26 And in like manner the Spirit also assists our infirmities; for what to pray for as we ought
we know not; but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings unutterable:
27 And he who searches the hearts knows the mind of the Spirit; because he intercedes according
to God’s will for the saints.
28 We further know, that to those who love God all things co-operate for good, even to those
who are called according to his purpose:
29 For whom he has foreknown, he has also predetermined to be conformed to the image of
his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren;
30 And whom he has predetermined, them has he also called; and whom he has called, them
has he also justified; and whom he has justified, them has he also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He who spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him
also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall bring an accusation against the elect of God? God is he who justifies
34 Who is he who condemns? Christ is he who died; nay, rather who has been raised, who also
is at the right hand of the Father, and who intercedes for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
36 As it is written, “For thee we die daily, we are counted as sheep destined for the slaughter:”
37 But in all these things we do more than overcome through him who has loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities nor powers,
neither things present nor things future,
39 Neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus.
Waits for the revelation of the sons of God;- For to vanity has the creature been subjected, not willingly,
But on his account who has subjected it in hope; - For even the creature itself shall be freed from the bondage of corruption,
Into the glorious liberty of the sons of God; - For we know that every creature groans together,
And together travails in pain to this day:- - And not only they, but we also ourselves,
Who possess the first-fruit of the Spirit,
Even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
Anxiously waiting for our adoption,
The redemption of our body; - For in hope are we saved,
But hope seen is not hope;
For what one sees, why does he yet hope for it? - But if what we see not, we hope for,
We wait for it in patience.
We may indeed consider “every creature” in verse 22 as referring to every renewed creature then living, (except the Apostles
and those endowed with the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit,) and all such from the beginning of the world. In this case, “to this
day” has a striking import. All God’s servants from the beginning had been groaning under the body of sin, and not only they,
but even those who had enjoyed the first outpouring of the Spirit, and had been endued with extraordinary gifts. The gifts of the
Spirit, however abundant, did not free any from the bondage of corruption, from the body of sin; but this was an object of hope,
for which they were to wait. The context, before and after, clearly shows that the present condition of God’s people is the subject.
— Ed.