Romans 8:16

Romans 8:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
• New International Version (NIV)The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
• New King James Version (NKJV)The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Context of Romans 8:16

14All those people who live with God's Spirit as their guide are God's children. 15The Spirit that you have received from God does not make you serve him like slaves. That would make you afraid again. No. The Spirit that God has given to you causes you to become God's children. Now he takes care of you. God's Spirit makes us call God: ‘Abba, our Father.’ God's Spirit himself causes us to know that we are God's children. God's Spirit and our own spirits agree that this is true. 17Because we are God's children, we also know that we will receive good things from him. Those are the things that he has promised to give to his children. Together with Christ, we will receive the things that God has kept for him. That is true if we agree to have troubles like Christ did. Then we will also enjoy life in heaven like Christ does. 18During this time now, we have troubles and pain. But I am sure that these troubles are not really very great. One day God will show us all the great things he has prepared for us. That will make the troubles that we have now seem very small.

Romans 8:16 word by word

αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν ὅτι ἐσμὲν τέκνα θεοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The Spiritὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• The Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• itselfαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• beareth witness withσυμμαρτυρέωsummartureō · to testify withG4828
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• we areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the childrenτέκνονteknon · childG5043
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for Romans 8:16

• Romans 8:23It is the same for us who are believers. We have received God's Spirit as the first of his gifts to us, but we also cry inside ourselves. We are waiting for the time when God will finish his great work. Then we will belong to him completely as his children. Our bodies will be free from the power of sin.
• 2 Corinthians 1:22He has also put his mark on us, to show that we belong to him. He has given his Spirit to us, to live in us. Because of that, we know that we will receive all the good things that God has promised.
• 2 Corinthians 5:5God is the one who has prepared us to have a new life in heaven one day. He has given his Spirit to be with us now. Because of that, we know that we will receive all God's good things one day.
• Ephesians 1:13You believers in Ephesus also heard God's true message. You heard the good news about how God saves you. When you believed in Christ, God gave his Holy Spirit to you. He had promised to do that, to show that you belong to him.
• Ephesians 4:30Do not do anything that will make God's Holy Spirit sad. God gave his Holy Spirit to you to show that you belong to him. As a result you know that God will make you completely free one day.
• 1 John 4:13God has given us his Holy Spirit to live in us. Because of this, we know that we live together with God. And we know that he lives with us.
• 2 Corinthians 1:12We can be proud of how we have lived in this world. We have been careful to be honest and good with everyone. And we have been like that with you even more. We are sure in our own minds that this is true. We have not tried to be clever in a human way. But we have lived in the way that God has helped us to live.
• 1 John 3:19Then we will know that we truly belong to God. We will be obeying God's true message. As a result, our thoughts will not make us ashamed to come to God.
• 1 John 5:10Anyone who believes in Jesus, the Son of God, will know that what God says is true. But anyone who does not believe God is saying that God tells lies. He does not believe the message that God has told us clearly about his Son.

Commentaries on Romans 8:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit - , that same Spirit, the Spirit of adoption; that is, the Spirit who witnesses this adoption; which can be no other than the Holy Ghost himself, and certainly cannot mean any disposition or affection of mind which the adopted person may feel; for such a disposition must arise from a knowledge of this adoption, and the knowledge of this adoption cannot be given by any human or earthly means; it must come…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16The Spirit - The Holy Spirit. That the Holy Spirit here is intended, is evident, (1)Because this is the natural meaning of the expression; (2)Because it is of the Holy Spirit that the apostle is mainly treating here; (3)Because it would be an unnatural and forced construction to say of the temper of adoption that it bore witness. Beareth witness - Testifies, gives evidence. With our spirit - To our minds. This pertains to the adoption; and it means that…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-17Verses 10-17 If the Spirit be in us, Christ is in us. He dwells in the heart by faith. Grace in the soul is its new nature; the soul is alive to God, and has begun its holy happiness which shall endure for ever. The righteousness of Christ imputed, secures the soul, the better part, from death. From hence we see how much it is our duty to walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. If any habitually live according to corrupt lustings, they will…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. The Spirit itself--It should be "Himself" (see on Ro 8:26). beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children--"are children" of God--The testimony of our own spirit is borne in that cry of conscious sonship, "Abba, Father"; but we are not therein alone; for the Holy Ghost within us, yea, even in that very cry which it is His to draw forth, sets His own distinct seal to ours; and thus, "in the mouth of two witnesses" the thing is established…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 8:16

• Adoption
• Assurance
• Heir
• Holy Spirit
• Inheritance
• Regeneration
• Religion
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Children of God
• Adoption
• Allow
• Assurance
• Bondage
• Carnal
• Enmity
• Father

Commentaries on Romans 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings