Romans 8 23

Romans 8:23 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.

Romans 8:23 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.

Romans 8:23 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.

Romans 8:23 esv

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.

Romans 8:23 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.

Romans 8 verses

Romans 8 23 Meaning

Romans 8:23 conveys that believers, though already indwelt by the Holy Spirit as a foretaste of their salvation, deeply long and eagerly await the complete fulfillment of their redemption. This longing manifests as an inward groaning, a profound expectation for their physical bodies to be fully liberated from the effects of sin and death, to be glorified and transformed. This bodily redemption is understood as the ultimate manifestation of their adoption as God's children, signifying a comprehensive salvation encompassing spirit and body.

Romans 8 23 Context

Romans chapter 8 is a pinnacle of Paul's theology, articulating the Spirit-empowered life of believers and their assured future glory. It contrasts life in the Spirit with life in the flesh (Rom 7:5-8:8), declaring freedom from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:1-4). Paul then outlines the transformative work of the Holy Spirit, assuring believers of their divine adoption (Rom 8:14-17) and their unbreakable connection to Christ (Rom 8:28-39).

Verse 23 specifically builds upon the preceding verses (Rom 8:19-22) which describe the entire creation groaning and travailing, eagerly awaiting its liberation from futility. Paul draws a direct parallel: just as creation suffers and longs, believers, who possess the initial fulfillment (the Spirit), also experience a deep, inner yearning for the full redemption of their physical bodies. This desire isn't a sign of discontent or a lack of present blessings, but rather an earnest anticipation rooted in the promise of their spiritual adoption leading to ultimate physical glorification, an essential part of the eschatological hope for the original audience, who lived with an expectation of Christ's return and the resurrection of the dead.

Romans 8 23 Word analysis

• And not only the creation (οὐ μόνον δὲ ἡ κτίσις, ou monon de hē ktisis):
  • οὐ μόνον (ou monon): "Not only," linking this statement to the preceding context (Rom 8:19-22) where creation is described as groaning. It establishes a comparison, showing believers are not exempt from a similar, profound longing.
  • ἡ κτίσις (hē ktisis): "The creation," refers to the non-human world, made subject to futility (Rom 8:20) but also awaiting liberation.
• but we ourselves (ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἡμεῖς, alla kai autoi hēmeis):
  • ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ (alla kai autoi): "But even we ourselves," an emphatic conjunction setting believers apart yet drawing a clear analogy with creation's state. It underscores the shared experience of longing and suffering while distinguishing the basis and hope of that longing.
  • ἡμεῖς (hēmeis): "We," referring specifically to Christians, those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
• who have the firstfruits of the Spirit (τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος ἔχοντες, tēn aparchēn tou Pneumatos echontes):
  • ἀπαρχὴν (aparchēn): "Firstfruits," a key Greek term (from ἀπαρχή aparchē). In Jewish practice, the first portion of the harvest offered to God, symbolizing God's ownership of the whole and guaranteeing the rest of the harvest would follow. Here, the Holy Spirit is the initial, spiritual installment, pledge, or down payment of God's full salvation. It indicates both possession of a partial reality and a promise of its full completion.
  • τοῦ Πνεύματος (tou Pneumatos): "Of the Spirit," specifically the Holy Spirit, who is given to believers as an active agent, working within them. The Spirit is both the present blessing and the future guarantee.
• groan inwardly (στενάζομεν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, stenazomen en heautois):
  • στενάζομεν (stenazomen): "We groan," from στενάζω (stenazo), to sigh, to lament, to express pain or distress with a deep sound. This is an active, ongoing state. It denotes deep internal pain, dissatisfaction with the present, and yearning for relief.
  • ἐν ἑαυτοῖς (en heautois): "Within ourselves" or "inwardly." This specifies the location of the groaning as internal, within the believer's spirit and heart, perhaps not always overtly expressed. It reflects a spiritual, existential longing.
• as we wait eagerly (ἀπεκδεχόμενοι, apekdechomenoi):
  • ἀπεκδεχόμενοι (apekdechomenoi): "Eagerly waiting," or "waiting with outstretched neck." A strong compound verb (ἀπό + ἐκ + δέχομαι) suggesting intense expectation, patience, and longing, looking away from present circumstances to future hope. It's a proactive, sustained anticipation.
• for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies (υἱοθεσίαν, τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν, huiothesian, tēn apolytrosin tou sōmatos hēmōn):
  • υἱοθεσίαν (huiothesian): "Adoption as sons." Believers have already received the Spirit of adoption (Rom 8:15), signifying their spiritual status. Here, Paul speaks of the full manifestation of that adoption, specifically the future physical glorification that will publicly demonstrate their sonship. In Roman law, a formal adoption carried significant legal implications, and here it signifies full heirship and legal status as a son.
  • τὴν ἀπολύτρωσιν (tēn apolytrosin): "The redemption," from ἀπολύτρωσις (apolytrosis), meaning release effected by payment of a ransom, liberation, deliverance. It's the ultimate liberation from all the effects of the Fall—sin, suffering, corruption, and death.
  • τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν (tou sōmatos hēmōn): "Of our bodies." This clarifies that the object of this final redemption is specifically the physical body. It points to the future resurrection and glorification of the body, emphasizing that salvation is holistic, affecting not just the spirit but also the physical aspect of humanity, consistent with a robust theology of creation and the incarnation.

Romans 8 23 Bonus section

The "redemption of our bodies" challenges gnostic or purely spiritualized interpretations of salvation. Paul consistently emphasizes that salvation includes the body, culminating in its resurrection and glorification, aligning with the Jewish expectation of a bodily resurrection rather than disembodied immortality. This bodily redemption is the full expression of our adoption because, at that point, believers will fully resemble Christ, both in spirit and in glorified form, truly being recognized as God's beloved children, free from any vestige of sin or mortality. The Holy Spirit's presence acts as both the "pledge" and the active power within believers, enabling them to persevere in hope and shaping their characters as they await this ultimate bodily glorification. This also highlights God's sovereignty over all creation, assuring that even physical death and decay will ultimately yield to His redemptive power.

Romans 8 23 Commentary

Romans 8:23 presents a profound truth: believers live in a "now but not yet" reality. They have the Holy Spirit—a divine deposit and firstfruits—affirming their new life in Christ and their adopted status as God's children. This possession, far from making them complacent, deepens their awareness of their present bodily limitations, imperfections, and mortality, igniting an inward groaning. This is not a groaning of despair or frustration with God, but a longing of holy discontent, an eager and patient anticipation for the ultimate consummation of salvation. It is a confident yearning for the redemption of their physical bodies—their full transformation and liberation from all remnants of sin and decay through resurrection and glorification—which marks the complete manifestation of their spiritual adoption. This holistic view of salvation underscores that God's redemptive plan encompasses the entirety of His creation and His children, ensuring not just spiritual renewal but also a final physical restoration to perfect glory. This deep-seated hope provides strength and resilience for endurance amidst present suffering.