the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Geneva Bible
Romans 8:22
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For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now.
For wee know that the whole creation groaneth, and trauaileth in paine together vntill now.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
We know that everything God made has been waiting until now in pain, like a woman ready to give birth.
For we know that the whole creation has been moaning together as in the pains of childbirth until now.
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time.
We know that all creation is still groaning and is in pain, like a woman about to give birth.
We know that until now, the whole creation has been groaning as with the pains of childbirth;
For we know that the whole creation groans together and travails in pain together until now.
We know that everything God made has been waiting until now in pain like a woman ready to give birth to a child.
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors in pain to this day.
For we know that up to the present time all of creation groans with pain, like the pain of childbirth.
For we know that the whole creation groans together and suffers agony together until now.
For we know that all the creation groans together and travails together until now.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
For we are conscious that all living things are weeping and sorrowing in pain together till now.
For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.
For we know that all creation has been groaning with the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.Jeremiah 12:11;">[xr]
For we know that all creatures groan and travail until this day;
For we know, that all the creatures are groaning and travailing in pain unto this day.
For we knowe, that euery creature groneth with vs also, and trauayleth in payne, euen vnto this tyme.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth together and travaileth together until now.
For we know that the whole of Creation is groaning together in the pains of childbirth until this hour.
And we witen, that ech creature sorewith, and trauelith with peyne til yit.
For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth, and travaileth in pain together until now:
For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers together until now.
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
We know that everything on the earth cries out with pain the same as a woman giving birth to a child.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now;
For we know that, all creation, is sighing together, and travailing-in-birth-throes together until the present, -
For we know that every creature groaneth and travaileth in pain, even till now.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now;
For we knowe that every creature groneth with vs also and travayleth in payne even vnto this tyme.
for we have known that all the creation doth groan together, and doth travail in pain together till now.
For we knowe, that euery creature groneth, and trauayleth with vs in payne vnto the same tyme.
for we know that the whole creation groans, and labours with general pain even to this day.
All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.
All of creation has been in pain like a mother awaiting the birth of a child.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
the: etc. or, every creature, Romans 8:20, Mark 16:15, Colossians 1:23
groaneth: Psalms 48:6, Jeremiah 12:11, John 16:21, Revelation 12:2
Reciprocal: Genesis 7:21 - General Leviticus 18:25 - the land Leviticus 18:28 - General Leviticus 26:35 - General Numbers 22:28 - What have I Job 15:20 - travaileth Psalms 38:9 - groaning Ecclesiastes 1:8 - full Jeremiah 12:4 - the beasts Joel 1:18 - General Romans 5:14 - even
Cross-References
Againe he sent a doue from him, that he might see if the waters were diminished from off the earth.
But the doue found no rest for the sole of her foote: therefore she returned vnto him into the Arke (for the waters were vpon the whole earth) and he put forth his hand, and receiued her, and tooke her to him into the Arke.
And the doue came to him in ye euening, and loe, in her mouth was an oliue leafe that she had pluckt: whereby Noah knewe that the waters were abated from off the earth.
Notwithstanding he wayted yet other seuen dayes, and sent forth the doue, which returned not againe vnto him any more.
Goe forth of the Arke, thou & thy wife, and thy sonnes and thy sonnes wiues with thee.
Bring forth with thee euery beast that is with thee, of all flesh, both foule and cattell, and euery thing that creepeth and moueth vpon the earth, yt they may breede abundantly in ye earth, and bring forth fruite & increase vpon ye earth.
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord & tooke of euery cleane beast, & of euery cleane foule, and offered burnt offerings vpon the altar.
For nowe two yeeres of famine haue bene through ye land, and fiue yeeres are behind, wherein neither shalbe earing nor haruest.
Six dayes shalt thou worke, and in the seuenth day thou shalt rest: both in earing time, and in the haruest thou shalt rest.
