Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Parallel translations
- WEB Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.
- 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.
- 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.
- NASB And not only that, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our body.
- 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Believers, having the Spirit's firstfruits, also groan inwardly as we await adoption and the redemption of our bodies. We long for the completion of our salvation in bodily resurrection.
Overview
Paul turns from creation's groaning to that of believers, who already possess the Spirit as a foretaste. Yet we still await the consummation of our adoption, which is the redemption of our bodies at the resurrection. This 'already and not yet' tension fuels the believer's hope and longing.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Phil 3:20–21But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
- 2 Cor 5:2–5For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,
- Heb 9:28so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
- Titus 2:13as we await the blessed hope and glorious appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
- Eph 1:14who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.
- Eph 4:30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
- Rom 7:24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
- Gal 5:5But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the hope of righteousness.
- 1 Jn 3:2Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.
- Rom 8:19The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.
- Luke 20:36In fact, they can no longer die, because they are like the angels. And since they are sons of the resurrection, they are sons of God.
- Phil 1:21–23For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
- Rom 8:15–16For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
- Rom 8:25–26But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.
- Luke 21:28When these things begin to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
- Gal 5:22–23But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
- Eph 5:9for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.
- 1 Pet 1:7so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
- 2 Tim 4:8From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.
- Rom 5:5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
- 2 Cor 7:5For when we arrived in Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were pressed from every direction—conflicts on the outside, fears within.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 8:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.