Month: February 2020

Faith Triumphs

1 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith,we have peacewith God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 We have also obtained access through Himby faithinto this grace in which we stand,and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only that,but we also rejoice in our afflictions,because we know that affliction produces endurance,

4 endurance produces proven character,and proven character produces hope.

5 This hope will not disappoint us,because God’s love has been poured out in our heartsthrough the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Those Declared Righteous Are Reconciled

6 For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment,Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For rarely will someone die for a just person — though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die.

8 But God provesHis own love for usin that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!

9 Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood,we will be saved through Him from wrath.

10 For if, while we were enemies,we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life!

11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have now received this reconciliation through Him.

Death through Adam and Life through Christ

12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man,and death through sin,in this way death spread to all men,because all sinned.

13 In fact, sin was in the world before the law, but sin is not charged to a person’s account when there is no law.

14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin in the likeness of Adam’s transgression.He is a prototypeof the Coming One.

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by the one man’s trespass the many died, how much more have the grace of God and the gift overflowed to the many by the grace of the one man,Jesus Christ.

16 And the gift is not like the one man’s sin, because from one sin came the judgment,resulting in condemnation, but from many trespasses came the gift, resulting in justification.

17 Since by the one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive the overflow of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in lifethrough the one man, Jesus Christ.

18 So then, as through one trespass there is condemnation for everyone, so also through one righteous act there is life-giving justificationfor everyone.

19 For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners,so also through the one man’s obediencethe many will be made righteous.

20 The law came along to multiply the trespass.But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more

21 so that, just as sin reigned in death,so also grace will reignthrough righteousness, resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ROM/5-4e44fd41f8975316cae79f042e094d0b.mp3?version_id=72—

The New Life in Christ

1 What should we say then?Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply?

2 Absolutely not!How can we who died to sinstill live in it?

3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptizedinto Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

4 Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death,in order that, just as Christ was raised from the deadby the glory of the Father,so we too may walk in a new wayof life.

5 For if we have been joined with Him in the likeness of His death,we will certainly also bein the likeness of His resurrection.

6 For we know that our old selfwas crucified with Himin order that sin’s dominion over the bodymay be abolished,so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin,

7 since a person who has diedis freedfrom sin’s claims.

8 Now if we died with Christ,we believe that we will also live with Him,

9 because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead,will not die again. Death no longer rules over Him.

10 For in light of the fact that He died, He died to sin once for all; but in light of the fact that He lives, He lives to God.

11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sinbut alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obeyits desires.

13 And do not offer any partsof it to sinas weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God,and all the partsof yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness.

14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under lawbut under grace.

From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God

15 What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace?Absolutely not!

16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someoneas obedient slaves,you are slaves of that one you obey— either of sin leading to deathor of obedience leading to righteousness?

17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin,you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were transferredto,

18 and having been liberated from sin,you became enslaved to righteousness.

19 I am using a human analogybecause of the weakness of your flesh.For just as you offered the partsof yourselves as slaves to moral impurity, and to greater and greater lawlessness, so now offer them as slaves to righteousness, which results in sanctification.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from allegiance to righteousness.

21 So what fruit was producedthen from the things you are now ashamed of?For the end of those things is death.

22 But now, since you have been liberated from sin and have become enslaved to God,you have your fruit, which results in sanctification— and the end is eternal life!

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ROM/6-178f775c6a0881162e75840a235d92ff.mp3?version_id=72—

An Illustration from Marriage

1 Since I am speaking to those who understand law, brothers,are you unaware that the law has authority over someone as long as he lives?

2 For example, a married woman is legally bound to her husband while he lives.But if her husband dies, she is released from the law regarding the husband.

3 So then, if she gives herself to another man while her husband is living, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law. Then, if she gives herself to another man, she is not an adulteress.

4 Therefore, my brothers, you also were put to deathin relation to the lawthrough the crucified body of the Messiah,so that you may belong to another — to Him who was raised from the dead — that we may bear fruit for God.

5 For when we were in the flesh,the sinful passions operated through the law in every part of usand bore fruit for death.

6 But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the new wayof the Spiritand not in the old letter of the law.

Sin’s Use of the Law

7 What should we say then?Is the law sin? Absolutely not!On the contrary, I would not have known sin if it were not for the law.For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.

8 And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment,produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.

9 Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life

10 and I died. The commandment that was meant for liferesulted in death for me.

11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me,and through it killed me.

12 So then, the law is holy,and the commandment is holy and just and good.

The Problem of Sin in Us

13 Therefore, did what is good cause my death?Absolutely not!On the contrary, sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure.

14 For we know that the law is spiritual,but I am made out of flesh,soldinto sin’s power.

15 For I do not understand what I am doing,because I do not practice what I want to do,but I do what I hate.

16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good.

17 So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me.

18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh.For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it.

