Bible Strands
Romans 8:16
The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Roman believers, mid-argument on the Spirit's work in the believer (Rom 8:14–17), immediately after contrasting the cry of a slave with the cry of a son.
The words — συμμαρτυρεῖ (summarturei) is "bears witness with," the prefix συν- marking joint testimony rather than testimony on behalf of; the Spirit and the human spirit are co-witnesses, not advocate and client. The same Greek noun πνεῦμα appears twice (nominative and dative), distinguishing the divine Agent from the human faculty without changing the word.
The thread — 2 Cor 1:22 and 5:5 call the Spirit a pledge (ἀρραβών) of the inheritance, and 1 John 4:13 grounds abiding in God on the Spirit given; Romans 8:16 supplies the content of that pledge: sonship.
Why it lands — The verse does not ask the reader to produce a feeling or a proof; it locates the evidence outside the self, in the Spirit's ongoing testimony, so that the believer's task is to receive rather than to generate assurance.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Cross-references
- 1 John 4:13 By this we know that we remain in Him, and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit.
- 2 Corinthians 1:22 placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come.
- 2 Corinthians 5:5 And it is God who has prepared us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a pledge of what is to come.
- Ephesians 1:13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
- Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.
- 1 John 3:19 And by this we will know that we belong to the truth, and will assure our hearts in His presence:
- Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12 For this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in relation to you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God—not in worldly wisdom, but in the grace of God.
- Romans 8:23 Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
- 1 John 5:10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within him; whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given about His Son.