Romans 8.15-16 (PDF download at bottom of page)
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear,
but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (KJV)
This resurrection life you received from God
is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches your spirit and confirms who you really are. You know who He is, and He knows who you are: Father and child. (Message)
And so we should not be like cringing, fearful slaves,
but we should behave like God’s very own children, adopted into the bosom of His family, and calling to Him, “Father, Father.” For His Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we really are God’s children. (Living)
For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. (New Living)
For [the Spirit which] you have now received [is] not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear,
but you have received the Spirit of adoption [the Spirit producing sonship] in [the bliss of] which we cry, Abba (Father)! Father! The Spirit Himself [thus] testifies together with our own spirit, [assuring us] that we are children of God. (Amplified)
You haven’t received the spirit of slaves that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the spirit of God’s adopted children by which we call out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. (God’s Word)
Christ is within—follow the lead of his Spirit: All who follow the leading of God’s Spirit are God’s own sons. Nor are you meant to relapse into the old slavish attitude of fear—you have been adopted into the very family circle of God and you can say with a full heart, “Father, my Father”. The Spirit himself endorses our inward conviction that we really are the children of God. Think what that means. (Phillips)
Listen, you all didn’t get an old master-slave relationship based on fear; instead, you got a father-son relationship in which we are entitled to call God “Father”. The Spirit himself sings out with our spirit that “WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN.’ (Jordan)
For you have not received a spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of divine adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Berean Literal)
You have not for the second time acquired the consciousness of being–a consciousness which fills you with terror. But you have acquired a deep inward conviction of having been adopted as sons–a conviction which prompts us to cry aloud, “Abba! our Father!” (Weymouth)
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