Romans 8:16-26

16The Spirit Himself testifies and confirms together with our spirit [assuring us] that we [believers] are children of God.

17And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory.

18For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!

19For [even the whole] creation [all nature] waits eagerly for the children of God to be revealed.

20For the creation was subjected to frustration and futility, not willingly [because of some intentional fault on its part], but by the will of Him who subjected it, in hope

21that the creation itself will also be freed from its bondage to decay [and gain entrance] into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

22For we know that the whole creation has been moaning together as in the pains of childbirth until now.

23And not only this, but we too, who have the first fruits of the Spirit [a joyful indication of the blessings to come], even we groan inwardly, as we wait eagerly for [the sign of] our adoption as sons—the redemption and transformation of our body [at the resurrection].

24For in this hope we were saved [by faith]. But hope [the object of] which is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he already sees?

25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait eagerly for it with patience and composure.

26In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words.