Romans 8

[John Reece]

This is a reading and grammatical analysis thread.

Please do not post any cabala in this thread.

[John Reece]

Text (NA27) of Romans 8:1:

Οὐδὲν ἄρα νῦν κατάκριμα τοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.

Transliteration (Accordance):

Ouden ara nyn katakrima tois en Christō̧ Iēsou.

Translation (NRSV):

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἄρα : particle implying an inference.
κατάκριμα : condemnation.*
ἐν : sociative, in, united with.

*κατάκριμα ... can refer either to the process of "judgment" or its result, "condemnation." That Paul intends "condemnation" here is demonstrated by his use of the cognate verb two sentences later (verse 3), where it can mean only "condemned." In either case, it is surely to be understood eschatologically, referring to the end-time judgment (with its condemnation), which in Christ Jesus has been taken out of the believer's future and put into the past. (Gordon D. Fee, God's Empowering Presence, page 521)

Comment (Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans [BECNT, 1998], page 397):

The νῦν (nyn, now) in verse 1 signals a new era of salvation history, one in which God's covenantal promises are being fulfilled, when his people are enjoying the freedom from condemnation God promised.

Comment (Gordon D. Fee, God's Empowering Presence: [Baker Academic], page 527):

1 "Now** therefore." Paul begins his response, again employing the "before" and "after" form of argumentation from 6:17-23 and 7:4-6. ....

**Gk. νῦν ... is unambiguously temporal, not logical.

[John Reece]

Text (NA27) of Romans 8:2:

ὁ γὰρ νόμος τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἠλευθέρωσέν σε ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ θανάτου.

Transliteration (Accordance):

ho gar nomos tou pneumatos tēs zōēs en Christō̧ Iēsou ēleutherōsen se apo tou nomou tēs hamartias kai tou thanatou.

Translation (NRSV):

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

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

ἠλευθέρωσέν : aorist of ἐλευθερόω free, set free.

For exegesis of this verse, I recommend the commentary by Gordon D. Fee on pages 521-524 of God's Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1994). The book is a 967 page masterpiece that contains superb exegetical commentaries on each and every one of Paul's letters, plus a five-chapter synthesis of Paul's theology of the Spirit ― complete with extensive bibliography and three fulsome indexes on subjects, modern authors, and ancient sources (including the Bible, Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Early Church Fathers, and Greco-Roman Authors). In short, an exegetical gold mine.

[John Reece]

Text (NA27) of Romans 8:3:

Τὸ γὰρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκός, ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ υἱὸν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί,

Transliteration (Accordance):

To gar adynaton tou nomou en ō̧h ēsthenei dia tēs sarkos, ho theos ton heautou huion pempsas en homoiōmati sarkos hamartias kai peri hamartias katekrinen tēn hamartian en tȩ̄ sarki,

Translation (NRSV):

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

ἀδύνατον : impossible ; ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου what the law was incapable of.
ἐν ᾧ : causal in that, because.
ἠσθένει : imperfect of ἀσθενέω be weak.
διά : with genitive here, in consequence / as a result of.
πέμψας : aorist participle of πέμπω.
ὁμοίωμα : likeness ; not identity, because not prone to sin, not mere resemblance, as truly flesh.
σάρξ ἁμαρτίας : sinful flesh, cf. 7:5 ἐν τῇ σαρκί in a merely natural state subject to a nature corrupted and inclined towards evil.
περί : associated with πέμψας: περὶ ἁμαρτίας in special sense of to atone for sin.
κατέκρινεν : condemn.
ἐν τῇ σαρκί : associated with κατέκρινεν.

[John Reece]

Romans 8

Text of Romans 8:4 (NA27):

ἵνα τὸ δικαίωμα τοῦ νόμου πληρωθῇ ἐν ἡμῖν τοῖς μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα.

Transliteration (Accordance):

hina to dikaiōma tou nomou plērōthȩ̄ en hēmin tois mē kata sarka peripatousin alla kata pneuma.

Translation (NRSV):

so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

δικαίωμα : decree, ordinance.
πληρωθῇ : aorist passive subjunctive of πληρόω.
μή : not, referring to a matter of fact (opposite classical usage).
περιπατοῦσιν : dative plural participle of περιπατέω behave.

[John Reece]

Text NA27 Romans 8:5:

οἱ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ὄντες τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς φρονοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ κατὰ πνεῦμα τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος.

Transliteration (Accordance):

hoi gar kata sarka ontes ta tēs sarkos phronousin, hoi de kata pneuma ta tou pneumatos..

Translation (NRSV):

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

ὄντες : participle of εἰμί: οἱ ὄντες those who live.
φρονέω : think, concentrate on, be devoted to (Mark 8:33 ὁ δὲ ἐπιστραφεὶς καὶ ἰδὼν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἐπετίμησεν Πέτρῳ καὶ λέγει· ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, σατανᾶ, ὅτι οὐ φρονεῖς τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἀλλὰ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων.)

[John Reece]

Romans 8:6

Text: (NA27):

τὸ γὰρ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς θάνατος, τὸ δὲ φρόνημα τοῦ πνεύματος ζωὴ καὶ εἰρήνη·

Transliteration (Accordance):

to gar phronēma tēs sarkos thanatos, to de phronēma tou pneumatos zōē kai eirēnē;

Translation (NRSV):

To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

φρόνημα : mentality, outlook ; aspiration.
θάνατος : predicate spells death.

