Romans 8:15
New International Version
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”

New Living Translation
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

English Standard Version
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Berean Standard Bible
For 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!”

Berean Literal Bible
For you have not received a spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of divine adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"

King James Bible
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

New King James Version
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

New American Standard Bible
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons and daughters by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

NASB 1995
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

NASB 1977
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

Legacy Standard Bible
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

Amplified Bible
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, “Abba! Father!”

Christian Standard Bible
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!”

American Standard Version
For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For you have not received The Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received The Spirit of the adoption of children by whom we cry, “Father, our Father.”

Contemporary English Version
God's Spirit doesn't make us slaves who are afraid of him. Instead, we become his children and call him our Father.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear; but you have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry: Abba (Father).

English Revised Version
For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
You haven't received the spirit of slaves that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the spirit of God's adopted children by which we call out, "Abba! Father!"

Good News Translation
For the Spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God's children, and by the Spirit's power we cry out to God, "Father! my Father!"

International Standard Version
For you have not received a spirit of slavery that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba! Father!"

Literal Standard Version
for you did not receive a spirit of bondage again for fear, but you received [the] Spirit of adoption in which we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Majority Standard Bible
For 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!”

New American Bible
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”

NET Bible
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba, Father."

New Revised Standard Version
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!”

New Heart English Bible
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, "Abba. Father."

Webster's Bible Translation
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, by which we cry, Abba, Father.

Weymouth New Testament
You have not for the second time acquired the consciousness of being--a consciousness which fills you with terror. But you have acquired a deep inward conviction of having been adopted as sons--a conviction which prompts us to cry aloud, "Abba! our Father!"

World English Bible
For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Young's Literal Translation
for ye did not receive a spirit of bondage again for fear, but ye did receive a spirit of adoption in which we cry, 'Abba -- Father.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Heirs with Christ
14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For 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!” 16The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.…

Cross References
Mark 14:36
"Abba, Father," He said, "all things are possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will."

Romans 8:23
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.

Romans 8:26
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.

Romans 9:4
the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.

1 Corinthians 2:12
We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

2 Corinthians 11:4
For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily.

Galatians 2:4
This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us.


Treasury of Scripture

For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

the spirit.

Exodus 20:19
And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

Numbers 17:12
And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.

Luke 8:28,37
When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not…

the Spirit.

Romans 8:16
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Isaiah 56:5
Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

Jeremiah 3:19
But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.

Abba.

Mark 14:36
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Luke 11:2
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

Luke 22:42
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Jump to Previous
Abba Acquired Adopted Adoption Aloud Bondage Consciousness Conviction Cry Deep Fall Fear Fills Inward Makes Prompts Receive Received Second Servants Slave Slavery Sonship Spirit Terror Time Whereby
Jump to Next
Abba Acquired Adopted Adoption Aloud Bondage Consciousness Conviction Cry Deep Fall Fear Fills Inward Makes Prompts Receive Received Second Servants Slave Slavery Sonship Spirit Terror Time Whereby
Romans 8
1. Those who are in Christ are free from condemnation.
5. What harm comes of the flesh;
13. and what good of the Spirit.
19. The glorious deliverance the creation longs for,
29. was beforehand decreed from God.
38. Nothing can sever us from his love.














(15) Spirit of bondage.--The Greek corresponds very nearly to what we should naturally understand by the English phrase, "such a spirit as would be found in slaves." The word "spirit" varies much in meaning in these verses. Here it is the "dominant habit or frame of mind;" in the next verse it is used both for the Spirit of God and the spirit of man.

Again to fear.--So as to take you back under the old terrorism of the Law. The Law, if it contained promises, was still more essentially a system of threats; for the threats took effect, while the promises remained ineffectual, because the Law could not be fulfilled.

Spirit of adoption.--That spirit which is characteristic of those who are taken to be sons, who, like the Christian at his baptism, are admitted into this relation of sonship.

Whereby we cry.--The intensity of the Apostle's feeling comes out in this simple definition. Instead of any more formal elaboration of his meaning, he says the Spirit of adoption is that which prompts the impassioned cry, "Abba, Father."

Abba, Father.--"Abba" is the Aramaic equivalent for father. The repetition is one of endearment and entreaty, taken from the natural impulse of children to repeat a beloved name in different forms. Comp. Newton's hymn--

"Jesus, my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,

My Prophet, Priest, and King," &c.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

you did not receive
ἐλάβετε (elabete)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

a spirit
πνεῦμα (pneuma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

of slavery
δουλείας (douleias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1397: Slavery, bondage. From douleuo; slavery.

that returns you
πάλιν (palin)
Adverb
Strong's 3825: Probably from the same as pale; anew, i.e. back, once more, or furthermore or on the other hand.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

fear,
φόβον (phobon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5401: (a) fear, terror, alarm, (b) the object or cause of fear, (c) reverence, respect. From a primary phebomai; alarm or fright.

but
ἀλλὰ (alla)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

you received
ἐλάβετε (elabete)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

[the] Spirit
πνεῦμα (pneuma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

of sonship,
υἱοθεσίας (huiothesias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 5206: From a presumed compound of huios and a derivative of tithemi; the placing as a son, i.e. Adoption.

by
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

whom
(hō)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

we cry,
κράζομεν (krazomen)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 2896: To cry aloud, shriek. A primary verb; properly, to 'croak' or scream, i.e. to call aloud.

“Abba!
Ἀββᾶ (Abba)
Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5: Abba, Father. Of Chaldee origin; father as a vocative.

Father!”
Πατήρ (Patēr)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.


Links
Romans 8:15 NIV
Romans 8:15 NLT
Romans 8:15 ESV
Romans 8:15 NASB
Romans 8:15 KJV

Romans 8:15 BibleApps.com
Romans 8:15 Biblia Paralela
Romans 8:15 Chinese Bible
Romans 8:15 French Bible
Romans 8:15 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: Romans 8:15 For you didn't receive the spirit (Rom. Ro)
Romans 8:14
Top of Page
Top of Page