What shall we then say to these things? ( πρὸ ταῦτα, meaning "with respect to," not "against "). If God be for us, who can be against us? ( τίς, not τί, in opposition to ὁ θεὸς: who—what adverse power—can there possibly be, stronger than God?
). He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all (evidently not for the elect only, but for all mankind; cf. on Romans 5:18), how shall he not with him also freely give us (i.e. grant us of his free grace) all things?
( πάντα, corresponding to ὑπὲρ πάντων). Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect! It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
A different punctuation of these two verses is preferred by some, and seems more natural and more forcible; thus: Who shall charge God's elect? God who justifieth? Who is he that condemneth? Christ who died?
etc. A similar answering a question by asking another is found below in Romans 8:35. The further thought is thus implied that, if neither God charges, nor Christ, the Judge, condemns, who can do either?
The apostle next goes on to say that, there being none to charge and condemn us at last, so also there is none that can remove us from our state of acceptance now. For who or what can possibly prove stronger than Christ's love, which has called us to it?
The enumeration that follows of things that might possibly be supposed to remove us shows again that it is not our own sins, but external circumstances of trial, that are being viewed all along as powerless to hinder our salvation.