19 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do.

20 Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that lives in me.

21 So I discover this principle:When I want to do what is good, evil is with me.

22 For in my inner selfI joyfully agree with God’s law.

23 But I see a different law in the parts of my body,waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body.

24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this dying body?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!So then, with my mind I myself am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh, to the law of sin.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ROM/7-4f2fa2621845488f0635b6ab27387618.mp3?version_id=72—

The Life-Giving Spirit

1 Therefore, no condemnationnow exists for those inChrist Jesus,

2 because the Spirit’s law of lifein Christ Jesus has set youfree from the law of sin and of death.

3 What the law could not dosince it was limitedby the flesh,God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like oursunder sin’s domain,and as a sin offering,

4 in order that the law’s requirement would be accomplishedin us who do not walk according to the fleshbut according to the Spirit.

5 For those who liveaccording to the flesh think about the things of the flesh,but those who liveaccording to the Spirit, about the things of the Spirit.

6 For the mind-set of the fleshis death,but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace.

7 For the mind-set of the flesh is hostileto God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so.

8 Those who are in the fleshcannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, sincethe Spirit of God lives in you.But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ,he does not belong to Him.

10 Now if Christ is in you,the body is deadbecause of sin, but the Spiritis life because of righteousness.

11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the deadlives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life throughHis Spirit who lives in you.

The Holy Spirit’s Ministries

12 So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh,

13 for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,you will live.

14 All those led by God’s Spiritare God’s sons.

15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,but you received the Spirit of adoption,by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father! ”

16 The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spiritthat we are God’s children,

17 and if children, also heirs— heirs of God and coheirs with Christ — seeing thatwe suffer with Himso that we may also be glorified with Him.

From Groans to Glory

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparingwith the glorythat is going to be revealed to us.

19 For the creation eagerly waits with anticipationfor God’s sonsto be revealed.

20 For the creation was subjectedto futility— not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it— in the hope

21 that the creation itselfwill also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God’s children.

22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor painsuntil now.

23 And not only that,but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits— we also groan within ourselves,eagerly waiting for adoption,the redemption of our bodies.

24 Now in this hopewe were saved, yet hopethat is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?

25 But if we hope for what we do not see,we eagerly wait for it with patience.

26 In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should,but the Spirit Himself intercedes for uswith unspoken groanings.

27 And He who searches the heartsknows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

28 We know that all things work togetherfor the goodof those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.

29 For those He foreknew He also predestinedto be conformed to the image of His Son,so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

30 And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified;and those He justified, He also glorified.

The Believer’s Triumph

31 What then are we to say about these things?

If God is for us, who is against us?

32 He did not even spare His own Son

but offered Him up for us all;

how will He not also with Him grant us everything?

33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect?

God is the One who justifies.

34 Who is the one who condemns?

Christ Jesus is the One who died,

but even more, has been raised;

He also is at the right hand of God

and intercedes for us.

35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ?

Can afflictionor anguish or persecution

or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

36 As it is written:

Because of You

we are being put to death all day long;

we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered.

37 No, in all these things we are more than victorious

through Him who loved us.

38 For I am persuaded that not even death or life,

angels or rulers,

things present or things to come,hostile powers,

39 height or depth, or any other created thing

will have the power to separate us

from the love of Godthat is in Christ Jesus our Lord!

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ROM/8-942d060c587ca092448f3ac49471ec7b.mp3?version_id=72—

Israel’s Rejection of Christ

1 I speak the truth in Christ— I am not lying; my conscience is testifying to me with the Holy Spirit—

2 that I have intense sorrow and continual anguish in my heart.

3 For I could almost wishto be cursedand cut offfrom the Messiah for the benefit of my brothers, my own flesh and blood.

4 They are Israelites,and to them belong the adoption,the glory,the covenants,the giving of the law,the temple service,and the promises.

5 The ancestors are theirs,and from them, by physical descent,came the Messiah,who is Godover all,praised forever.Amen.

God’s Gracious Election of Israel

6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed.For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.

7 Neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants.On the contrary, your offspring will be tracedthrough Isaac.

8 That is, it is not the children by physical descentwho are God’s children,but the children of the promiseare considered to be the offspring.

9 For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.

10 And not only that,but also Rebekah received a promise when she became pregnantby one man, our ancestor Isaac.

11 For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand —

12 not from works but from the One who calls — she was told: The older will serve the younger.

13 As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.

God’s Selection Is Just

14 What should we say then?Is there injustice with God?Absolutely not!

15 For He tells Moses:

I will show mercy

to whom I will show mercy,

and I will have compassion

on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it does not depend on human will or effortbut on God who shows mercy.

17 For the Scripture tells Pharaoh:

I raised you up for this reason

so that I may display My power in you

and that My name may be proclaimed in all the earth.

