Read & explore together
Future Glory
Romans 8:18–27 teaches that present suffering is real, yet it is not the final measure for God’s people. The passage links creation’s groaning, believers’ groaning, and the Spirit’s help while the saints wait in hope.
Understanding the passage
The setting of these words
These verses come from a teaching section in a letter. The passage explains how present suffering relates to future glory, how creation waits to be delivered from decay, how believers wait for the redemption of the body, and how the Spirit intercedes in weakness according to God.
Romans 8:18–27Main takeaway
Romans 8:18–27 says that God’s people wait in hope through present suffering, and the Spirit helps them in their weakness.
Follow the letter’s teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Present suffering and future gloryThe passage begins by comparing “the sufferings of this present time” with “the glory which will be revealed toward us”.
Explanation
The passage begins by comparing “the sufferings of this present time” with “the glory which will be revealed toward us”. Suffering is not denied or minimised. Instead, the point is that the coming glory is so great that present suffering is not worthy to be compared with it.
02Creation waits for freedomCreation is described as waiting with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
Explanation
Creation is described as waiting with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. It was subjected to vanity and lives in bondage to decay. Yet the passage speaks of hope, because creation itself will be delivered into the liberty of the glory of God’s children.
03Creation and believers both groanThe whole creation groans together until now. Believers also groan within themselves, even though they have the first fruits of the Spirit.
Explanation
The whole creation groans together until now. Believers also groan within themselves, even though they have the first fruits of the Spirit. They are waiting for adoption, named here as “the redemption of our body”. Having the Spirit does not remove the need to wait.
04Hope waits patiently for what is unseenHope is explained by contrast with sight. If something is already seen, it is no longer hoped for.
Explanation
Hope is explained by contrast with sight. If something is already seen, it is no longer hoped for. Because what believers hope for is still unseen, they wait for it with patience. The passage presents hope as steady waiting, not as present possession.
05The Spirit helps in weaknessThe Spirit helps believers in their weakness, especially when they do not know how to pray as they ought.
Explanation
The Spirit helps believers in their weakness, especially when they do not know how to pray as they ought. The Spirit makes intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered. God, who searches hearts, knows the Spirit’s mind, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to God.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What does Romans 8:18 compare, and what conclusion does it make?
Look at the contrast between present sufferings and the glory to be revealed.
02How does this passage describe the shared experience of creation and believers?
Notice the repeated language of waiting and groaning, and what each is waiting for.
03What does the passage say the Spirit does when believers do not know how to pray?
Look for the words about weakness, intercession, and God searching hearts.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Romans 8:18–27
18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.
19For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
20For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
21that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.
22For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.
23Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.
24For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?
25But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience.
26In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.
27He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.