Romans 8:16

The Spirit himself confirms what our spirits say, that we are God’s children.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

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

In Context

15You have showed that this is true, because you received from God a Spirit that is not one that makes you fear God again. You are not like slaves who fear their masters [MET]. On the contrary, we have received a Spirit by whose work in our hearts God has adopted us. The Spirit now enables us to cry out to God, “ You(sg) are my Father [DOU]!”

17Because we are God’s children, we also will some day receive/inherit eternal blessings/privileges. We will receive/inherit them from God, and we will also receive/inherit them just like Christ has inherited them. But we must suffer for doing good as Christ did, in order to receive splendor as he did.

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Cross References

Romans 8:23Not only do those things groan, but we ourselves also groan inwardly. We who have God’s Spirit, who is like a partial gift [MET] we have received as we wait for the future glory, groan inwardly. We groan while we wait eagerly for the time when we will receive our full rights as God’s adopted children. That will include his freeing our bodies from the things that hinder us on earth. He will do this by giving us new bodies.

2 Corinthians 1:12I am happy to say that I have behaved toward all people [MTY] in an honest and sincere way. My conscience assures me that this is true. Especially, I have behaved toward you honestly and sincerely because that is what God wants us to do. As I have done that, my thoughts have not been the thoughts that unbelieving people [MTY] think are wise. Instead, I have behaved toward people only as God wants me to, depending on God to help me in ways that I do not deserve.

2 Corinthians 5:5It is God himself who has prepared us to receive these new bodies. He is also the one who has guaranteed/assured us (inc) that this will happen. He has guaranteed it by sending his Spirit to live inside us now.

Ephesians 4:30God has given you his Spirit ◄to confirm/to assure you► that some day God will claim all you people whom Christ has redeemed [MET], just like people confirm that something belongs to them by putting their seal on it. So do not cause God’s Holy Spirit to be sad ◄ by the way you talk/by the things that you say►.

1 John 4:13I will tell you how we can be sure that we have a close relationship with God and that God is within us: He has put his Spirit within us.

Matthew Henry on Romans 8:11-17

The Believer's Privileges. ( a. d. 58.) 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the… Read the whole commentary →

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