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Lindsey Murad
Exegesis Paper
Romans 8:18-39
Variations in Biblical Translations
In the passage Romans 8:18-39 there are a number of differences in words which reflects a more
modern translation of the NEW JERUSALEM BIBLE from the NEW OXFORD ANNOTATED.
These include:
v. 21 slavery to corruption/ bondage to decay
v. 29 eldest of many brothers/ first born within a large family
v. 33 those that God has chosen/ Gods elect
v. 38 principalities/ rulers
Some slight differences in the text are as follows:
v. 23, NJ waiting with eagerness for our bodies to be set free.
Oxford while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
v. 27, NJ accordance with the mind of God
Oxford according to the will of God
v. 29, NJ destined to be moulded to the pattern of his Son
Oxford predestined to be conformed to the image of his son
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A Larger Story?
Romans 8:18-39 is to be considered a part of the immediately surrounding verses.
Romans 8:1-17 discusses the importance of the Spirit in the lives of Christians. The Spirit is
dwells in us and through it we will live.
Romans 8:18-30 gives reasons why believers should be willing to suffer for Christ in order to
inherit what God has in store.
Romans 8:31-39 talks about how there is nothing in heaven or earth that can separate us from
Gods love.
Romans 9:1-5 Paul talks about the Israelites and how he wishes he was cut off from God rather
than them. Paul says that the promises and covenant with God is meant for them.
The contents of the entire passage found in Romans 8:18-39 is a continuation of the beginning
verses of chapter 8. However, the succeeding chapter 9 presents a separate theme than what was
covered in chapter 8.
Outline of Romans 8:18-39
A. Present suffering with hope of salvation; the Spirits guidance 8:18-30
1. Glory is in our future 18
2. Creation is waiting to be freed 19-23
3. We must have hope 24-25
4. The Spirit intercedes for us 26-27
5. God has a purpose for his children 28-30

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B. Gods assurance to Christians 8:31-39
1. With God on our side, nothing can overcome us 31
2. God is willing to do anything for us 32
3. Only God has the power to accuse us 33
4. Only God has the power to condemn us 34
5. Question asking who/what can separate us from Gods love 35
6. The Christians are being persecuted 36
7. Through God we are victorious 37
8. Answer saying that nothing can separate us from Gods love 38-39
Setting in History and Life
There is not much doubt regarding the author of Romans. It is widely believed and
accepted that Paul is the author. Paul used the scribe, Tertius, when writing the letter to the
Romans. There is overwhelming evidence that supports Pauls authorship of Romans as well as
other letters. Romans is the longest of Pauls letters and has the weightiest subjects (Knox,
355). The evidences of authenticity are so impressive, severally and cumulatively, as to make
the case altogether irrefutable (Knox, 355). One example of evidence that supports Paul as the
author is that the style and vocabulary of the letter are the characteristic style and vocabulary
of other books and letters that Paul was said to have written (Knox, 355). The internal issues in
the letter also support Pauls authorship because the teaching of the epistle is engaged with
issues which disturbed the churches about the middle of the first century, when Paul was at the
height of his career (Knox, 355). In Romans, the stage of development of Christian doctrine
fits with the time of Paul (Knox, 355).
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There is a general consensus among Biblical scholars that Paul wrote Romans around 57
C.E., give or take a year or two. Scholars have come up with this date based on evidence from
this time period. Romans was probably written towards the end of Pauls third missionary
journey, when he was getting ready to go back to Jerusalem. The letter to the Romans was most
likely occasioned in part by circumstances in Rome during the reign of the emperor Nero
(Coogan, 1593). One example that is found in the letter is that Paul sends greetings to two Jews,
Prisca and Aquila, who were banished from Rome around 49 C.E. by the emperor Claudius.
These two men were back in Rome at the time of the writing of the letter. Their return probably
occurred sometime after 54 C.E. when Emperor Nero suspended the edict upon coming into
power. Due to these circumstances it is believed that the letter had to have been written
sometime during this period in the 50s.
