ROM 8:15 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. οὒ
2. ou
3. not
4. didn't
5. 37560
6. C·······
7. not
8. not
9. -
10. Y60
11. 108656
1. Γάρ
2. gar
3. For/Because
4. -
5. 10630
6. C·······
7. for
8. for
9. S
10. Y60
11. 108657
1. ἐλάβετε
2. lambanō
3. you all received
4. -
5. 29830
6. VIAA2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ received
8. ˱you_all˲ received
9. -
10. Y60; R108619
11. 108658
1. πνεῦμα
2. pneuma
3. +a spirit
4. -
5. 41510
6. N····ANS
7. ˓a˒ spirit
8. ˓a˒ spirit
9. -
10. Y60; F108669
11. 108659
1. δουλείας
2. douleia
3. of slavery
4. slavery
5. 13970
6. N····GFS
7. ˱of˲ slavery
8. ˱of˲ slavery
9. -
10. Y60
11. 108660
1. πάλιν
2. palin
3. again
4. again
5. 38250
6. D·······
7. again
8. again
9. -
10. Y60
11. 108661
1. εἰς
2. eis
3. to
4. -
5. 15190
6. P·······
7. to
8. to
9. -
10. Y60
11. 108662
1. φόβον
2. fobos
3. fear
4. -
5. 54010
6. N····AMS
7. fear
8. fear
9. -
10. Y60
11. 108663
1. ἀλλά
2. alla
3. but
4. -
5. 2350
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. -
10. Y60
11. 108664
1. ἐλάβετε
2. lambanō
3. you all received
4. -
5. 29830
6. VIAA2··P
7. ˱you_all˲ received
8. ˱you_all˲ received
9. -
10. Y60; R108619
11. 108665
1. Πνεῦμα
2. pneuma
3. +the spirit
4. -
5. 41510
6. N····ANS
7. ˓the˒ spirit
8. ˓the˒ Spirit
9. GN
10. Y60; Person=Holy_Spirit
11. 108666
1. υἱοθεσίας
2. huiothesia
3. of adoption as sons
4. adoption
5. 52060
6. N····GFS
7. ˱of˲ adoption_as_sons
8. ˱of˲ adoption_as_sons
9. -
10. Y60
11. 108667
1. ἐν
2. en
3. by
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. by
8. by
9. -
10. Y60
11. 108668
1. ᾧ
2. hos
3. whom
4. -
5. 37390
6. R····DNS
7. whom
8. whom
9. -
10. Y60; R108659
11. 108669
1. κράζομεν
2. krazō
3. we are crying out
4. -
5. 28960
6. VIPA1··P
7. ˱we˲ ˓are˒ crying_out
8. ˱we˲ ˓are˒ crying_out
9. -
10. Y60; R105120; Person=Paul; R108619; R108474; Person=Paul
11. 108670
1. Ἀββα
2. abba
3. father
4. -
5. 50
6. T·······
7. father
8. Abba
9. GD
10. Y60
11. 108671
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E···2VMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y60
11. 108672
1. Πατήρ
2. patēr
3. father
4. -
5. 39620
6. N····VMS
7. father
8. Father
9. GV
10. Y60; Person=God
11. 108673

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:1–17: Believers live by the Holy Spirit

In this section Paul reminded the believers in Rome that God does not condemn them, because the Holy Spirit has set them free from sin and death. Jesus became like an Old Testament sin offering to remove the consequences of our sin. The laws of Moses demanded a righteous life, and in the Holy Spirit we can live that way.

The people who live according to the sinful nature seek to do things that are in accord with that nature. Also, they cannot please God, cannot follow his laws, are hostile to him, and will be punished with death forever. The people who live according to the Holy Spirit seek to do things that are in accord with his desire.

Christians allow the Holy Spirit to work in them. When they do that, they are as if dead to sin and God will give them life. Those without the Holy Spirit do not belong to Jesus Christ.

We put to death the deeds of the sinful nature. We do that by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are God’s children and can do as he does (again, by the power of the Holy Spirit). If we suffer as Jesus suffered, God will give to us his promised inheritance in heaven.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

We must live according to the Holy Spirit, not according to sinfulness

Be Ruled by the Spirit (NCV)

Living by the Power of God’s Spirit (CEV)

8:15a

For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear,

For you^(plur) received the Spirit who does not give to you the attitude/mindset of slaves/slavery to live again in fear,
And God gave the Holy Spirit to you, and that Spirit does not make you slaves and cause you to be fearful/afraid again.

For: Here this word introduces an explanation of 8:14.Moo (on TW) and Jewett (page 497).

you did not receive a spirit of slavery: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the BSB translates as spirit:

It refers to an attitude or mindset of slavery. As believers in our new life, we do not have the feeling of being oppressed, of having no say about our own life, of being required to do things that we may not want to do, and other things of the life of a slave. For example:
you did not receive a spirit of slavery (NABRE) (BSB, RSV, NIV, NJB, NASB, NLT, NABRE, ESV, KJV, GW, NET)
It refers to the Holy Spirit. For example:
The Spirit we received does not make us slaves (NCV) (NIV11, GNT, CEV, REB, NCV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because it seems unlikely that the Holy Spirit would be connected to slavery with the connection of of.Moo (page 500) says, “In Gal. 4:1–7 the idea of slavery is specifically tied to the situation of being ‘under the law’ (see also the contrast in Heb. 12:18–24, cited by Calvin). But it may be questioned whether Paul would speak of this effect of the law as brought about by God’s Spirit, in light of the contrast between ‘letter’ and ‘Spirit’ in 7:6 and 2 Cor. 3:6–18. This makes it unlikely that ‘spirit of slavery’ refers directly to the Holy Spirit.”

you did not receive: In English, receive indicates that someone gave, but the word “take” does not. In some languages there is only one word that means both receive and “take.” If your word here would indicate that God did not give the Holy Spirit but that the believers just took him, translate in a way that indicates that God gave the Spirit. For example:

God did not give to you

that returns you to fear: This phrase refers to the result of being made slaves or having the attitude of a slave.Moo (page 500) says, “The Spirit that believers have received does not bring about ‘again’ that anxiety and fear of judgment which they suffered in their pre-Christian state (compare Gal. 4:8–10).”

