18 I’m sure that any sufferings we experience in the present age are nothing in comparison with the coming splendour that’s going to be revealed to us 19 because all of creation is eagerly expecting and waiting for God’s children to be revealed. 20 [ref]Yes, all of creation has been subjected to lack of purpose, not willingly but because it was decided by the one who subjected it, but it remains with the hope 21 that it too will be freed from the slavery of corruption and then released into the freedom of the splendour of God’s children, 22 because we’re aware that all of creation is groaning and suffering[fn] along with us right through to the present time. 23 [ref]And not only that, but we ourselves who have the initial tastes of the spirit life, we also are groaning and like children waiting for our bodies to be set free from slavery 24 because we were saved having hope, but if you can see it then it’s not hope, because you don’t need to hope for something that you can already see. 25 So we hope for what we can’t yet see and so we have to patiently keep waiting.

26 Similarly the spirit also helps us with our weaknesses, because we don’t even know what to pray for, but the spirit intercedes with groanings that we can’t put into words. 27 The one who searches our hearts knows the mindset of the spirit because the spirit intercedes for the believers as God desires.

28 We know that God makes all things work together for good for those who love him—those who are being called according to his purpose. 29 Because those he foreknew, he also predetermined to be similar to his son’s image, so that his son would become the eldest of many siblings. 30 The ones he’d predetermined he also called, and the ones he’d called, he also declared guiltless, and the ones declared guiltless, he also honoured in heaven.