Naravist

The Letters · New Testament

Romans 8

Hope amid the groaning of creation

General context

Paul speaks of no condemnation in Christ and life through the Spirit, calling his readers to put the deeds of the body to death through that Spirit. Those led by the Spirit are described as God's children and heirs with Christ, sharing suffering as well as the hope of glory. Creation and believers groan while awaiting freedom and bodily redemption, and the Spirit helps their weakness in prayer. The argument connects God's purpose with being conformed to the image of the Son. It ends with assurance that suffering, hostile powers and death cannot separate them from God's love in Christ.

Cited passages: Romans 8:1, Romans 8:2, Romans 8:11, Romans 8:13, Romans 8:14, Romans 8:15, Romans 8:16, Romans 8:17, Romans 8:18, Romans 8:21, Romans 8:22, Romans 8:23, Romans 8:25, Romans 8:26, Romans 8:27, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:29, Romans 8:30, Romans 8:35, Romans 8:38, Romans 8:39

Romans 8 (KJV)

1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

13For 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.

14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

24For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

25But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

26Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

34Who 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.

35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The letter names Paul as its writer and addresses people in Rome who are called to be saints. The chapter uses family language, describing them as God's children and fellow heirs with Christ. Its discussion assumes present suffering and lists distress, persecution, hunger, exposure and danger as possible challenges to their confidence. Those references establish the circumstances considered by the argument; they do not identify a particular imperial persecution or date every event in the readers' lives.

Cited passages: Romans 1:1, Romans 1:7, Romans 8:12, Romans 8:14, Romans 8:15, Romans 8:16, Romans 8:17, Romans 8:18, Romans 8:35, Romans 8:36

Literary context

The language of condemnation at the opening returns in the final questions about accusation, judgment and separation. Between these passages, adoption and inheritance describe belonging, while creation, believers and the Spirit are all associated with groaning. Hope concerns what is still unseen, so waiting is part of the argument. The closing series of questions names threats before widening into a list of death, life, powers, time, height and depth. The repeated language of God's love in Christ brings that expanding list to its conclusion.

Cited passages: Romans 8:1, Romans 8:15, Romans 8:16, Romans 8:17, Romans 8:22, Romans 8:23, Romans 8:24, Romans 8:25, Romans 8:26, Romans 8:31, Romans 8:33, Romans 8:34, Romans 8:35, Romans 8:37, Romans 8:38, Romans 8:39

Key moments

  1. The Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15). The received Spirit is associated with adoption and the cry to God as Father.
  2. Waiting for bodily redemption (Romans 8:23). Believers groan while awaiting adoption understood here as the redemption of the body.
  3. Help in prayer (Romans 8:26). The Spirit helps weakness and intercedes when the believers do not know how to pray as they ought.
  4. Love through every threat (Romans 8:39). The conclusion declares that no created thing can separate the readers from God’s love in Christ Jesus.

For reflection

How does the repeated language of groaning shape the hope expressed at the end of the chapter?

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