Romans 8 | |
---|---|
Book | Epistle to the Romans |
Category | Pauline epistles |
Christian Bible part | New Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 6 |
Romans 8 is the eighth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It was authored by Paul the Apostle, while he was in Corinth in the mid-50s AD, [1] with the help of an amanuensis (secretary), Tertius, who added his own greeting in Romans 16:22. [2] Chapter 8 concerns "the Christian's spiritual life". [lower-alpha 1] [3]
The reformer Martin Luther stated that this chapter is where Paul "comforts fighters" involved in an inner struggle between spirit and flesh:
The Holy Spirit assures us that we are God's children no matter how furiously sin may rage within us, so long as we follow the Spirit and struggle against sin in order to kill it. [4]
The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 39 verses.
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
This part deals with the Christian's deliverance from condemnation, which is the penalty of death because of the sin people are living under, by virtue of believers' union with Christ (Romans 5:12–21). [8] [9]
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
— Romans 8:1, King James Version [10]
The discourse in the previous chapter continues in Romans 8:1 with the illative word ἄρα, ara, generally translated as 'so' or 'therefore', [11] or 'consequently' in Thayer's Greek Lexicon. [12] The vocabulary and the content of verse 1 point back to the end of chapter 5 as the basis of the conclusion which Paul starts with 'therefore'. [9] Paul argues that Christians are set free from the condemnation (katakrima, cf. verses 16 and 18) caused by Adam because they have been joined to Jesus Christ. [9] This he iterates after his digression in chapters 6–7. [9]
Methodist founder John Wesley concurs that Paul "resumes the thread of his discourse" from Romans 7:1–7, [13] following a digression (in Romans 7:8–25) [14] regarding sin and the Mosaic Law: [15]
By dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit
whereas theologians Heinrich Meyer and Harold Buls are content to link the inference with the immediately preceding text:
αυτος εγω τω μεν νοι δουλευω νομω θεου τη δε σαρκι νομω αμαρτιας | I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin |
Buls explains that Paul's "real self" serving God is his mind and not his flesh. [16]
Meyer goes on to distinguish between two alternative readings of "There is [...] now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus":
He prefers the former reading "as a matter of fact that has become historical" rather than the latter reading, attributed to Lutheran theologian Johann Hofmann. [18]
Continuing the theme of 'life' in verses 1–13, the following paragraph (verses 14–17) deals with 'sonship', describing "the wonderful and comforting truth that Christians have been adopted into God's own family, so God's Spirit can confer life on us (13–14) and we can be heirs with a glorious prospect for the future (17–18)". [19] Thus, this short passage provides a transition between the previous and the next part. [19]
In verses 18–30, Paul further develops his whole theme of Christian assurance, which he started in chapter 5, elaborating on the Christian's hope of glory, based on the knowledge that "God has determined to bring us though to our inheritance" (18–22, 29–30), providentially working on behalf of his children (verse 28) and having given his Spirit as the guarantee for their final redemption (verse 30). [19]
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
— Romans 8:28–28, King James Version [20]
Verse 28 can be seen in the context of verses 29–30 (and in larger context: verses 18–39) that "those who love God" are not promised to only experience good things, but would also suffer the woes and persecution of the present age, yet God can use all these to his divine purpose, and he has everything under control. [21]
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
— Romans 8:29, King James Version [22]
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
— Romans 8:30, King James Version [24]
Anglican Bishop Charles Ellicott describes the final section of chapter 8 (verses 31–39) as "a sublime and triumphant conclusion" and Erasmus of Rotterdam remarks that "Cicero never said anything grander". [25]
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
— Romans 8:31, King James Version [26]
Greek New Testament:
τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν πρὸς ταῦτα, Ti oun eroumen pros tautaεἰ ὁ θεὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τίς καθ' ἡμῶν, ei ho Theos hyper hēmōn tis kath' hēmōn [27]
"If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Si Deus nobiscum, quis contra nos?) became widespread as a motto. It is an aria for Soprano in Handel's Messiah (1741). [30]
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
— Romans 8:32, King James Version [31]
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
— Romans 8:35, King James Version [35]
The first part of verse 35, either in its full form (Latin: Quis ergo nos separabit a caritate Christi?) or shortened as Quis separabit? , is often used as a motto. The list of "hardship (KJV: 'tribulation') [...] or sword" recalls the real afflictions that the people of Israel experienced in history, as summarized in the quote in verse 36. [36]
As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
— Romans 8:36, New International Version [37]
The citation from Psalm 44:22 [38] [36] in Greek is exactly as in the Septuagint (numbered as Psalm 43:22). [18]
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
— Romans 8:37, King James Version [39]
38For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
— Romans 8:38–39, New King James Version [41]
The New Jerusalem Bible suggests that the "principalities", "like 'angels' and 'princes' are among the mysterious cosmic or elemental forces which to the mind of antiquity were in general hostile to humanity. The 'heights' and 'depths' represent Heaven and Hell, also conceived as powers." [42]
The King James Version of verse 34 from this chapter is cited as texts in the English-language oratorio "Messiah" by George Frideric Handel (HWV 56). [30] Verse 1–2 and 9–11 are cited as words in some movements of Jesu, meine Freude ("Jesus, my joy"), a motet by Johann Sebastian Bach. [43]
1 Peter 2 is the second chapter of the First Epistle of Peter in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The author identifies himself as "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ" and the epistle is traditionally attributed to Peter the Apostle, but some writers argue that it is the work of Peter's followers in Rome between 70 and 100 CE.
Romans 7 is the seventh chapter of the Epistle to the Romans in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is authored by Paul the Apostle, while he was in Corinth in the mid-50s AD, with the help of an amanuensis (secretary), Tertius, who adds his own greeting in Romans 16:22.
Romans 1 is the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is authored by Paul the Apostle, while he was in Corinth in the mid-50s AD, with the help of an amanuensis (secretary), Tertius, who adds his own greeting in Romans 16:22. Acts 20:3 records that Paul stayed in Greece, probably Corinth, for three months. The letter is addressed "to all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints".
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