1. This contradiction no longer exists for those who are in Jesus Christ.

2. For, in Jesus Christ, the law of the Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death.

3. The Law was without effect because flesh was not responding. Then God, planning to destroy sin, sent his own Son, in the likeness of those subject to the sinful human condition; by doing this, he condemned the sin in this human condition.

4. Since then the perfection intended by the Law would be fulfilled in those not walking in the way of the flesh, but in the way of the Spirit.

5. Those walking according to the flesh tend towards what is flesh; those led by the spirit, to what is spirit.

6. Flesh tends towards death, while spirit aims at life and peace.

7. What the flesh seeks is against God: it does not agree, it cannot even submit to the law of God.

8. So, those walking according to the flesh cannot please God.

9. Yet your existence is not in the flesh, but in the spirit, because the Spirit of God is within you. If you did not have the Spirit of Christ, you would not belong to him.

10. But Christ is within you; though the body is branded by death as a consequence of sin, the spirit is life and holiness.

11. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is within you, He who raised Jesus Christ from among the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies. Yes, he will do it through his Spirit who dwells within you.

12. Then, brothers, let us leave the flesh and no longer live according to it.

13. If not, we will die. Rather, walking in the Spirit, let us put to death the body's deeds so that we may live.

14. All those who walk in the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God.

15. Then, no more fear: you did not receive a spirit of slavery, but the Spirit that makes you sons and daughters and every time we cry, "Abba! (this is Dad!) Father!"

16. the Spirit assures our spirit that we are sons and daughters of God.

17. If we are children, we are heirs, too. Ours will be the inheritance of God and we will share it with Christ; for if we now suffer with him, we will also share Glory with him.

18. I consider that the suffering of our present life cannot be compared with the Glory that will be revealed and given to us.

19. All creation is eagerly expecting the birth in glory of the children of God.

20. For if now the created world was unable to attain its purpose, this did not come from itself, but from the one who subjected it. But it is not without hope;

21. for even the created world will be freed from this fate of death and share the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22. We know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pangs of birth.

23. Not creation alone, but even ourselves, although the Spirit was given to us as a foretaste of what we are to receive, we groan in our innermost being, eagerly awaiting the day when God will give us full rights and rescue our bodies as well.

24. To hope is the way we are saved. But if we saw what we hoped for, there would no longer be hope: how can you hope for what is already seen?

25. So we hope for what we do not see and we will receive it through patient hope.

26. We are weak, but the Spirit comes to help us. How to ask? And what shall we ask for? We do not know, but the spirit intercedes for us without words, as if with groans.

27. And He who sees inner secrets knows the desires of the Spirit, for he asks for the holy ones what is pleasing to God.

28. We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him, whom he has called according to his plan.

29. Those whom he knew beforehand, he has also predestined to be like his Son, similar to him, so that he may be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

30. And so, those whom God predestined he called, and those whom he called he makes righteous, and to those whom he makes righteous he will give his Glory.

31. What shall we say after this? If God is with us, who shall be against us?

32. If he did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not give us all things with him?

33. Who shall accuse those chosen by God: he takes away their guilt.

34. Who will dare to condemn them? Christ who died, and better still, rose and is seated at the right hand of God, interceding for us?

35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Will it be trials, or anguish, persecution or hunger, lack of clothing, or dangers or sword?

36. As the Scripture says: For your sake we are being killed all day long; they treat us like sheep to be slaughtered.

37. No, in all of this we are more than conquerors, thanks to him who has loved us.

38. I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels nor spiritual powers, neither the present nor the future, nor cosmic powers,

39. were they from heaven or from the deep world below, nor any creature whatsoever will separate us from the love of God, which we have in Jesus Christ, our Lord.





“Todas as graças que pedimos no nome de Jesus são concedidas pelo Pai eterno.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina