Romans 8 16

Romans 8:16 kjv

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

Romans 8:16 nkjv

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Romans 8:16 niv

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

Romans 8:16 esv

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

Romans 8:16 nlt

For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.

Romans 8 verses

Romans 8 16 Meaning

Romans 8:16 reveals a profound and internal work of the Holy Spirit, assuring believers of their status as God's children. It describes a joint testimony where the Divine Spirit bears witness alongside the human spirit, confirming an intimate relationship with God as Father, moving beyond legal standing to a deep, personal reality of adoption and belonging. This inner witness establishes a firm, spiritual conviction of sonship, liberating from fear and empowering a cry of "Abba, Father!"

Romans 8 16 Context

Romans chapter 8 is a cornerstone of Christian theology, celebrated for its declarations of liberation in the Spirit and assurance of salvation. It follows chapters 6 and 7, which highlight the believer's freedom from sin's dominion and the law's condemnation, respectively. Chapter 8 pivots to "life in the Spirit" (Rom 8:2), emphasizing that walking "according to the Spirit" leads to "life and peace" (Rom 8:6). Verses 1-13 establish the reality of no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus and the power of the Spirit over the flesh.

Specifically, Romans 8:14-15 sets the immediate stage for verse 16. Verse 14 states, "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God," highlighting spiritual leading as the mark of sonship. Verse 15 deepens this by explaining that believers have not received a "spirit of slavery to fall back into fear" but a "Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'" This contrasts the Old Covenant's fear-inducing regulations with the New Covenant's intimate relationship, marked by the Spirit of adoption. Verse 16 then elaborates on how this assurance of adoption becomes known and felt, through the combined witness of the Holy Spirit and the believer's own spirit. Historically, this countered both legalistic Judaism and Gentile religions reliant on external rituals or abstract deities, asserting a personal, internal, and assured relationship with the living God.

Romans 8 16 Word analysis

• The Spirit (τὸ Πνεῦμα - to Pneuma): Refers unequivocally to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. This is crucial for distinguishing it from the human spirit mentioned later. The definite article "the" along with its context in Rom 8 indicates this divine Person who leads (v. 14) and adopts (v. 15).
• Himself (αὐτό - auto): Emphatic. It underlines the direct, personal, and intentional agency of the Holy Spirit. This is not an indirect or mediated witness, but the Spirit's own direct action.
• bears witness (συμμαρτυρεῖ - symmartyrei): A compound Greek verb (syn + martyreo). "Syn" means "together with" or "alongside," and "martyreo" means "to testify" or "to bear witness." This signifies a joint testimony, a corroboration. It's not one party bearing witness to the other, but with the other, suggesting a united, harmonious testimony.
• with our (τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν - tō pneumati hēmōn): "Our" implies the believer's spirit. This differentiates it from "the Spirit" (Holy Spirit). The phrase means "alongside our spirit," highlighting the participation of the believer's inner being.
• spirit (πνεύματι - pneumati): In this context, it refers to the human spirit—the inner person, the core of one's being that is capable of relationship with God. It is the regenerated part of a believer. This is distinct from the flesh (Rom 8:4-8).
• that we are (ὅτι ἐσμὲν - hoti esmen): "Hoti" here functions to introduce the content of the testimony. "Esmen" is "we are," indicating a present, objective reality and status.
• children (τέκνα - tekna): This word emphasizes natural offspring, intimate familial relationship, and shared nature. It speaks to being born into a family, born of God. While the preceding verses (Rom 8:14-15) use "sons" (υἱοί - huioi), which carries implications of legal standing and maturity (adoption rights), "children" emphasizes a fundamental, relational identity, reflecting God's generative love and a childlike trust. It's a relationship of tenderness and dependence.
• of God (Θεοῦ - Theou): Specifies whose children we are. Our heavenly Father. This underscores the divine origin and nature of this new relationship.

Word Groups Analysis:

• "The Spirit Himself bears witness": Emphasizes the Holy Spirit's sovereign initiative and active role in giving assurance. This is an objective, divine action, not merely a subjective feeling.
• "with our spirit": This is not an external pronouncement but an internal, personal affirmation. It's a corroborating witness felt and recognized within the core of the believer's regenerated self. It suggests a harmony between the divine impulse and the renewed human capacity.
• "that we are children of God": This defines the content of the joint testimony. The assurance is precisely about our identity and status within God's family. "Children" (tekna) suggests an intimate, organic, and loving bond with God, contrasting with the legal, formal adoption implied by huiothesia (adoption as sons) in Rom 8:15. This specific wording affirms the essential, filial relationship, indicating both inherent likeness to the Father and dependency upon Him.

Romans 8 16 Bonus section

The "witness" of the Spirit is not necessarily an ecstatic experience or an audible voice, but a profound inner conviction, often quiet and steady. It manifests as a peace, a certainty, a desire for God, and an inclination towards righteousness that was not present before conversion. This witness is not based on performance or perfect obedience, but on God's grace and the accomplished work of Christ. The use of "children" (τέκνα) over "sons" (υἱοί), though Paul often uses them interchangeably, subtly underscores the intrinsic, intimate relationship. Tekna focuses on the shared nature, being 'born of God' (Jn 1:12-13, 1 Jn 3:9), while huioi highlights the legal and rights-bearing status of being heirs. In Rom 8:16, tekna powerfully reminds us of our family likeness and tender dependency upon God our Father, who has initiated this relationship. This joint testimony also safeguards against false assurance based solely on human feelings or external performance, as it points to the divine source of this inner conviction. It's God affirming His own work within us.

Romans 8 16 Commentary

Romans 8:16 is a foundational statement about the internal assurance of salvation and sonship for believers. It describes an extraordinary spiritual dynamic: the Holy Spirit does not merely whisper promises from a distance but actively collaborates with the regenerate human spirit. This "joint witness" is more than a feeling; it is a deep, abiding conviction originating from God's Spirit, testifying to the new spiritual reality within us. It provides undeniable, though not always audibly explicit, confirmation of our adoption into God's family, fulfilling the cry of "Abba, Father!" mentioned in the preceding verse. The Spirit illuminates our spirits to recognize our new identity. This divine corroboration grounds our assurance, making it robust against doubt and external pressures, confirming that our identity as "children of God" is a present truth, granted through faith in Christ and empowered by the Spirit. This spiritual experience frees us from the spirit of slavery (Rom 8:15) and enables us to live with the confidence and hope characteristic of heirs.

• Example 1: When faced with personal sin, a believer might feel guilt. However, the Spirit and their renewed spirit testify to forgiveness through Christ, prompting repentance and restoration, not despair, due to their identity as God's child.
• Example 2: During times of doubt about faith or God's love, the Spirit often brings an inner peace and a remembrance of God's grace and promises, reassuring the heart of its standing with Him.