18 So then, He shows mercy to those He wants to, and He hardens those He wants to harden.

19 You will say to me,therefore, “Why then does He still find fault?For who can resist His will? ”

20 But who are you, a mere man, to talk back to God?Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this? ”

21 Or has the potter no right over the clay,to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor?

22 And what if God, desiring to display His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patienceobjects of wrath ready for destruction?

23 And what if He did this to make known the riches of His gloryon objects of mercythat He prepared beforehand for glory—

24 on us, the ones He also called,not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

25 As He also says in Hosea:

I will call Not My People, My People,

and she who is Unloved, Beloved.

26 And it will be in the place where they were told,

you are not My people,

there they will be called sons of the living God.

27 But Isaiah cries out concerning Israel:

Though the number of Israel’s sons

is like the sand of the sea,

only the remnant will be saved;

28 for the Lord will execute His sentence

completely and decisively on the earth.

29 And just as Isaiah predicted:

If the Lord of Hostshad not left us offspring,

we would have become like Sodom,

and we would have been made like Gomorrah.

Israel’s Present State

30 What should we say then?Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained righteousness — namely the righteousness that comes from faith.

31 But Israel, pursuing the law for righteousness,has not achieved the righteousness of the law.

32 Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works.They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

33 As it is written:

Look! I am putting a stone in Zion to stumble over

and a rock to trip over,

yet the one who believes on Him

will not be put to shame.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ROM/9-b32e3cfacdcf840bf3f5c4e71b914af5.mp3?version_id=72—

Righteousness by Faith Alone

1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning themis for their salvation!

2 I can testify about them that they have zeal for God,but not according to knowledge.

3 Because they disregarded the righteousness from Godand attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness.

4 For Christ is the endof the law for righteousnessto everyone who believes.

5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them.

6 But the righteousness that comes from faithspeaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven? ”that is, to bring Christ down

7 or, “Who will go down into the abyss? ”that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.

8 On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.This is the message of faith that we proclaim:

9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”and believe in your heartthat God raised Him from the dead,you will be saved.

10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

11 Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame,

12 for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek,since the same Lordof allis rich to all who call on Him.

13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Israel’s Rejection of the Message

14 But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him?And how can they hear without a preacher?

15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautifulare the feet of thosewho announce the gospel of good things!

16 But all did not obey the gospel.For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message?

17 So faith comes from what is heard,and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

18 But I ask, “Did they not hear? ” Yes, they did:

Their voice has gone out to all the earth,

and their words to the ends of the inhabited world.

19 But I ask, “Did Israel not understand? ” First, Moses said:

I will make you jealous

of those who are not a nation;

I will make you angry by a nation

that lacks understanding.

20 And Isaiah says boldly:

I was found

by those who were not looking for Me;

I revealed Myself

to those who were not asking for Me.

21 But to Israel he says: All day long I have spread out My hands to a disobedient and defiant people.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ROM/10-d88a3b09955a7c7a4e880a1334af08c4.mp3?version_id=72—

Israel’s Rejection Not Total

1 I ask, then, has God rejected His people?Absolutely not!For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,from the tribe of Benjamin.

2 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew.Or don’t you knowwhat the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah — how he pleads with God against Israel?

3 Lord, they have killed Your prophets

and torn down Your altars.

I am the only one left,

and they are trying to take my life!

4 But what was God’s reply to him? I have left 7,000 men for Myself who have not bowed down to Baal.

5 In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace.

6 Now if by grace,then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace.

7 What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for,but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened,

8 as it is written:

God gave them a spirit of insensitivity,

eyes that cannot see

and ears that cannot hear,

to this day.

9 And David says:

Let their feastingbecome a snare and a trap,

a pitfall and a retribution to them.

10 Let their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,

and their backs be bent continually.

Israel’s Rejection Not Final

11 I ask, then, have they stumbled in order to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their stumbling,salvation has come to the Gentilesto make Israel jealous.

12 Now if their stumblingbrings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full number bring!

13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. In view of the fact that I am an apostle to the Gentiles,I magnify my ministry,

14 if I can somehow make my own peoplejealous and save some of them.

15 For if their rejection brings reconciliationto the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

16 Now if the firstfruits offered up are holy,so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 Now if some of the branches were broken off,and you, though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among themand have come to share in the rich rootof the cultivated olive tree,

18 do not brag that you are better than those branches. But if you do brag — you do not sustain the root, but the root sustains you.

19 Then you will say,“Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”

20 True enough; they were broken off by unbelief, but you stand by faith.Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.

21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either.

22 Therefore, consider God’s kindness and severity: severity toward those who have fallen but God’s kindnesstoward you — if you remain in His kindness.Otherwise you too will be cut off.

23 And even they, if they do not remain in unbelief,will be grafted in, because God has the power to graft them in again.

