Romans 8 · Verse 24

Romans 8:24

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Romans 8:24, King James Version

Romans 8:24 in other translations

BSBFor in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see?
WEBFor we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?
ASVFor in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth?
YLTfor in hope we were saved, and hope beheld is not hope; for what any one doth behold, why also doth he hope for it?
DARBYFor we have been saved in hope; but hope seen is not hope; for what any one sees, why does he also hope?
BBEFor our salvation is by hope: but hope which is seen is not hope: for who is hoping for what he sees?
WebsterFor we are saved by hope: But hope that is seen, is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

What does Romans 8:24 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
24. For we are saved by hope--rather, "For in hope we are saved"; that is, it is more a salvation in hope than as yet in actual possession. but hope that is seen is not hope--for the very meaning of hope is, the expectation that something now future will become present. for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?--the latter ending when the other comes.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 24. For we are saved by hope. It cannot be said that hope is the instrument or condition of salvation. Most commentators have understood this as meaning that we have as yet attained salvation only in hope; that we have arrived only to a condition in which we hope for future glory; and that we are in an attitude of waiting for the future state of adoption. But perhaps the word saved may mean here simply, we are kept, preserved, sustained in our trials, by hope. Our trials axe so great that nothing but the prospect of future deliverance would uphold us; and the prospect is sufficient to enable us to bear them with patience. This is the proper meaning of the word save; and it is often thus used in the New Testament. See Mt 8:25, 16:25, Mk 3:4, 8:3,5. The Syriac renders this, "For by hope we live." The Arabic, "We are preserved by hope." Hope thus sustains the soul in the midst of trials, and enables it to bear them without a murmur.

But hope that is seen. Hope is a complex emotion, made up of an earnest desire, and an expectation of obtaining an object. It has reference, therefore, to that which is at present unseen. But when the object is seen, and is in our possession, it cannot be said to be an object of hope. The word hope here means the object of hope, the thing hoped for.

What a man seeth. The word seeth is used here in the sense of possessing, or enjoying. What a man already possesses he cannot be said to hope for.

Why. How. What a man actually possesses, how can he look forward to it with anticipation ?

(e) "hope for" 2Cor 5:7

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 24 For we are saved by hope - We are supported and are comfortable in the expectation we have of receiving from the hand of our God all the good we need in the troubles and adversities of this life, and of having our bodies raised from corruption and death at the general resurrection. Hope that is seen is not hope - As hope signifies the expectation of future good, so it necessarily supposes that the object of it is not seen, i.e. not enjoyed; for to see, in Scripture language, sometimes signifies to enjoy, as in Job 7:7 : Mine eye shall no more See (margin, Enjoy) good. Job 9:25 : My days flee away, and See no good; i.e. enjoy no prosperity. Psa 50:23 : I will Show the salvation of God: I will give that man to enjoy my salvation who walks uprightly. Mat 5:8 : Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall See God; that is, they shall enjoy his favor and blessing. See also Joh 3:36; Heb 12:14, and 1Jn 3:2. The hope that is seen, that is, enjoyed, is no longer hope, it is fruition: and a man cannot hope for that which he has in his possession.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 8:18-25

The sufferings of the saints strike no deeper than the things of time, last no longer than the present time, are light afflictions, and but for a moment. How vastly different are the sentence of the word and the sentiment of the world, concerning the sufferings of this present time! Indeed the whole creation seems to wait with earnest expectation for the period when the children of God shall be manifested in the…

Read the full comment on Romans 8:18-25 →

Romans 8:24 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

τῇtēaIn thisG3588
γὰρgarforG1063
ἐλπίδιelpidihopeG1680
ἐσώθημεν·esōthēmenwe were saved;G4982
ἐλπὶςelpishopeG1680
δὲdehoweverG1161
βλεπομένηblepomenēbeing seenG991
οὐκouknotG3756
ἔστινestinisG1510
ἐλπίς·elpishope;G1680
ὃhowhatG3739
γὰρgarforG1063
βλέπειblepeiseesG991
τίς,tisanyG5101
τίtiwhyG5101
καὶkaialsoG2532
ἐλπίζει;elpizeidoes he hope for [it]?G1679

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Romans 8:24

  • Hebrews 11:1

    Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:7

    (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

  • 2 Corinthians 4:18

    While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

  • 1 Peter 1:21

    Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:8

    But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

  • Romans 12:12

    Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

  • Romans 5:2

    By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

  • Romans 15:13

    Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

  • 1 Peter 1:3

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

  • Hebrews 6:18-19

    That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

  • Psalms 146:5

    Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:

  • Romans 15:4

    For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
saved.
5:2; 12:12; 15:4,13; Ps 33:18,22; 146:5; Pr 14:32; Jer 17:7; Zec 9:12
1Co 13:13; Ga 5:5; Col 1:5,23,27; 1Th 5:8; 2Th 2:16; Tit 2:11-13
Heb 6:18,19; 1Pe 1:3,21; 1Jo 3:3
but hope.
2Co 4:18; 5:7; Heb 11:1; 1Pe 1:10,11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Romans 8:23

    And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

  • Romans 8:24

    For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

  • Romans 8:25

    But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Read all of Romans 8

Romans 8:24 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque en esperanza somos salvos; mas la esperanza que se ve, no es esperanza; porque lo que alguno ve, ¿á qué esperarlo?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car nous avons été sauvés en espérance: or une espérance qu’on voit n’est pas une espérance; car ce que quelqu’un voit, pourquoi aussi l’espère-t-il?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn in Hoffnung sind wir errettet worden. Eine Hoffnung aber, die gesehen wird, ist keine Hoffnung; denn was einer sieht, was hofft er es auch?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Spe enim salvi facti sumus. Spes autem, quæ videtur, non est spes: nam quod videt quis, quid sperat?