New International Version
Romans 8:15
15The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Romans 8:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For 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!"
- New King James Version (NKJV)For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
Context of Romans 8:15
13For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 14For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Read all of Romans 8Romans 8:15 word by word
οὐ γὰρ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα δουλείας πάλιν εἰς φόβον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας ἐν ᾧ κράζομεν· αββα ὁ πατήρ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- ye haveλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
- notοὐou · noG3756
- the spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- of bondageδουλείαdouleia · slaveryG1397
- againπάλινpalin · againG3825
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- fearφόβοςphobos · fearG5401
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- of adoptionυἱοθεσίαuihothesia · adoption (as son)G5206
- ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- wherebyὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- we cryκράζωkrazō · to cryG2896
- AbbaἀββάAbba · AbbaG5
- Fatherὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
Cross-references for Romans 8:15
- Exodus 20:19and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”
- Numbers 17:12The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost!
- Luke 8:28When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!”
- John 16:8When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:
- Acts 2:37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
- Acts 16:29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
- 1 Corinthians 2:12What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
- 2 Timothy 1:7For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
- Hebrews 2:15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
- Hebrews 12:18You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;
- James 2:19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
- 1 John 4:18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
- Romans 8:16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
- Isaiah 56:5to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever.
- Jeremiah 3:19“I myself said, “ ‘How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me.
- Galatians 4:5to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.
Commentaries on Romans 8:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Ye have not received the spirit of bondage - All that were under the law were under bondage to its rites and ceremonies; and as, through the prevalence of that corrupt nature with which every human being is polluted, and to remove which the law gave no assistance, they were often transgressing, consequently they had forfeited their lives, and were continually, through fear of death, subject to bondage, Hebrews 2:15. The believers in Christ Jesus were…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15The spirit of bondage - The spirit that binds you; or the spirit of a slave, that produces only fear. The slave is under constant fear and alarm. But the spirit of religion is that of freedom and of confidence; the spirit of children, and not of slaves; compare the note at John 8:32-36. Again to fear - That you should again be afraid, or be subjected to servile fear - This implies that in their former state under the Law, they were in a state of…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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15you received the Spirit of adoption to sonship: According to Greco-Roman customs of adoption, a man could adopt a son and give that child the same legal rights as a natural son. This practice included the highest levels of society, even the imperial family. For example, the Roman ruler Julius Caesar adopted Octavian as his heir. Octavian later ruled the Roman Empire under the name Augustus. Paul’s understanding of adoption is also rooted in the Old…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. For, &c.--"For ye received not (at the time of your conversion) the spirit of bondage," that is, "The spirit ye received was not a spirit of bondage." again--gendering. to fear--as under the law which "worketh wrath," that is, "Such was your condition before ye believed, living in legal bondage, haunted with incessant forebodings under a sense of unpardoned sin. But it was not to perpetuate that wretched state that ye received the Spirit." but ye have…Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 8:15
In the dictionaries
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
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