Romans 8:12

Romans 8:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

Context of Romans 8:12

10If Christ lives in you, though your [natural] body is dead because of sin, your spirit is alive because of righteousness [which He provides]. 11And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you. So then, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation, but not to our flesh [our human nature, our worldliness, our sinful capacity], to live according to the [impulses of the] flesh [our nature without the Holy Spirit]— 13for if you are living according to the [impulses of the] flesh, you are going to die. But if [you are living] by the [power of the Holy] Spirit you are habitually putting to death the sinful deeds of the body, you will [really] live forever. 14For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Romans 8:12 word by word

Ἄρα οὖν, ἀδελφοί, ὀφειλέται ἐσμὲν οὐ τῇ σαρκὶ τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆν·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• ·ἄραara · thereforeG686
• Thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• we areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• debtorsὀφειλέτηςopheiletēs · debtorG3781
• notοὐou · noG3756
• to the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
• to liveζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• afterκατάkata · according toG2596

Cross-references for Romans 8:12

• Romans 6:2Certainly not! How can we, the very ones who died to sin, continue to live in it any longer?
• Psalms 116:16O Lord, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid; You have unfastened my chains.
• 1 Corinthians 6:19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]?
• 1 Peter 4:2so that he can no longer spend the rest of his natural life living for human appetites and desires, but [lives] for the will and purpose of God.

Commentaries on Romans 8:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Therefore, brethren, etc. - Dr. Taylor is of opinion that the apostle having spoken separately, both to Jews and Gentiles, concerning holiness and the obligations to it, now addresses himself to both conjointly, and, I. Draws the general conclusion from all his arguments upon this subject, Romans 8:12. II. Proves the validity of their claims to eternal life, Romans 8:14-17. III. And as the affair of suffering persecution was a great stumbling block to the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12We are debtors - We owe it as a matter of solemn obligation. This obligation arises, (1)From the fact that the Spirit dwells in us; (2)Because the design of his indwelling is to purify us; (3)Because we are thus recovered from the death of sin to the life of religion; and he who has imparted life, has a right to require that it be spent in his service. To the flesh - To the corrupt propensities and passions. We are not bound to indulge them because the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-17Verses 10-17 If the Spirit be in us, Christ is in us. He dwells in the heart by faith. Grace in the soul is its new nature; the soul is alive to God, and has begun its holy happiness which shall endure for ever. The righteousness of Christ imputed, secures the soul, the better part, from death. From hence we see how much it is our duty to walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. If any habitually live according to corrupt lustings, they will…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1312-13. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh--"Once we were sold under sin (Ro 7:14); but now that we have been set free from that hard master and become servants to Righteousness (Ro 6:22), we owe nothing to the flesh, we disown its unrighteous claims and are deaf to its imperious demands." Glorious sentiment!Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 8:12

• Death
• Holiness
• Holy Spirit
• Religion
• Self-Denial

In the dictionaries

• Allow
• Bondage
• Carnal
• Enmity
• Fear
• Flesh
• Foreknow
• Glorify
• Indeed
• Please

Commentaries on Romans 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings