8:13a

For: Here this word introduces a sentence in support of believers having no obligation to live according to the flesh (8:12).

if you live according to the flesh: Here Paul spoke about the possibility that the believers in Rome might be living according to the flesh. He did not expect it to be true. But if it was true, 8:13b tells the result of such a life.

The if caused the believers in Rome to examine their lives to see how they are living.

if you live: The verb is present tense. Previous verses imply that Paul did not expect this to be true. Translate in a way that makes it clear that Paul did not expect that the believers in Rome were living this way. For example:

should you live
-or-
if you might be living

you: This is a letter to the believers in Rome, so the you here primarily applies to them. But the you here also allows a general application to anyone.

8:13b

you will die: The Greek expresses certainty here. For example:

you will certainly die
-or-
you are destined/doomed to die

8:13c

but if: Here Paul spoke about the possibility that the believers in Rome might be living by the Spirit. He expected this to be true. 8:13d tells the result of such a life. The if caused the believers in Rome, and causes all believers since this is Scripture, to examine their lives to see how they are living.

by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body: Here the word by indicates that the Holy Spirit enables believers to put to death the deeds of the body. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

by/through ⌊the power of⌋ the ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body
-or-
with ⌊the help of⌋ the ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body

The phrase by the Spirit is emphasized by being first in the clause. In some languages it must be in its normal place. It may be possible to emphasize the phrase in some other way. For example:

you put to death the deeds of the body by ⌊the power of⌋ the ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit
-or-
you put to death the deeds of the body in this way alone: with ⌊the help of⌋ the ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit

you put to death the deeds of the body: This is a metaphor. The metaphor indicates that believers are to work at ending the deeds of the body. The verb is present tense, which here indicates an ongoing effort. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

you are killing the deeds of the body
-or-
you are causing the deeds of the body to die

Some languages must translate without this metaphor for the correct meaning. For example:

you are ending/abandoning the deeds of the body
-or-
you are turning your backs to the deeds of the body

the deeds of the body: The word body refers to our physical being and implies its desires. In some languages a literal translation would be too general. If that is true in your language, indicate the correct meaning. For example:

the deeds of ⌊the desires of⌋ the body

8:13d

you will live: Here the word live is in contrast to “die” in 8:13b. Just as the body “dies” (8:10), we live by the Holy Spirit when we believe (8:11). For example:

you will have true life (New Century Version)
-or-
you will definitely obtain life which has no ending

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