Led by the Spirit: adoption, "Abba! Father!", the Spirit's witness, and heirs with Christ (Romans 8:14–17)

Says "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" (8:14, BSB). Believers did not receive "a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption to sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”" (8:15, BSB). υἱοθεσία (huiothesia, "adoption as sons") is the word for adoption (lex.G5206). Αββα ὁ πατήρ (Abba ho patēr) gives the Aramaic word for "father" followed by its Greek equivalent, as in Mark 14:36 and Gal 4:6 (lex.G5; note.language.Rom.8.9-Rom.8.17.pneuma-huiothesia).

Says "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children" (8:16, BSB).

Uncertain συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν (symmartyrei tō pneumati hēmōn, 8:16): "testifies with our spirit," a joint witness, or "testifies to our spirit." This commentary leans to "with" (so BSB): the prefix συν- ("with") usually keeps its force, and two witnesses fit the legal setting of adoption. The alternative, "to," holds that the believer's spirit cannot be a witness alongside God's Spirit and takes the prefix as intensive.

Says "And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him" (8:17, BSB) (lex.G2818; lex.G4789). The suffering and glory of 8:17 lead into 8:18–39.

Background. Roman adoption law and the Aramaic address "Abba" are set out in note.historical.Rom.8.1-Rom.8.39.adoption-law and note.historical.Rom.8.1-Rom.8.39.abba. The background explains the image; it does not fix its meaning.