Romans 8:26

Romans 8:26

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

a. NLT: And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

b. NIV: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

c. YLT: And, in like manner also, the Spirit doth help our weaknesses; for, what we may pray for, as it behoveth us, we have not known, but the Spirit himself doth make intercession for us with groanings unutterable,

d. Amplified Bible: In the same way the Spirit [comes to us and] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what prayer to offer or how to offer it as we should, but the Spirit Himself [knows our need and at the right time] intercedes on our behalf with sighs and groanings too deep for words.

e. Worrell Translation: And, in like manner, the Spirit also helpeth our weakness; for we know not what to pray for us as we ought; but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

1.”Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities…”

a. likewise [1161 * de] [Strong:  a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. likewise [5615 * hosautos] [Strong: from 5613 and an adverb from 846; as thus, i.e. in the same way:--even so, likewise, after the same (in like) manner.]

c. the Spirit [4151 * pneuma] [Strong: from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:--ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.]

d. also [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

e. helpeth [4878 * sunantilambanomai; sun-together with; anti-against; lambano-take hold of;] [Strong: from 4862 and 482; to take hold of opposite together, i.e. co-operate (assist):--help.] [Thayer:  to lay hold along with, to strive to obtain with others, help in obtaining, to take hold with another.]  [Vine: to take hold with at the side for assistance" (sun, "with," and No. 1); hence, "to take a share in, help in bearing, to help in general."] [D.C.: To take hold together with the Holy Ghost against my infirmities, my weaknesses.]

f. our [2257 * hemon] [Strong: genitive case plural of 1473; of (or from) us:--our (company), us, we.]

1). Rick Renner 8/10/15 The word "helpeth" comes from the Greek word sunantilam­betai, which is a very complex triple compound word. But the first part of the word is the Greek pre­fix sun, and this is what I want to draw your attention to right now because it's so important for you to understand. The little Greek word sun is a very important word. It connects you to someone else. It carries the idea of partnership and cooperation. For instance, in Second Corinthians 6:1, when Paul writes, "We then, as workers together with him...," he uses the word sunergos to depict our partnership with God. If Paul had wanted to depict a person who was working alone, he could have used only the word ergos, for by itself, this word would picture a single, solitary worker. But when the word sun is attached to the front of ergos, it is transformed into the word sunergos and pictures two or more peo­ple who are working together like partners on the same job. This is no longer the picture of a lonely, solitary worker; now there is an entire team working together to get a job accomplished.

g. infirmities [769 * astheneia] [Zodhiates: Weakness, sickness. In the N.T. this word,[is one of]the most common expressions for illness and [is] used in the comprehensive sense of the whole man.  [D.C.: This could refer to physical weariness or spiritual weariness.] [Zodhiates: However, it can refer to a special form of bodily weakness, figuratively, impotence or weakness, Romans 8:11.]

2. “…for we know not what we should pray for as we ought…”

a. for [1063 * gar] [Strong: a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

b. we know [1492 * eido] [Strong: a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know:--be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot.]

c. not [3756 * ou, also (before a vowel) ouk, and (before an aspirate) ouch] [Strong: a primary word; the absolute negative (compare 3361) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

d. what [5101 * tis] [Strong: probably emphatic of 5100; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions):--every man, how (much), + no(-ne, thing), what (manner, thing), where (-by, -fore, -of, -unto, - with, -withal), whether, which, who(-m, -se), why.]

e. we should pray for [4336 * proseuchomai] [Strong: from 4314 and 2172; to pray to God, i.e. supplicate, worship:--pray (X earnestly, for), make prayer.]

f. as [2526 * katho] [Strong: from 2596 and 3739; according to which thing, i.e. precisely as, in proportion as:--according to that, (inasmuch) as.]

g. we ought [1163 * dei] [Strong: 3d person singular active present of 1210; also deon deh-on'; neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is (was, etc.) necessary (as binding):--behoved, be meet, must (needs), (be) need(-ful), ought, should.]

1). Not always knowing how to pray in the perfect will of God is an infirmity that we have. The Holy Ghost will take hold with us against our weaknesses, whatever they are, here, in particular, not knowing the will of God in prayer.

3. “…but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered.”

a. but [235 * alla] [Strong: neuter plural of 243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations):--and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]

b. the Spirit [4151 * pneuma] [Strong: from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:--ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.]

c. itself [846 * autos] [Strong: from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

d. maketh intercession [5241 * huperentugchano] [Strong: from 5228 and 1793; to intercede in behalf of:--make intercession for]

1). Rick Renner 3/29/16 I would like to draw your attention to the word “intercession” in the middle of this verse. It is the Greek word huperentugchano, an old word that does not appear to exist outside early Christian literature. It is the picture of one who comes upon someone who has fallen into some kind of quandary. Upon discovering the trapped person’s dilemma, he swiftly swings into action to rescue and deliver the one who is in trouble. Therefore, the word huperentugchano conveys the idea of a rescue operation.

e. for [5228 * huper] [Strong: a primary preposition; "over", i.e. (with the genitive case) of place, above, beyond, across, or causal, for the sake of, instead, regarding; with the accusative case superior to, more than:--(+ exceeding, abundantly) above, in (on) behalf of, beyond, by, + very chiefest, concerning, exceeding (above, -ly), for, + very highly, more (than), of, over, on the part of, for sake of, in stead, than, to(-ward), very. In the comparative, it retains many of the above applications.]

f. us [2257 * hemon] [Strong: genitive case plural of 1473; of (or from) us:--our (company), us, we.]

g. with groanings [4726 * stenagmos] [Strong: from 4727; a sigh:--groaning.]

h. which cannot be uttered [215 * alaletos] [Strong: from 1 (as a negative particle) and a derivative of 2980; unspeakable:--unutterable, which cannot be uttered.]

1). As we pray in tongues it is the Holy Ghost making intercession for us and through us with groaning which cannot be uttered by us. When we are praying in the Spirit, it is the Holy Ghost giving the utterance.  

a). Romans 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.