[John Reece]

Romans 8:7

Text: (NA27):

διότι τὸ φρόνημα τῆς σαρκὸς ἔχθρα εἰς θεόν, τῷ γὰρ νόμῳ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐχ ὑποτάσσεται, οὐδὲ γὰρ δύναται·

Transliteration (Accordance):

dioti to phronēma tēs sarkos echthra eis theon, tō̧ gar nomō̧ tou theou ouch hypotassetai, oude gar dynatai;

Translation (NRSV):

For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed it cannot,

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

διότι = ὅτι for.
ἔχθρα : enmity.
ὑποτάσσεται : passive of ὑποτάσσω subject ; passive be subjected/obedient.
οὐδὲ γὰρ δύναται : nor can it be.

[John Reece]

Romans 8:8

Text: (NA27):

οἱ δὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ὄντες θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύνανται.

Transliteration (Accordance):

hoi de en sarki ontes theō̧ aresai ou dynantai.

Translation (NRSV):

and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

ὄντες : plural of εἰμί be
ἀρέσαι : aorist infinitive of ἀρέσκω be pleasing.

[John Reece]

Romans 8:9

Text: (NA27):

ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ἀλλὰ ἐν πνεύματι, εἴπερ πνεῦμα θεοῦ οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν. εἰ δέ τις πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ οὐκ ἔχει, οὗτος οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ.

Transliteration (Accordance):

hymeis de ouk este en sarki alla en pneumati, eiper pneuma theou oikei en hymin. ei de tis pneuma Christou ouk echei, houtos ouk estin autou.

Translation (NRSV):

But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

εἴπερ : if indeed.
οἰκέω : dwell.
οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ : is not his, does not belong to him.

[John Reece]

Romans 8:10

Text: (NA27):

εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν, τὸ μὲν σῶμα νεκρὸν διὰ ἁμαρτίαν τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα ζωὴ διὰ δικαιοσύνην.

Transliteration (Accordance):

ei de Christos en hymin, to men sōma nekron dia hamartian to de pneuma zōē dia dikaiosynēn.

Translation (NRSV):

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

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

τὸ μὲν σῶμα : beginning the apodosis.
νεκρός : here, subject to death, virtually = θνητός verse 11.
διὰ ἁμαρτίαν : oweing to sin.

[John Reece]

Romans 8:11

Text: (NA27):

εἰ δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ ἐγείραντος τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐκ νεκρῶν οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν, ὁ ἐγείρας Χριστὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ζῳοποιήσει καὶ τὰ θνητὰ σώματα ὑμῶν διὰ τοῦ ἐνοικοῦντος αὐτοῦ πνεύματος ἐν ὑμῖν.

Transliteration (Accordance):

ei de to pneuma tou egeirantos ton Iēsoun ek nekrōn oikei en hymin, ho egeiras Christon ek nekrōn zō̧opoiēsei kai ta thnēta sōmata hymōn dia tou enoikountos autou pneumatos en hymin.

Translation (NRSV):

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

ἐγείραντος : aorist participle of ἐγείρω to cause to return to life, raise up.
ζῳοποιήσει : future of ζωοποιέω give life.
θνητός : (< θνῄσκω be dying) mortal.
ἐνοικοῦντος : participle of ἐνοικέω dwell.

[John Reece]

Romans 8:12

Text: (NA27):

Ἄρα οὖν, ἀδελφοί, ὀφειλέται ἐσμὲν οὐ τῇ σαρκὶ τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆν,

Transliteration (Accordance):

Ara oun, adelphoi, opheiletai esmen ou tȩ̄ sarki tou kata sarka zēn,

Translation (NRSV):

So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh —

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

ἄρα οὖν : so then.
ὀφειλέτης : debtor.
τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆν (infinitive of ζάω) : explaining ὀφειλέται τῇ σαρκὶ.

[John Reece]

Romans 8:13

Text: (NA27):

εἰ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆτε, μέλλετε ἀποθνῄσκειν· εἰ δὲ πνεύματι τὰς πράξεις τοῦ σώματος θανατόωῦτε, ζήσεσθε.

Transliteration (Accordance):

ei gar kata sarka zēte, mellete apothnȩ̄skein; ei de pneumati tas praxeis tou sōmatos thanatoute, zēsesthe.

Translation (NRSV):

for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

μέλλει : with infinitive is destined to.
πρᾶξις : (< πράσσω) deed, act.
θανατόω : put to death.
ζήσεσθε : future of ζάω.

[John Reece]

Romans 8:14

Text: (NA27):

ὅσοι γὰρ πνεύματι θεοῦ ἄγονται, οὗτοι υἱοὶ θεοῦ εἰσιν.

Transliteration (Accordance):

hosoi gar pneumati theou agontai, houtoi huioi theou eisin.

Translation (NRSV):

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

Analysis (Zerwick/BDAG):

ἄγονται : passive of ἄγω lead : passive here allow oneself to be led.
πνεῦμα : being the source of activity in the Christian life.