22. We know that all that God created has been groaning. It is in pain as if it were giving birth to a child. The created world continues to groan even now.
23. And that's not all. We have the Holy Spirit as the promise of future blessing. But we also groan inside ourselves as we look forward to the time when God will adopt us as full members of his family. Then he will give us everything he has for us. He will raise our bodies and give glory to them.
24. That's the hope we had when we were saved. But hope that can be seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?
25. We hope for what we don't have yet. So we are patient as we wait for it.
26. In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us when we are weak. We don't know what we should pray for. But the Spirit himself prays for us. He prays with groans too deep for words.
27. God, who looks into our hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit. And the Spirit prays for God's people just as God wants him to pray.
28. We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. He appointed them to be saved in keeping with his purpose.
29. God planned that those he had chosen would become like his Son. In that way, Christ will be the first and most honored among many brothers.
30. And those God has planned for, he has also appointed to be saved. Those he has appointed, he has made right with himself. To those he has made right with himself, he has given his glory.
31. What should we say then? Since God is on our side, who can be against us?
32. God did not spare his own Son. He gave him up for us all. Then won't he also freely give us everything else?
33. Who can bring any charge against God's chosen ones? God makes us right with himself.
34. Who can sentence us to death? Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God and is also praying for us. He died. More than that, he was raised to life.
35. Who can separate us from Christ's love? Can trouble or hard times or harm or hunger? Can nakedness or danger or war?