For they say not in their heart, Let vs nowe feare the Lorde our God, that giueth raine both early and late in due season: hee reserueth vnto vs the appointed weekes of the haruest.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For we know that the whole creation groaneth,.... As a woman with child, ready to bring forth: for it is added,
and travaileth in pain together until now; regeneration is owing to the grace of God, which is compared to "seed", of which men are born again; the means of conveying it is the Gospel, and ministers are the instruments of begetting souls to Christ, and who travail in birth till Christ be formed in them: now the Gospel being carried by the apostles into the Gentile world, and being succeeded there, it was like a woman big with child, ready to bring forth many sons to God; for as it was prophesied, so it came to pass, that "more are the children of the desolate, than the children of the married wife", Isaiah 54:1; and these births were attended with pain. The apostles preached the word with much contention, and the Gentiles received it in much affliction, though with the joy of the Holy Ghost; as a woman rejoices when a man child is brought forth, though the birth has been attended with pain and labour. This was an united groan, and travail of all the converted Gentiles in the several parts of the world, together with the ministers of the Gospel, earnestly desiring more instances of conversion among them; and this vehement desire had appeared "until now", from the first time of the preaching of the Gospel among the Gentiles, to the writing of this epistle; and supposes, that though there were many spiritual births, there were more to come; as there has been, and will be more abundantly, in the latter day: and moreover, this painful labour, and these united groans for spiritual births, the apostles were well acquainted with, and therefore could say, "we know", &c. by their preaching among them, in whom they could easily observe, and do in their writings take notice, how eagerly desirous they were of having the Gospel preached unto them.
(The whole creation was brought under a curse because of Adam's sin. This curse will be removed in the eternal state when Christ will restore the creation to the way it was in the beginning. Editor.)
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For we know - The sentiment of this verse is designed as an illustration of what had just been said.
That the whole creation - Margin, “every creature.” This expression has been commonly understood as meaning the same as “the creature” in Romans 8:20-21. But I understand it as having a different signification; and as being used in the natural and usual signification of the word “creature,” or “creation.” It refers, as I suppose, to the whole animate creation; to all living beings; to the state of all created things here, as in a condition of pain and disorder, and groaning and death. Everything which we see; every creature which lives, is thus subjected to a state of servitude, pain, vanity, and death. The reasons for supposing that this is the true interpretation, are,
- That the apostle expressly speaks of “the whole creation, of every creature, qualifying the phrase by the expression “we know,” as if he was drawing an illustration from a well-understood, universal fact.
(2)This interpretation makes consistent sense, and makes the verse have a direct bearing on the argument. “It is just an argument from analogy.”
He had Romans 8:20-21 said that the condition of a Christian was one of bondage and servitude. It was an imperfect, humiliating state; one attended with pain, sorrow, and death. This might be regarded as a melancholy description, and the question might arise, why was not the Christian at once delivered from this? The answer is in this verse. “It is just the condition of everything.” It is the manifest principle on which God governs the world. The whole creation is in just this condition; and we are not to be surprised, therefore, if it is the condition of the believer. It is a part of the universal system of things; it accords with everything we see; and we are not to be surprised that the church exists on the same principle of administration; in a state of bondage, imperfection, sorrow, and sighing for deliverance.
Groaneth - Greek, Groans together. All is united in a condition of sorrow. The expression denotes mutual and universal grief. It is one wide and loud lamentation, in which a dying world unites; and in which it has united “until now.”
And travaileth in pain together - This expression properly denotes the extreme pain of parturition. It also denotes any intense agony, or extreme suffering; and it means here that the condition of all things has been that of intense, united, and continued suffering; in other words, that we are in a world of misery and death. This has been united; all have partaken of it: it has been intense; all endure much: it has been unremitted; every age has experienced the repetition of the same thing.
Until now - Until the time when the apostle wrote. It is equally true of the time since he wrote. It has been the characteristic of every age. It is remarkable that the apostle does not here say of “the whole creation,” that it had any hope of deliverance; an additional consideration that shows that the interpretation above suggested is correct, Romans 8:20-21, Romans 8:23. Of the sighing and suffering universe, he says nothing with respect to its future state. He does not say that the suffering brutal creation shall be compensated, or shall be restored or raised up. He simply adverts to the fact that it suffers, as an illustration that the condition of the Christian is not singular and special. The Scriptures say nothing of the future condition of the brutal creation.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 22. The whole creation groaneth and travaileth — If it be inquired how the Gentile world groaned and travailed in pain; let them who explain this of the fabric of the material world, tell us how that groans and travails? They must needs own it to be a borrowed and allusive phrase: but in the sense above given, the very literal construction may be admitted.