Many elements may have influenced Pauls writings to the Romans. Around this time
period, the Jews had started to return to Rome. They had previously been driven out andlost
property and community ties during their exile (Coogan, 1593). With the return of the Jews to
Rome, tension may have started to build within house groups in which non-Judean (Gentile)
believers had become predominant (Coogan, 1593). During this time period there was a
growing anti- Judaism sentiment that also began to arise within the Gentile Christian population
as well. In Alexandria, Egypt between 38 and 41 C.E. there was a lot of persecution of Jews.
News of these events would have reached Paul. He also would have known about the more
recent market tax riots that had turned deadly in a smaller town near Rome (Coogan, 1593).
After seeing all the violence against Jews, Paul was starting to be concerned to prevent in Rome
the sort of civic disturbance in which the citys minority Jewish population would be especially
vulnerable (Coogan, 1593).
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Word Study
SHEEP: In the Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible (pg.315-316) this term refers to the
domesticated animal originally in early Palestine. Sheep symbolize wealth and were the
livelihood of many people. They are also used in trade and are an important part of the sacrificial
structure of the day. The Harper Collins Bible Dictionary (pg. 947-948) says that a majority of
the references to sheep in the New Testament are metaphorical. In the New Testament, Jesus
Christ is often referred to as the shepherd of sheep. They compare the relationship of Christ and
his followers to that of the shepherd and his flock (Powell, 947). Sheep are used in a figurative
sense for human beings (Powell, 948). In the text, the term is used as an analogy; the people are
being treated like sheep. The text refers to Gods children being persecuted.
CREATION: In the Harper Collins Bible Dictionary (pg. 159- 160) this term refers to the act of
God by which the universe came into being (Powell, 159). The Interpreters Dictionary of the
Bible (pg. 725-732) says that the New Testament stresses the complete dependence of the
whole creation upon the Creator (Buttrick, 725). Paul says that the whole created order,
affected by the sin of man, groans under the bondage of corruption, waiting eagerly for the
creative and redemptive act that will reveal the sons of God (Buttrick, 732). The term creation is
used multiple times in Romans 8:18-39. In the passage it used like the definition from the
Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible and it is used with the same context. The creation, in basic
terms, is everything upon the Earth including human beings. In the passage, the creation is
referred to as waiting to be released from bondage and waiting to be reborn.
SPIRIT: In the Harper Collins Bible Dictionary (pg.386-387) Spirit translates into wind or
breath (Powell, 387). The Spirit, or Holy Spirit, is described as the mysterious power or
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presence of God that operates within individuals and communities, inspiring or empowering
them with qualities they would not otherwise possess (Powell, 386). In the New Testament, the
Spirit comes to manifest and demonstrate the presence and activity of God and of Jesus Christ
in the church (Powell, 387). Also, the Spirit is an Advocate who provides divine presence and
guidance to believers (Powell, 387). The Spirit makes believers one in Christ and empowers
them, not only for the mission of the church, but also for the moral and ethical life (Powell,
387). In the text, the term Spirit aligns with these definitions and describes the entity that God
has given his children to guide them.
The word Spirit appears multiple times in both the Old and New Testament. An example
of the use of the word Spirit in the Old Testament is found in Isaiah 59:21. This verse says, And
as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord: my spirit that is upon you, and my
words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of
your children, or out of the mouths of your childrens children, says the Lord, from now on and
forever. Another example drawn from the New Testament is found in Ezekiel 36:26-27. This
verse says A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove
from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you,
and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.
Old Testament/ New Testament Ties
In the footnotes for Romans 8:18-39 in the New Oxford Annotated Bible, there are
various Old and New Testament passages referenced that relate to the text. In the Old Testament
passage of Psalm 44:22, it is quoted almost verbatim in Romans 8:36. This verse is about the
people being killed like sheep being led to the slaughter. Another Old Testament passage that is
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related to the assigned text is found in Isaiah 50:8. In this verse it talks about how no one can
come against Gods children and prevail because God is there to stand up for them.
