Romans 8:16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

◄ Romans 8:16 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

English Standard Version
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

New American Standard Bible
The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God's children,

International Standard Version
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

American Standard Version
The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God:

Douay-Rheims Bible
For the Spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God.

Darby Bible Translation
The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are children of God.

Young's Literal Translation
The Spirit himself doth testify with our spirit, that we are children of God;

Cross References

Deuteronomy 14:1
You are the children of the LORD your God: you shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.

Hosea 1:10
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said to them, You are not my people, there it shall be said to them, You are the sons of the living God.

Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Luke 20:36
Neither can they die any more: for they are equal to the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Acts 5:32
And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God has given to them that obey him.

Romans 8:14
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Romans 8:19
For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Romans 8:23
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Romans 9:8
That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

8:10-17 If the Spirit be in us, Christ is in us. He dwells in the heart by faith. Grace in the soul is its new nature; the soul is alive to God, and has begun its holy happiness which shall endure for ever. The righteousness of Christ imputed, secures the soul, the better part, from death. From hence we see how much it is our duty to walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. If any habitually live according to corrupt lustings, they will certainly perish in their sins, whatever they profess. And what can a worldly life present, worthy for a moment to be put against this noble prize of our high calling? Let us then, by the Spirit, endeavour more and more to mortify the flesh. Regeneration by the Holy Spirit brings a new and Divine life to the soul, though in a feeble state. And the sons of God have the Spirit to work in them the disposition of children; they have not the spirit of bondage, which the Old Testament church was under, through the darkness of that dispensation. The Spirit of adoption was not then plentifully poured out. Also it refers to that spirit of bondage, under which many saints were at their conversion. Many speak peace to themselves, to whom God does not speak peace. But those who are sanctified, have God's Spirit witnessing with their spirits, in and by his speaking peace to the soul. Though we may now seem to be losers for Christ, we shall not, we cannot, be losers by him in the end.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

16. The Spirit itself—It should be "Himself" (see on [2228]Ro 8:26).

beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children—"are children"

of God—The testimony of our own spirit is borne in that cry of conscious sonship, "Abba, Father"; but we are not therein alone; for the Holy Ghost within us, yea, even in that very cry which it is His to draw forth, sets His own distinct seal to ours; and thus, "in the mouth of two witnesses" the thing is established. The apostle had before called us "sons of God," referring to our adoption; here the word changes to "children," referring to our new birth. The one expresses the dignity to which we are admitted; the other the new life which we receive. The latter is more suitable here; because a son by adoption might not be heir of the property, whereas a son by birth certainly is, and this is what the apostle is now coming to.