Romans 8:23

Romans 8:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
• New Living Translation (NLT)And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.

Context of Romans 8:23

21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Romans 8:23 word by word

οὐ μόνον δέ, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τοῦ πνεύματος ἔχοντες ἡμεῖς καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς στενάζομεν υἱοθεσίαν ἀπεκδεχόμενοι, τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• notοὐou · noG3756
• onlyμόνονmonon · onlyG3440
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• ourselvesαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• which haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• the firstfruitsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the firstfruitsἀπαρχήaparchē · firstfruitsG536
• of the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• groanστενάζωstenazō · to groanG4727
• withinἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• ourselvesἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• waiting forἀπεκδέχομαιapekdechomai · to expectG553
• the adoptionυἱοθεσίαuihothesia · adoption (as son)G5206
• the redemptionἀπολύτρωσιςapolutrōsis · redemptionG629
• ofσῶμαsōma · bodyG4983

Cross-references for Romans 8:23

• Romans 8:15For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"
• Romans 5:5and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
• 2 Corinthians 5:5He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
• Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
• Ephesians 1:14who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
• Ephesians 5:9(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true),
• Romans 8:26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
• Romans 7:24Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
• 2 Corinthians 5:2For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,
• 2 Corinthians 7:5For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within.
• Philippians 1:21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
• 1 Peter 1:7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
• Romans 8:19For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
• Luke 20:36for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
• Philippians 3:20But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
• 2 Timothy 4:8Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Commentaries on Romans 8:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23And not only they, but ourselves also - Neither the Gentiles only, but we Jews also, (however we belong to a nation envious of the heathen), to whom God hath granted the first fruits of the Spirit; we sigh among ourselves for their sakes, waiting for the adoption; that is, the redemption of our mystical body, whereof the Gentiles make a very great part. Lightfoot's works. vol. ii. p. 359 and 707. The scope and design of St. Paul in these verses may be…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23And not only they - Not only the creation in general. “But ourselves also.” Christians. Which have the first-fruits of the Spirit - The word used ̓̀ aparchēdenotes properly the first-fruits of the harvest, the portion that was first collected and consecrated to God as an offering of gratitude, Deuteronomy 26:2; Exodus 23:19; Numbers 18:13. Hence, the word means what is first in order of time. Here it means, as I suppose, that the Christians of whom Paul…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-25Verses 18-25 The sufferings of the saints strike no deeper than the things of time, last no longer than the present time, are light afflictions, and but for a moment. How vastly different are the sentence of the word and the sentiment of the world, concerning the sufferings of this present time! Indeed the whole creation seems to wait with earnest expectation for the period when the children of God shall be manifested in the glory prepared for them. There…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23we ourselves … groan: The word groan describes a deep and frustrated longing for God to rescue us from the suffering and oppression of this life (see Exodus 3:7; Lamentations 1:22; Ezekiel 24:17; 2 Corinthians 5:2). who have the firstfruits of the Spirit: In the Old Testament, first harvest or firstfruits refers to offering the first and best part of a crop to God (see Exodus 23:19; Leviticus 2:12; 23:10; compare 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23). In the same way…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. And not only they, but ourselves also--or "not only [so], but even we ourselves"--that is, besides the inanimate creation. which have the first-fruits of the Spirit--or, "the Spirit as the first-fruits" of our full redemption (compare 2Co 1:22), moulding the heart to a heavenly frame and attempering it to its future element. even we ourselves--though we have so much of heaven already within us. groan within ourselves--under this "body of sin and…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 8:23

• First Fruits
• Holy Spirit
• Resurrection
• Suffering

In the dictionaries

• Adoption
• Allow
• Bondage
• Carnal
• Enmity
• Fear
• Flesh
• Foreknow
• Glorify
• Indeed

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