These words in the Greek are literally “again to fear.” The Holy Spirit does not cause us to be fearful. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

so that you live in fear again (NIV11)

and cause you to be afraid again

8:15b

but you received the Spirit of sonship,

but you received the Spirit who made you God’s adopted children.
Instead, the Spirit whom God gave to you made the way for God to adopt you as his children.

but you received: As in 8:15a, God gave the Holy Spirit.

the Spirit of sonship: Here the word of indicates that the Holy Spirit causes believers to be adopted as God’s children.Jewett (page 498) says “a Spirit producing sonship,” Witherington (page 217) says the Holy Spirit “brings sonship,” and Morris (on TW) says, “The Spirit does not make people slaves but sons.” Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship (NIV11)

the Spirit made you God’s children

sonship: The word sonship refers to taking someone who is not your child and making them legally your child. Here it refers to the Holy Spirit making a believer God’s adopted child when he or she becomes a believer. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

adopted as God’s children

caused you to become God’s adopted children

General Comment on 8:15a–b

What the Holy does do (8:15b) comes after what the Holy Spirit does not do (8:15a). In some languages it is more natural to have 8:15b first. For example:

For you received the Spirit and he made you God’s adopted children. This Spirit does not give to you the attitude/mindset of slaves/slavery to live again in fear.

8:15c

by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

And through the power of the Spirit we^(incl) call out to God, “Abba, Dad/Father.”
And the Spirit gives us the power to call God our Father.

by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”: The words by whom indicate that the Holy Spirit makes us able to call out to God as a son calls out to his father. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

and with his strength we can cry/shout to God, “Abba! Father!”

we cry: Here the Greek word that the BSB translates as cry refers to speaking with strong emotion. It could be just about any emotion, including being sad, desperate, happy, enthusiastic, or afraid of something. In many languages a literal translation would wrongly refer only to being in pain with tears in the eyes, or wailing. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

we call out (GW)

say strongly

Abba! Father: Abba is the word in the Aramaic languageThis was the language spoken by most of the Jews in Palestine at that time. that means “father.” At that time it was used by both children and adults for their fathers. Here it would remind readers that Jesus used it when praying to God. So it would imply a similar relationship for believers to God.

In some languages people will not know what Abba means. If that is true in your language, you may want to explain its meaning in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:

The word “Abba” means “father” in Aramaic. Jesus used this word (Mark 14:36).

Some languages must indicate whose father this is. For example:

Abba, my-father!

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

γὰρ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: οὒ Γάρ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα δουλείας πάλιν εἰς φόβον ἀλλά ἐλάβετε Πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας ἐν ᾧ κράζομεν Ἀββα ὁ Πατήρ)

For indicates that what follows this word explains what came before it. Here, it introduces an explanation of what Paul said in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: [In fact,]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πάλιν

again

Here, again indicates that Paul’s readers had a spirit of slavery before they became Christians. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [for a second time]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πνεῦμα

˓a˒_spirit

Here, spirit could refer to: (1) a person’s attitude or emotional state. Alternate translation: [a mental state] (2) a demonic spirit. Alternate translation: [a demonic spirit]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

πνεῦμα δουλείας & Πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας

˓a˒_spirit ˱of˲_slavery & ˓the˒_Spirit ˱of˲_adoption_as_sons

In both of these phrases Paul is using the possessive form to describe something that causes something else to happen. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use different expressions. Alternate translation: [a spirit that causes slavery … the Spirit that causes adoption]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

δουλείας & φόβον & υἱοθεσίας

˱of˲_slavery & fear & ˱of˲_adoption_as_sons

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of slavery, fear, and adoption, you could express the same ideas in another way. Alternate translation: [of being a slave … you being afraid … of those who have been adopted]

Note 6 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

εἰς φόβον

to fear

Here, leading to indicates that fear is the result of receiving a spirit of slavery. Use a natural way in your language for indicating result. Alternate translation: [resulting in fear]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

Πνεῦμα

˓the˒_Spirit

Here, the Spirit could refer to: (1) the Holy Spirit, as indicated by the use of Spirit in the ULT. Alternate translation: [the Holy Spirit] (2) a person’s attitude or emotional state, as with the previous use of spirit in this verse. Alternate translation: [a mental state]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

Ἀββά, ὁ Πατήρ

Here, cry out indicates that what follows is an emotional exclamation. Use an exclamation that is natural in your language for communicating this. Alternate translation: [O Abba! Father!]

Note 9 topic: translate-transliterate

Ἀββά, ὁ Πατήρ

Paul writes out the sounds of this Jewish Aramaic word Abba with Greek letters, which means Father. Since Paul translates the meaning next in the verse, you should write out this word using the most similar sounds in your language.

Note 10 topic: guidelines-sonofgodprinciples

ὁ Πατήρ

¬the Father

Father is an important title for God.

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.