And do this ¹  because we know ²  the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers.

(for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation,

For God achieved what the law could not do because ¹  it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Absolutely not! But sin, so that it would be shown to be sin, produced death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.

The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The ¹  one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.

(as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”). ¹  He is our father ²  in the presence of God whom he believed – the God who ³  makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do. ⁴ 

What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! Certainly, I ¹  would not have known sin except through the law. For indeed I would not have known what it means to desire something belonging to someone else ²  if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” ³ 

Or who has first given to God, ¹  that God ²  needs to repay him? ³ 

For they were pleased to do this, and indeed they are indebted to the Jerusalem saints. ¹  For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things.

that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children.

But who indeed are you – a mere human being ¹  – to talk back to God? ²  Does what is molded say to the molder, “Why have you made me like this?” ³ 

So, I find the law that when I want to do good, evil is present with me.

for the Lord will execute his sentence on the earth completely and quickly.” ¹ 

do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Do we then nullify ¹  the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead ²  we uphold the law.

But if I do what I don’t want, I agree that the law is good. ¹ 

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” ¹ 

For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness ¹  and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. ² 

For Macedonia and Achaia are pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

And in this way I desire to preach where Christ has not been named, so as not to build on another person’s foundation,