Life in the Spirit (Romans 8:1-8) Good News Translation

1  There is no condemnation now for those who live in union with Christ Jesus.
2   For the law of the Spirit, which brings us life in union with Christ Jesus, has
set me free from the law of sin and death. 
3   What the Law could not do, because human nature was weak, God did. He
condemned sin in human nature by sending his own Son, who came with a nature
like man's sinful nature, to do away with sin.
4   God did this so that the righteous demands of he Law might be fully satisfied in
us who live according to the Spirit, and not according to human nature.
5   Those who live as their human nature tells them to, have their minds controlled
by what human nature wants. Those who live as the Spirit tells them to, have their minds
controlled by what he Spirit wants.
6   To be controlled by human nature results in death; to be controlled by the Spirit
results in life and peace.
7   And so a person becomes an enemy of God when he is controlled by his human
nature; for he does not obey God's law, and in fact he cannot obey it.
8   Those who obey their human nature cannot please God.

God's Plan Revealed ((Ephesians 3:1-13) New Living Translation)

1 When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . . 2 assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. 3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. 4 As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. 5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. 6 And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. 7 By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News. 8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. 10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence. 13 So please don’t lose heart because of my trials here. I am suffering for you, so you should feel honored. Reprint from Daily Bible Reading 9/16/15