I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin 21 which dwelleth in me. I find therefore a law, that, when I am willing to do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God, according to the inner 23 man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into cap24 tivity to the law of sin, which is in my members. O wretched me! who will deliver me from the body of this 25 death? I thank God that I am delivered through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I, the same man, with my mind serve the law of God; but with my flesh, the law of sin. CH. VIII. There is therefore now no condemnation to those 2 that are in Christ Jesus §. For the law of the spirit of life by Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of by the commandment, N. tno good thing, N. how to perform, N. "the complete performance of what is good," Wakefield § who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit, R. T. |