Devine Scripture

Romans 8:24

What does Romans 8:24 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 8:24 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 8:24 means

Salvation and hope are intertwined. We were saved “in hope,” meaning that salvation includes a forward-looking trust in what God has promised but not yet revealed. Hope, by definition, concerns what is unseen; once it is seen, it ceases to be hope. This clarifies the nature of Christian expectation: it rests on God’s word and Christ’s resurrection, not on present sight. Faith lays hold of what God has done; hope stretches toward what God will do. This keeps believers from disillusionment when present experience lags behind promise. Our incomplete condition is not a failure of salvation but part of its design, directing our hearts toward the coming fulfillment.

Romans 8:24 in context

Romans 8 — No Condemnation, No Separation

The high-water mark of Paul's letters. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. The Spirit of life sets us free from the law of sin and death; the same Spirit cries 'Abba, Father' in our hearts and assures us we are children and heirs. Suffering is real, but the glory ahead is incomparably greater. All things work together for good to those who love God. And nothing — neither death nor life nor angels nor things present nor things to come — shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  • Justification
  • Indwelling Spirit
  • Adoption
  • Final perseverance

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth?

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth?

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For our salvation is by hope: but hope which is seen is not hope: for who is hoping for what he sees?

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for in hope we were saved, and hope beheld is not hope; for what any one doth behold, why also doth he hope for <FI>it<Fi> ?

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. For what a man seeth, why doth he hope for?

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For we have been saved in hope; but hope seen is not hope; for what any one sees, why does he also hope?

Context

After describing believers’ longing for bodily redemption (v. 23), Paul defines the texture of Christian existence as hopeful waiting. Verse 24 highlights the unseen character of hope, which leads directly to verse 25’s call to patient endurance. These verses function as a hinge from the groaning of creation and believers (vv. 22–23) to the Spirit’s present help in our weakness (vv. 26–27), showing that God sustains us both by future hope and by present intercession.

v.23And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

v.24This passage

v.25But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Romans 5:2

    through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

  • Hebrews 11:1

    Now faith is assurance ofthingshoped for, a conviction of things not seen.

  • Colossians 1:27

    to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

  • Psalms 33:22

    Let thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, be upon us, According as we have hoped in thee.

  • Psalms 33:18

    Behold, the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear him, Upon them that hope in his lovingkindness;

  • 1 Corinthians 13:13

    But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Sermon ideas from Romans 8:24

Angles a pastor or small-group leader might preach or teach from this passage, drawn from the chapter's main themes.

  • What Romans 8:24 teaches us about justification

  • What Romans 8:24 teaches us about indwelling spirit

  • What Romans 8:24 teaches us about adoption

  • What Romans 8:24 teaches us about final perseverance

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