Romans 8:21-23
Expanded Bible
21 that ·everything God made [the creation itself] would be set free from ·ruin [inevitable decay; L the slavery of decay] to have the ·freedom and glory [or glorious freedom] that belong to God’s children.
22 We know that ·everything God made [all creation] has been ·waiting until now in pain, like a woman ready to give birth [L groaning with labor pains until now]. 23 Not only the world, but we also ·have been waiting with pain inside us [L groan within ourselves]. We have the Spirit as the ·first part of God’s promise [L firstfruits; C as the first crops confirmed the future harvest, so the Spirit’s presence confirms believers’ final salvation]. So we are [eagerly] waiting for ·God to finish making us his own children [L our adoption], which means ·our bodies will be made free [L the redemption of our bodies].
Read full chapterThe Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.