Romans 8:22-23

8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now. 8:23 Not only this, but we ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, ¹  groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, ²  the redemption of our bodies. ³ 

Romans 8:26-27

8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, ⁴  but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. 8:27 And he ⁵  who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit ⁶  intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God’s will.

[8:23]  ¹ tn Or “who have the Spirit as firstfruits.” The genitive πνεύματος (pneumatos) can be understood here as possessive (“the firstfruits belonging to the Spirit”) although it is much more likely that this is a genitive of apposition (“the firstfruits, namely, the Spirit”); cf. TEV, NLT.

[8:23]  ² tn See the note on “adoption” in v. 15.

[8:23]  ³ tn Grk “body.”

[8:26]  ⁴ tn Or “for we do not know what we ought to pray for.”

[8:27]  ⁵ sn He refers to God here; Paul has not specifically identified him for the sake of rhetorical power (for by leaving the subject slightly ambiguous, he draws his audience into seeing God’s hand in places where he is not explicitly mentioned).

[8:27]  ⁶ tn Grk “he,” or “it”; the referent (the Spirit) has been specified in the translation for clarity.