Romans 8:13 Meaning and Explanation
“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Living by the flesh leads to death, but putting sin to death by the Spirit leads to life.
What Does Romans 8:13 Mean?
Paul sets the two ways before his readers with their consequences. To live after the flesh ends in death; to put to death the sinful deeds of the body, through the Spirit, leads to life. The choice is real, and so are its outcomes.
Notice that this putting to death is done "through the Spirit," not by human strength alone, yet it genuinely requires our action. Grace and effort meet: the Spirit empowers, and we obey. To mortify sin is daily, deliberate work, turning from what destroys us. Those who, by the Spirit, wage war against sin are promised life, the full and lasting life that Christ has won and the Spirit imparts.
Romans 8:13 in the Original Language
thanatoo (θανατόω), 'mortify' -- to put to death, here the deliberate slaying of the body's sinful deeds.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 8:13
What does Romans 8:13 mean?
Living by the flesh leads to death, but putting sin to death by the Spirit leads to life.