A passage in the New Testament that relates to the text is in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28. This
passage relates to the assigned text because it describes how all of creation is put in subjection
under God. Another example of New Testament passages that relate to the assigned text are
found in Matthew 24:8 and Mark 13:8. In both of these sections they reference birth pangs.
This relates to the Romans section where it says the whole creation has been groaning in labor
pains (Romans 8: 22).
Summary
The first part of the passage, verses 18-30, starts out by saying how creation was
subjected to suffering and captivity as they wait for God to free them. Paul uses the example of
groaning in labor pains as a way to describe creation waiting for the redemption through Christ
(Romans 8:22). The passage continues on to say that God gives his children the Spirit to guide
them. The Spirit is the intermediary between the creation and God. Due to the Spirit, we are able
to communicate with God. In verses 31-39, Paul tries to assure Christians of Gods plans for
them. God is willing to do anything for his children, which is why he gave up his only son. Paul
continues to write how no one of this world can come against Gods children. Only God can
judge or condemn them. Paul tries to encourage his audience by ending the chapter saying that
nothing on earth or in heaven can separate his children from Gods love.
Who Was the Message For?
Based on my research, I have concluded that there is strong evidence that supports the
belief that Paul wrote the letters to both the Jewish and Gentile Christians for a variety of
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reasons. Paul writes about specific problems with the Roman community which leads scholars to
believe that the letter isnt written for the general community. Based on evidence, it doesnt
appear that the problems of the church were at the forefront of Pauls mind. Instead he was more
focused on the Christian community gaining a better understanding of the gospel and its
meaning (Moo, 20). The most widely accepted view is that Romans was addressed to both
Jewish and Gentile Christians, with the emphasison the latter group (Moo, 19). This is the
most popular belief because it fits better with both the focus on the Gentiles in the letter and the
probably increasingly dominant position of Gentiles in the church (Moo, 19). Scholars have
determined that Pauls main goal of the letter was to unite the Jew and Gentile Christians as one
Christian community.
The reason for why Paul wrote Romans has been highly debated by scholars because
Paul says almost nothing on the subject (Moo, 16). The opinions on Pauls motivations are
separated into two basic types. The first opinion is that stress Pauls own situation and
circumstances was the reason for Romans being written (Moo, 16). Scholars believe that one of
the purposes of Pauls writing to the Romans was to prepare for his mission to Spain (Moo,
17). Some Biblical scholars would view Romans as Pauls letter of introduction to a church he
hopes to add to his list of sponsors (Moo, 17). This explanation could be seen as an integral part
of the reason why Paul wrote the letter, but it is not the sole explanation.
Another opinion is that the problems within the Roman community are what stimulated
Paul to write Romans (Moo, 16). In the New International Commentary, two scholars present
their ideas about how the problems in Rome affected Pauls writing. F. C. Baur believes that
Paul had never been to that particular church before, but he does cite evidence that Paul was
acquainted with the situation in Rome (Moo, 18). G. Klein, another scholar, believes that Paul
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wrote the letter with the purpose of providing the necessary apostolic foundation for the
creation of a church in Rome (Moo, 19). Klein also finds it significant that Paul does not
address the letter with the word church (Moo, 19).





















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Works Cited
Buttrick, George, ed. Creation, Sheep. The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible. 3
rd
Edition.
Abingdon Press, 1962.
Coogan, Michael. Romans. The New Oxford Annotated Bible. Oxford University Press, 2010.
Mays, James, ed. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Atlanta, GA,
1985. Print.
Knox, John. Romans: Introduction. The Interpreter's Bible. New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury,
1951. Print.
Moo, Douglas. The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Pub., 1996. Print.
Powell, Mark, ed. Creation, Sheep, Spirit HarperCollins Bible Dictionary. HarperCollins,
2011.
Romans. The New Jerusalem Bible. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1985. Print.
The Strongest NASB Exhaustive Concordance. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004. Print.