24 For if you were cut off from your native wild olive and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these — the natural branches — be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 So that you will not be conceited,brothers, I do not want you to be unawareof this mystery:A partial hardening has come to Israeluntil the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

26 And in this way allIsrael will be saved, as it is written:

The Liberator will come from Zion;

He will turn away godlessness from Jacob.

27 And this will be My covenant with them

when I take away their sins.

28 Regarding the gospel, they are enemies for your advantage,but regarding election, they are loved because of the patriarchs,

29 since God’s gracious gifts and callingare irrevocable.

30 As you once disobeyed God, but now have received mercy through their disobedience,

31 so they too have now disobeyed, resulting in mercy to you, so that they also nowmay receive mercy.

32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience,so that He may have mercy on all.

A Hymn of Praise

33 Oh, the depth of the riches

both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!

How unsearchable His judgments

and untraceable His ways!

34 For who has known the mind of the Lord?

Or who has been His counselor?

35 Or who has ever first given to Him,

and has to be repaid?

36 For from Him and through Him

and to Him are all things.

To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ROM/11-6ed652a5cf0eaa6825838995b56da2d4.mp3?version_id=72—

A Living Sacrifice

1 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge youto present your bodies as a living sacrifice,holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.

2 Do not be conformedto this age,but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect willof God.

Many Gifts but One Body

3 For by the gracegiven to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think.Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faithto each one.

4 Now as we have many parts in one body,and all the parts do not have the same function,

5 in the same way we who are manyare one body in Christand individually members of one another.

6 According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts:

If prophecy,

use it according to the standard of one’sfaith;

7 if service,in service;

if teaching,in teaching;

8 if exhorting,in exhortation;

giving, with generosity;

leading,with diligence;

showing mercy, with cheerfulness.

Christian Ethics

9 Love must be without hypocrisy.Detest evil;cling to what is good.

10 Show family affection to one another with brotherly love.Outdo one another in showing honor.

11 Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit;serve the Lord.

12 Rejoice in hope;be patient in affliction;be persistent in prayer.

13 Share with the saints in their needs;pursue hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you;bless and do not curse.

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice;weep with those who weep.

16 Be in agreement with one another.Do not be proud;instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil.Try to do what is honorablein everyone’s eyes.

18 If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.

19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for Hiswrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay,says the Lord.

20 But

If your enemy is hungry, feed him.

If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

For in so doing

you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.

21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ROM/12-f3c71a15ecac0d1fd495f6d3bafd2f3f.mp3?version_id=72—

A Christian’s Duties to the State

1 Everyone must submit to the governing authorities,for there is no authority except from God,and those that exist are instituted by God.

2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves.

3 For rulers are not a terrorto good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval.

4 For government is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avengerthat brings wrath on the one who does wrong.

5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience.

6 And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s public servants, continually attending to these tasks.

7 Pay your obligationsto everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes,tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect,and honor to those you owe honor.

Love, Our Primary Duty

8 Do not owe anyone anything,except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

9 The commandments:

Do not commit adultery;

do not murder;

do not steal;

do not covet;

and whatever other commandment — all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself.

10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

Put On Christ

11 Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hourfor youto wake up from sleep,for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

12 The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near,so let us discard the deeds of darknessand put on the armor of light.

13 Let us walk with decency,as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness;not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy.

14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ROM/13-30b54dca4fdedef971ad808ecb94d5d7.mp3?version_id=72—

The Law of Liberty

1 Acceptanyone who is weak in faith,but don’t argue about doubtful issues.

2 One person believes he may eat anything,but one who is weak eats only vegetables.

3 One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat,and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does,because God has accepted him.

4 Who are you to criticizeanother’s household slave? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand. For the Lord is ableto make him stand.

5 One person considers one day to be above another day.Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind.

6 Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord.Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God;and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, yet he thanks God.

7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

9 Christ died and came to lifefor this: that He might rule over both the dead and the living.

10 But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal of God.

11 For it is written:

As I live, says the Lord,

every knee will bow to Me,

and every tongue will give praise to God.

12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

The Law of Love

13 Therefore, let us no longer criticize one another.Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in your brother’s way.

14 (I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself.Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean.)

15 For if your brother is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love.Do not destroy that one Christ died for by what you eat.

16 Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,

17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking,but righteousness, peace, and joyin the Holy Spirit.

18 Whoever serves Christin this way is acceptable to God and approved by men.

19 So then, we must pursue what promotes peaceand what builds up one another.

20 Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats.

21 It is a noble thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother stumble.

22 Do you have a conviction?Keep it to yourself before God. The man who does not condemn himself by what he approves is blessed.

23 But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats,because his eating is not from a conviction,and everything that is not from a convictionis sin.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/ROM/14-a7c436f2d7db8eb0ba9f772d813f9ae3.mp3?version_id=72—