Romans 8:21

21 that^[a] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

Romans 8:21 in Other Translations

21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.

21 until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.

21 that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.

21 that it would also be set free from slavery to decay in order to share the glorious freedom that the children of God will have.

21 that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of God's children.

21 to set the created world free. He didn't want it to rot away completely. Instead, he wanted it to have the same glorious freedom that his children have.

Romans 8:21 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 8:21

Because the creature itself also
The phrase in hope, which stands in our version, at the end of the preceding verse, should be placed in the beginning of this, and be read in connection with ( Romans 8:19 Romans 8:20 ) being a parenthesis, thus: "the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God, in hope that the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption"; and so it is placed in some copies, and in the Syriac version: that is, "the Gentiles" earnestly wait and expect a larger number of converts among them, in hopes that ere long the whole Gentile world will be freed from

the bondage of corruption, under which it at present groaned;
by which is meant, the bondage they were in, not only to their sinful lusts, but to Satan the god of this world; and particularly to their idols, by which they corrupted themselves, and to which they were enslaved: they hope for a deliverance from hence,

into the glorious liberty of the children of God;
which designs either the liberty of grace the children of God have here; and which consists in a freedom from the dominion of sin and Satan, from the law and bondage of it, in the free use of Gospel ordinances, in liberty of access to God, and a freedom from the fear of death, and a glorious liberty it is; or the liberty of glory the saints shall enjoy in the other world, which will lies in a freedom from the prison of the flesh, from the body of sin and death, from all sorrows and afflictions, from all reproaches and persecutions, from the temptations of Satan, from doubts, fears, and unbelief, and in the full vision of God through Christ, and in a free conversation with angels and saints.

Romans 8:21 In-Context

19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.

20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope

21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

Cross References

• 1. Acts 3:21; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1
• 2. S John 1:12

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "subjected it in hope. " 21"For"