For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Parallel translations
- WEB For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
- BSB For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
- NKJV For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
- NASB For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
- NLT And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul is convinced that no power in any realm, whether death, life, angels, or rulers, can separate believers from God. He begins listing every conceivable threat to drive home our security.
Overview
Paul moves from outward hardships to cosmic powers, declaring his settled persuasion that nothing can sever us from God's love. He surveys the whole range of created and spiritual forces, death and life, angels and principalities, present and future, every power, to leave no possible exception. His confidence rests not in himself but in God's unbreakable commitment in Christ, completed in the next verse.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- John 10:28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
- Rom 14:8For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
- 2 Tim 1:12For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
- 1 Pet 5:8–10Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
- 1 Pet 3:22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
- Col 1:16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
- 1 Cor 3:22–23Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
- Col 2:15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
- Eph 6:11–12Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
- Eph 1:21Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
- 2 Cor 4:13We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
- 1 Cor 15:54–58So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
- Rom 4:21And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
- 2 Cor 5:4–8For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
- Phil 1:20–23According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
- Heb 11:13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
- 2 Cor 11:14And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 8:38 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.