Romans 8:18-39

Romans 8

Suffering Leads Us to Look Ahead to Heaven

¹⁸ For I conclude that our sufferings at the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. ¹⁹ In fact, creation is waiting with eager longing for the sons of God to be revealed. ²⁰ For creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in the hope ²¹ that even creation itself will be set free from slavery to corruption, in order to share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.

²² For we know that all of creation is groaning with birth pains right up to the present time. ²³ And not only creation, but also we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, ^[1] groan inwardly while we eagerly await our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. ²⁴ Indeed, it was for this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he already sees? ²⁵ But if we hope for something we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patient endurance.

²⁶ In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we should pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that are not expressed in words. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints, according to God’s will.

²⁸ We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose, ²⁹ because those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called. Those he called, he also justified. And those he justified, he also glorified.

Nothing Can Separate Us From God’s Love

³¹ What then will we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also graciously give us all things along with him?

³³ Who will bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies! ³⁴ Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus, ^[2] who died and, more than that, was raised to life, is the one who is at God’s right hand and who is also interceding for us! ³⁵ What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ Just as it is written:

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors ^[4] through him who loved us.

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor rulers, neither things present nor things to come, nor powerful forces, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.