²⁰For ^qthe creature was made subject to ^rvanity, not willingly, but ^sby reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, ²¹Because the creature itself also shall be ^tdelivered from the bondage of ^ucorruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²²For we know that ^||the ^vwhole creation ^wgroaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. ²³And ^xnot only they, but ourselves also, ^gwhich have ^ythe firstfruits of the Spirit, ^zeven we ourselves groan within ourselves, ^awaiting for ^bthe adoption, to wit, the ^credemption of our body. ²⁴For we are saved by hope: but ^dhope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? ²⁵But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience ^await for it.

Read in Logos

Romans 8:23: 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.

Footnotes

q Gen. 3:18, 19. So ver. 22.
r Eccles. 1:2, &c.
tSo 1 Pet. 1:18.
||Or, every creature.
v Mark 16:15. Col. 1:23 in the Gk.
wComp. Jer. 12:4, 11.
xSee ch. 5:3.
gSee 2 Cor. 1:22. So ver. 23.
ySo James 1:18.
aver. 25. So Gal. 5:5.
bSee ver. 15. So Luke 20:36 (Gk.).
cSee Luke 21:28. Comp. ch. 7:24.
dSo 2 Cor. 4:18. & 5:7. Heb. 11:1.
aver. 25. So Gal. 5:5.

Cross references

Public Domain

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For 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. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 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. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.

NLTNew Living Translation

Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 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. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For the creation has been subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its servility to decay, into the glorious freedom of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans together and suffers agony together until now. Not only this, but we ourselves also, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves while we await eagerly our adoption, the redemption of our body. For in hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we await it eagerly with patient endurance.